Sungjae Im is trying not to think about his playoff chances. That strategy is working through two rounds at the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis, where he turned in another round 4-under 66 Friday at TPC Southwind.
“Of course, there is some pressure this week, but I just want to focus on each shot and keep doing that through the weekend,” he said.
Im entered the week at No. 53 in the season-long FedEx Cup standings. Only the top 50 advance to next week’s BMW Championship and lock up entry into all of the signature events next season.
In each of his first seven seasons since joining the PGA Tour, Im has made it all the way to East Lake and the Tour Championship, the final leg of the playoffs that is reserved for the top 30. It’s an under appreciated achievement that is in jeopardy unless Im can keep it going in Memphis over the weekend or next week should he make it to St. Louis.
“I know where I am in the standings, but I don’t want to think about it too much,” he said. “I think it’s more important to focus on each shot and do my best. If I keep doing that, hopefully the result will take care of itself.”
On Friday, Im birdied the first three holes to jump into the lead. He added birdies at Nos. 6 and 9 for five total on the front nine. He dropped his first shot of the day at No. 15 but bounced back with a birdie on 16. A three-putt bogey at 17 cost him another bogey en route to 66. A hot putter has sparked the strong start ― he’s gained more than two strokes in both rounds on the greens and ranks second in Strokes Gained: Putting this week.
Im’s streak of making it to Atlanta is all the more impressive considering he hasn’t won in nearly five years, since the 2021 Shriners Children’s Open in Las Vegas.
Im took an extended layoff after last year’s Tour Championship until the PGA Tour's Zozo Championship in October and also played in Macau and Korea before shutting things down. Im won a gold medal at the 2023 Asian Games, Korea's first team gold medal in 13 years, making him exempt from serving a two-year military term. But it didn’t get him out of doing a 4-week military boot camp. Im said he injured his right wrist hitting balls on the cold turf of Korea.
He returned to the Tour in March at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He has recorded three top 10s this season and has been trending in the right direction with three top-15 finishes in his last four starts. Through 36 holes, he's projected to surge to No. 30, which would have him well positioned to extend his Tour Championship streak and perhaps end his victory drought.
Adam Schupak is a senior writer for Golfweek, covering the PGA Tour.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Sungjae Im eyes extending playoff streak, ending victory drought at 2026 FedEx St. Jude