Im Sung-jae plays a shot during the Rocket Classic on the PGA Tour. [AFP]
Im Sung-jae plays a shot during the Rocket Classic on the PGA Tour. [AFP]

Im Sung-jae finished tied for 15th at the PGA Tour Rocket Classic, which carried a $10 million purse.

Im carded a 3-under-par 67 in the final round Monday (Korean Standard Time) at Detroit Golf Club (par 70) in Detroit, Michigan, making four birdies against just one bogey.

With a total score of 11-under-par 269, Im moved up eight spots from his tied-23rd position Sunday to close the tournament tied for 15th.

The title went to Michael Thorbjornsen of the United States, who fired a 7-under 63 on the day to finish at 18-under 262, edging fellow American Xander Schauffele — who finished second at 16-under 264 — by two strokes.

Thorbjornsen, who made his PGA Tour debut in 2024, claimed his first career victory in his second season on tour and vaulted to 38th in the FedEx Cup standings.

Im, who fell just short of a top-10 finish, moved up only one spot to 57th in the FedEx Cup rankings. With only the Wyndham Championship remaining on the regular-season schedule, Im has secured a place in the FedEx St. Jude Championship — the first playoff event, open to the top 70 — but faces a steep climb to reach the BMW Championship (top 50) and the Tour Championship (top 30).

Im hit 85.71 percent of fairways off the tee, posting a steady round throughout.

He opened his scoring with a 2-meter birdie putt at the par-5 4th hole, then added another birdie at the par-4 8th to go out in 2-under. A missed 5-meter par putt at the par-4 13th cost him a bogey, but he responded immediately with a birdie at the par-5 14th and closed out his round with a final birdie at the par-4 16th.

Kim Si-woo, who entered the final round tied for 11th, struggled to a 4-over 74 — two birdies against six bogeys — to finish at 6-under 274 and drop to a tie for 42nd, missing a top-10 finish. Kim's FedEx Cup ranking remained unchanged at seventh.


yjc@heraldcorp.com