Asian guns find motivation to achieve goal at lucrative season-ender in Atlanta

Three South Koreans will represent the Asian challenge at the season-ending Tour Championship in Atlanta, each of them carrying a different motivation into the lucrative FedEx Cup finale.

The youngest of them, Joohyung ‘Tom’ Kim, chases history, 2022 runner-up to Rory McIlroy Sungjae Im wants to go one better, and Si Woo Kim believes he has nothing to lose at the Playoffs finale, the PGA Tour said.

It is Im’s fifth successive appearance at the 30-man showpiece at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta where he already is the best-performing Asian golfer, Tom Kim’s first, and Si Woo is making only his second appearance following his debut as a rookie in 2016.

A victory for Tom, worth $18 million, will make him the youngest champion of the PGA Tour’s ultimate prize, surpassing Jordan Spieth who won at age 22 years and 2 months in 2015.

Meanwhile, calls to include Brooks Koepka in the US Ryder Cup squad continue to grow with team-mate and world number one Scottie Scheffler most recently making a case for the PGA Championship winner.

Scheffler, Wyndham Clark, Brian Harman, Patrick Cantlay, Max Homa and Xander Schauffele were all officially confirmed after last week’s BMW Championship on the Ryder Cup standings list but on Wednesday, the former suggested Keopka could be a pick for US captain Zach Johnson.

“Brooks? I mean, I looked at the points list the other night. He was about ... I think he was 30 points shy? Which is, I think it was the equivalent of like $30,000 throughout the year. If he played one tournament on Tour I think he probably would have been on the team."

At the Tour Championship itself, all three Koreans will begin the first round on 2 under par and eight strokes back of top-ranked Scheffler in the staggered-start format based on players’ rankings after the BMW Championship. Scheffler starts on 10 under par for the second straight year, followed by last week’s winner Viktor Hovland (8 under), McIlroy (7 under) and Jon Rahm (6 under).

“I think it's always possible,” Tom Kim said. “It's eight strokes off, and there are a lot of great players out there who can win anytime, and I think I'm also in that position. I just think if I don't get pain (in his right ankle) and hit the ball well, I always have a chance,” said Tom, who suffered a sprained ankle at The Open last month.

“I want to do my best and put everything into this tournament because it's my last week of the season. I want to play without regrets this week. That is my goal.”

At last season’s Wyndham Championship, he opened with a quadruple bogey but amazingly fought back to a stunning five-shot triumph after a closing 9-under 61, making him the second-youngest winner on tour since 1945.

When McIlroy won his record third FedEx Cup 12 months ago, the Northern Irishman started with a triple bogey and bogey before edging Scheffler and Im by a single stroke. McIlroy credited Tom for not throwing in the towel although he was 10 off the lead early in the first round.

“He (Tom) started with a quad and ended up going on to win the golf tournament,” McIlroy said. “It is possible.”

As world no. 16, Tom Kim enters Atlanta week with T6, T2, T24 and T10 finishes in his last four starts. The run includes low rounds of 66 and 63 last weekend. With a second title at the Shriners Children’s Open last October and seven other top-10s during the 2022-23 season, the youngster said he was happy to check his main goal but had mixed feelings as well.

“My biggest goal was to make it to the Tour Championship. I didn't make it last year, so I'm very happy to be playing for the first time. To be honest, I didn't feel like I played as well as I wanted to. I wasn't in contention for a title as I much as I wanted to. I'm trying to stay positive because I still have a long way to go and a lot to learn.

“I won a title this season, but it wasn't achieved this year. However, I also had some good results in the majors, finishing 16th in the Masters, eighth in the US Open and second in The Open, so it's a positive thing I gained confidence and comfort in the majors.

“Golf is a sport that is judged on results, so I'm disappointed I didn't win this year but I feel I learned a lot and I'm more mature. I would give myself a score of 20 (out of 100) because I didn't win, and I would still give myself a score of 50 or 60 because I gained experience and made improvements.”

Meanwhile, Sungjae Im is preaching the patient approach to Atlanta success.

“Last year, even though I was slightly at a disadvantage, I played hard until the final round. I don’t know how Scheffler will play this week but East Lake is a place where you have to be patient. I hope to play well for four days and enjoy each day rather than thinking about the title,” Im, who has nine top-10s this season including T6 and 7th place finishes in the first two Playoffs events, pointed out.

“I’m like eight behind, so nothing to lose. I’ll try to be aggressive until Sunday. Not much pressure,” added the golfer whose season includes victory at the Sony Open in Hawaii in January and four other top-10s.

The smooth-swinging Im also feels he has a legitimate shot again at challenging for the FedEx Cup, and the $18 million bonus money. He enters the week in good form with 12 consecutive rounds in the 60s, a career first.

“It would be a highlight to win,” said Im. “It would be a great feeling because it will determine the best player of the season. I don't think winning will change me, I'll just work on

my golf and try to do well. With the prize money, I'll look at my bank account and be excited. I'm very happy to make it to the Tour Championship for the fifth year in a row. It's hard to make it to the top-30 every year. I feel I have accomplished what I wanted to do this season,” added Im, who has already earned $6.4 million this season.

Si Woo, who finished tied 10th in 2016, was happy to walk through the doors at East Lake again and believes he is now a different player. He remembers shaking with nerves during his debut.

“I was a rookie here in 2016, everything was kind of nervous. I never watched these guys and see them only on TV. I was too nervous to play but now, I’m getting used to the top players being around. I can play more comfortable, can play aggressive,” said the 28-year-old who is a four-time winner.

“I’ve made the cut pretty much this year, and that helps me to be patient and I have more chances to compete on Sundays. Everything was consistent and my game feels strong right now. My goal for the season was getting to the Tour Championship, which I finally did it. I think it’s been a successful year. Hopefully we can finish good.”