New groom Lim Seong-jae “Surprised by junior’s skills… Practice like a rookie”
The criterion for determining whether PGA tour players have successfully spent a season is their participation in the Tour Championship, the final game of the FedEx Cup playoffs. Players give the Tour Championship a lot of meaning, as only the 30 players who performed their best during the season get a chance to make the roster.
A generous bonus of at least $500,000 to a maximum of $18 million and the right to participate in all PGA Tour tournaments, including four major tournaments next season, are bonuses. As participation in the Tour Championship corresponds to the highest grade in the performance category set by the sponsor, there is also an advantage in preoccupying an advantageous position when renewing the contract.
There is a Korean player who is aiming to participate in the Tour Championship, which is difficult to get out of even once, for 5 consecutive seasons. This is Lim Seong-jae (25), who got married last December and became a new groom.
“There is a special feeling that can only be felt at the venue where the Tour Championship is held,” he said with a laugh.
Even at the beginning of the season, Im Seong-jae is attached to the Tour Championship because it is not possible to participate just by performing well in a few tournaments. Since participating in the Tour Championship is a result that can only be obtained by consistently hitting well throughout the season, Lim Seong-jae is doing his best in each tournament by making specific plans such as earning points for the FedEx Cup by quarter of the season.
Lim Seong-jae explained, “From the moment the new season starts, the most important thing in my head is the Tour Championship. That’s why I have a lot of desire to participate in the Tour Championship.”
After the FedEx Cup playoff system was created in 2007, Hideki Matsuyama (Japan) holds the record for the most consecutive appearances in the Tour Championship. From 2014 to last year, he won the Tour Championship for 9 consecutive seasons and set a new record in this category. Im Seong-jae, the first Asian player to receive the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year award, is one of the players who are expected to surpass Matsuyama’s record. There is a clear reason why Im Seong-jae is paying attention in the field. After making his debut on the PGA Tour, he demonstrated his outstanding presence for four seasons, proving his competitiveness. Trevor Immelman (South Africa), who worked with Lim Seong-jae as the international team leader last year, also praised Im Seong-jae, saying, “I have never seen a player who hits the ball straight like Im Seong-jae. Im Seong-jae, who has a special talent, will soon become No. 1 in the men’s golf world rankings.” have done
Im Seong-jae, who is challenging to participate in the Tour Championship for 5 consecutive seasons, which even Tiger Woods (USA), the “Emperor of Golf”, has not achieved, increased his practice amount compared to his previous years. Because practicing like a newcomer to the PGA Tour is the only way he can achieve his goals.
Lim Seong-jae said, “This year, the new players seem to be more talented than ever. I was surprised while playing the previous tournament.” I will do my best,” he stressed.
The most intensive training is the wedge shot within 100m. Im Seong-jae, who set the goal of adjusting the distance by 1m, is putting a lot of effort into improving the quality of his wedge shot by hitting hundreds of balls every day. He said, “I had difficulties with my wedge shot at the beginning of the season. In order to become a more competitive player for the rest of the season, I decided that I needed to improve my wedge shot accuracy.” It’s not, but I’m able to hit wedge shots with the confidence to stick the ball around the hole within 100m.”
Im Seong-jae, who became a new groom, expressed his gratitude for his wife along with his aspirations to become a wonderful husband. Im Seong-jae emphasized, “I am really happy that I have a wife who is always by my side. I am sorry and grateful to my wife who always thinks of me first.”
The first button of the Farmers Insurance Open (total prize money of 8.7 million dollars), the 7th this season and the 4th competition in the New Year, was well put.
In the first round of the tournament held at Torrey Pines Golf Club South Course in San Diego, California on the 26th (Korean time), Lim Seong-jae tied 6 birdies and 2 bogies to hit 4 under par 68. He was tied for 19th place, 4 strokes behind the leader, but Lim Seong-jae’s performance on the first day was valuable. This is because the South course, which is more difficult than the North course, was reduced by 4 strokes. 토토사이트
In this competition, the South and North courses are alternately played on the first and second days, and the South course is played on the third and final days. The South course is longer and more difficult than the North course, so that the average score per round differs by more than three strokes. Most of those at the top of the leaderboard played the first day on the book course, including Sam Ryder (USA) and Aaron Lai (England), who tied for the lead with an 8-under-par 64 strokes.
Lim Seong-jae, who has a pleasant memory of finishing tied for 6th place in this tournament last year, said, “In order to participate in the Tour Championship, all tournament results are important. I will do my best in this tournament.”
