Home > Sports > Golf

2 Korean players qualify for 2nd leg in PGA Tour playoffs

Published: 11 Aug. 2025, 09:40

Kim Si-woo of Korea hits an approach shot on the first hole during the final round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee, on Aug. 10. [GETTY IMAGES]

Two Korean players will live to see another day in the PGA Tour's playoffs after solid performances in the first tournament of the annual series.

Kim Si-woo finished tied for 14th at eight-under 272 at the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee, on Sunday, after shooting a one-under 69 in the final round. Im Sung-jae, the only other Korean in the field, finished one stroke behind Kim in a tie for 17th after carding a 67 on Sunday.

This was the first leg of the annual FedEx Cup playoffs. With these performances, Kim jumped from 46th to 41st in the FedEx Cup standings, while Im moved up from 29th to 25th.

Only the players ranked inside the top 70 in the standings were eligible for the FedEx St. Jude Championship, and the top 50 after Memphis will get to play the next playoff event, the BMW Championship, starting Thursday in Owings Mills, Maryland.

Players inside the top 30 after the BMW Championship will advance to the playoff finale, the Tour Championship, in Atlanta, scheduled for Aug. 21 to 24.

Im Sung-jae of Korea tees off on the 14th hole during the third round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee, on Aug. 9. [GETTY IMAGES]

Im has played at each of the past six Tour Championships — the longest streak by a Korean player. Kim last played at the Tour Championship in 2023. He just missed out on the 2024 event after finishing 32nd in the FedEx Cup standings following the BMW tournament.

Kim was one of only seven players to break 70 in all four rounds at this event. He had three birdies and two bogeys Sunday and ended up just one stroke shy of notching his third top-10 finish of this season and his first since the PGA Championship in May.

Im had a much more adventurous day, with six birdies against three bogeys. He hasn't had a top-10 finish since tying for fifth at the Masters in April, an unusually long drought for a player known for consistency. Im's three top-10s overall this season are a career low for the 2018-2019 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year.

Yonhap