Scottie Scheffler and Kim Si-woo walk together during the first FedEx Cup playoff event. [Getty Images]
Scottie Scheffler and Kim Si-woo walk together during the first FedEx Cup playoff event. [Getty Images]

The BMW Championship, the second event of the 2026 PGA Tour FedEx Cup Playoffs, tees off Friday with a $20 million purse and 750 FedEx Cup points on the line as the field of 70 competes to reach the season-ending Tour Championship.

At the first playoff event, Scottie Scheffler claimed the title while Kim Si-woo finished runner-up. Scheffler now chases back-to-back wins and a second consecutive BMW Championship title, while Kim seeks his first victory of the season.

Kim is joined in the power rankings by fellow Koreans Im Sung-jae and Kim Ju-hyung, and all eyes will be on whether the Korean contingent can carry their momentum into the second playoff event against a world-class field.

Kim is enjoying a career-best season. He has recorded 11 top-10 finishes in 22 starts, and his runner-up showing at the first playoff event lifted him three spots in the FedEx Cup standings. "Heading into this season, I experimented with a wide variety of shots and shot shapes," Kim said. "That has allowed me to play defensively or aggressively when attacking a course, depending on the situation."

That confidence shows in his statistics. Kim ranks third on tour this season in tee-to-green strokes gained — excluding putting — and third in approach shot contribution. The one missing piece remains a win. Whether he can convert the momentum from his runner-up finish into a first victory of the season at the BMW Championship is one of the week's central storylines.

The biggest obstacle standing between Kim and that first win is world No. 1 Scheffler, who dominated the first playoff event with a 17-under-par total and now bids for wins in two consecutive weeks. Scheffler also has fond memories of this tournament: last year he posted a final score of 15 under par to beat Robert MacIntyre by two strokes and claim the title.

In the early rounds, Scheffler will play alongside Matt Fitzpatrick, who sits second in the FedEx Cup standings. With Kim chasing his first win of the season, whether Scheffler can secure consecutive weekly victories and successfully defend his BMW Championship title will be another key storyline.

Meanwhile, Im Sung-jae and Kim Ju-hyung have Tour Championship qualification on the line. Im is bidding to reach the season finale for an eighth consecutive year. After a tie for fifth at the first playoff event that significantly boosted his FedEx Cup points total, Im is targeting a top-30 finish in the standings when the BMW Championship concludes.

Kim Ju-hyung, currently 26th in the FedEx Cup standings, is focused on protecting his position to secure a spot in the finale. After winning his first title of the season at the Genesis Scottish Open, Kim followed up with a tie for fifth at the Wyndham Championship and a tie for 12th at the first playoff event, maintaining a steady run of form heading into the week.


yjc@heraldcorp.com