Im Sung-jae’s Up-and-Down Round Leaves Title Hopes Intact at the Masters

KAPALUA, Hawaii — Im Sung-jae believes he remains in contention for the Masters Tournament title, despite finishing the round five strokes behind the leader, Justin Rose, on Friday.

The 27-year-old South Korean golfer, a two-time PGA Tour winner, surged on the leaderboard during the second round, recording five birdies through 12 holes. However, he encountered trouble at Augusta National, making three bogeys in his final four holes, resulting in a 2-under 70.

With a total score of 3-under, Im currently sits tied for 12th place alongside 2021 Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama, who shot a 68 to climb back into contention. Im previously finished as a runner-up in 2020 and had a T8 finish in 2022 at this prestigious tournament.

“Overall, I had a good round, so I did pretty good with my shot. Just the last couple holes, 15 and 16, I made bogeys. Except for that, I am pretty satisfied,” Im said.

Im showcased skillful play early, sinking birdie putts from within 10 feet on the first, second, and eighth holes. He nearly had an eagle on the ninth but settled for a tap-in birdie after a precise approach shot.

However, his round unraveled on the par-5 15th hole, where a mistimed chip shot led to a watery misstep. He later three-putted from 73 feet on the 16th hole, followed by a third bogey after an errant drive on the last hole.

“I think No. 9. I got the tap-in birdie, that’s my best shot, I’d say, today,” Im said. “Overall, I’m feeling good with my game, so it’s pretty good. This course, they don’t allow you to have many mistakes, so I tried not to make many mistakes and keep a low score. That’s what I tried to do.”

Two other South Korean players, Byeong Hun An and Tom Kim, also made the weekend cut. An marked a 71 for a T37 finish, while Kim carded a 73 to stay right on the cut line.

Kim, 22, who has finished T16 and T30 in previous Masters appearances, expressed optimism for the weekend. “I’m excited to be in the weekend. Hopefully, I’m going to be first off tomorrow so I can post a good number and have a late tee time on the weekend,” said Kim.

Facing difficult conditions, Kim noted that swirling winds made play challenging, especially on the infamous Amen Corner. “It played really difficult. The wind was starting to blow, and it’s not consistent. It changes all over the place. Playing Amen Corner was really, really difficult,” he said.

As this year’s tournament progresses, Im currently aims to capitalize on his skills and past performances to mount a comeback over the weekend targeted at securing his first Masters victory.