S. Korean veteran chasing spot in PGA Tour playoff finale

Im Sung-jae, a seasoned South Korean golfer, aims to secure a spot in the PGA Tour's final playoff showdown this week. The 53rd-ranked Im will join fellow Koreans Kim Si-woo and Tom Kim in the BMW Championship, set to commence on Thursday at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis.

The BMW Championship serves as the second leg of the PGA Tour's playoffs, with the top 70 players in the FedEx Cup standings qualifying for the event following the Wyndham Championship on August 9th. Im had a recent surge in form, jumping from 53rd to 40th in the FedEx Cup standings after finishing tied for fifth place at the Memphis tournament.

His performance will be crucial in his quest to win his eighth consecutive Tour Championship in Atlanta, extending his record for the longest streak by a South Korean player in the event. Despite missing the first two months of the season due to a wrist injury, Im remains resilient, with three top-five finishes this year and four top-15 performances in his last five starts.

Kim Si-woo's path to Atlanta is almost certain, as he currently ranks fourth in FedEx Cup points following his runner-up finish in Memphis. The world No. 1, Scottie Scheffler, narrowly edged out Kim in Memphis, but Kim's consistency throughout the season has seen him amass 60 under-par rounds and 49 sub-70 rounds. He has also achieved a career-high ranking of 13th in the world and remains unbeaten in PGA Tour events this year, having claimed the Genesis Scottish Open in July.

Tom Kim, Im's brother, remains in 26th place in the FedEx Cup standings after a tie for 12th at Memphis. Tom is yet to compete in the Tour Championship, having only played in one PGA Tour event in his career.