Im Sung-jae tees off on the 17th hole during the second round of the BMW Championship, the second event of the PGA Tour playoffs, at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, Missouri, on Saturday. [Lee Mijin Image]
Im Sung-jae tees off on the 17th hole during the second round of the BMW Championship, the second event of the PGA Tour playoffs, at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, Missouri, on Saturday. [Lee Mijin Image]

Im Sung-jae surged into a tie for fourth place in the second round of the BMW Championship (purse: $20 million), the second event of the PGA Tour playoffs, putting himself in a strong position to reach the season-ending Tour Championship for the eighth consecutive year.

Im carded a 6-under-par 64 on Saturday at Bellerive Country Club (par 70) in St. Louis, Missouri, recording seven birdies against just one bogey.

Having opened the tournament Friday with a 3-under 67 to sit tied 12th, Im moved to 9-under 131 at the halfway mark, sharing fourth place with Chris Gotterup of the United States.

Sole leader Wyndham Clark of the United States posted a 6-under round to reach 12-under 128, leaving Im three shots back. Im also trails second-placed Gary Woodland of the United States (11-under 129) by two shots and sits one behind third-placed J.J. Spaun of the United States (10-under 130).

The BMW Championship is open to the top 50 players in the FedEx Cup standings, and the top 30 after the event earn spots in the Tour Championship (purse: $40 million). Im currently sits 40th in the FedEx Cup rankings, but finishing in a tie for fourth would lift him 12 places — enough to qualify for the Tour Championship for an eighth straight year.

Im got off to a fast start, making birdie at the par-4 first hole by sticking his approach close to the pin, then draining a 2.3-meter birdie putt at the par-3 third. He added back-to-back birdies at the seventh and eighth holes to finish the front nine 4 under. On the back nine, he holed a difficult 4.3-meter birdie putt at the par-4 11th and added another birdie at the par-3 13th to briefly move into a tie for second.

Im made his only bogey of the day at the par-4 14th when his par putt slid past the cup, but he quickly recovered by draining a 7.7-meter birdie putt at the par-4 15th. He parred the final three holes to close out a second-round 64 and keep his title hopes alive in a tie for fourth.

Kim Si-woo, who has already secured his place in the Tour Championship as the fourth-ranked player in the FedEx Cup standings, posted a 1-under 69 — five birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey — to sit at 1-under 139 for the tournament, tied for 34th.

Kim Joo-hyung, ranked 26th in the FedEx Cup standings, managed only a 1-under round despite five birdies, as four bogeys held him back. He sits at 1-over 141 for the tournament, tied for 43rd. If his position does not improve, his FedEx Cup ranking could slip to 29th, making a strong finish over the remaining rounds essential.

World No. 1 and FedEx St. Jude Championship winner Scottie Scheffler of the United States fired a 5-under round to move to 3-under 137 for the tournament, climbing into a tie for 25th.


yjc@heraldcorp.com