LAS VEGAS – Road warrior Sungjae Im didn’t do himself any favors here in America’s Playground in Saturday’s third round of the Shriners Children’s Open, a turbulent 1-under-par 70 on par-battered TPC Summerlin sending him from the 36-hole lead to three shots back after 54 holes.
Come Sunday, however, he had no problems moving up the leaderboard.
Im buzzed the entire field with a thundering array of golf, making five consecutive birdies starting at the ninth after making four in his first seven holes before finally landing with an authoritative, four-shot victory.
The South Korean coasted home after his birdie binge and put his signature to a 9-under-par 62 to claim his second PGA Tour title. His rounds of 63-65-70-62 left him at 24-under 260.
“He hit it well and his putter got hot,” playing partner Chad Ramey said. “It seemed like if he wasn’t making pitches, it looked like they were going in. I mean it was impressive and it was fun to watch.”
Playing in his 100th event on the PGA Tour – he played a Tour-leading 35 events in the 2019-20 season – Im once preferred staying in hotel rooms during his entire stays in the U.S. instead of buying a home.
He finally did make the big purchase, a home in TPC Sugarloaf in Duluth, Georgia, but still doesn’t mind making extended trips.
Im, 23, is basically a traveling man at heart, and he’s made a steady ascent up the ranks in the U.S., earning the Korn Ferry Tour player of the year honors in 2018, being the PGA Tour’s rookie of the year in 2019, and winning his first PGA Tour title in the Honda Classic in 2020.
En route to his second Tour title, he made putts of 30, 10, 12, 7, 2, 22, 8, 9 and 3 feet. Now he’ll move up from his current rank of No. 29 in the world.
Matthew Wolff, who lost in a playoff here last year, finished with a 68 – his 12th round in the 60s in the Shriners in as many rounds – to wind up at 20 under and in solo second place.
Marc Leishman closed with a 63 to finish at 19 under. He tied for fourth in his other start of the new season.
Silver medalist Rory Sabbatini got on a 59 watch when he birdied his first four holes, added another on the seventh and eagled the ninth to turn in 7-under 28. After a birdie on the 10th, he missed too many shortish birdie attempts on his inward nine and finished with a 64 to join Leishman at 19 under.
Also at 19 under was overnight leader Adam Schenk, who finished with a 70.
Lanto Griffin, who thought he was going to miss the cut and was looking forward to sipping bourbon and watching football on his flight to Miami on Saturday, shot 64-66 on the weekend to finish at 18 under.
Joining Griffin at 18 under was Adam Hadwin, who closed with a 67.