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Honda Classic: Top 10 power rankings at PGA National

By Mike Randleman

PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLORIDA - MARCH 02: A detail of a tee marker during the third round of the Honda Classic at PGA National Resort and Spa on March 02, 2019 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)
PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLORIDA - MARCH 02: A detail of a tee marker during the third round of the Honda Classic at PGA National Resort and Spa on March 02, 2019 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images) /
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PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLORIDA – MARCH 02: Sungjae Im of Korea plays a shot from a bunker on the fourth hole during the third round of the Honda Classic at PGA National Resort and Spa on March 02, 2019 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLORIDA – MARCH 02: Sungjae Im of Korea plays a shot from a bunker on the fourth hole during the third round of the Honda Classic at PGA National Resort and Spa on March 02, 2019 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) /

Sungjae Im has cooled off slightly since his torrid 2018-19 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year pace.

Still, the 21-year-old South Korean is playing nicely. Im owns seven top-30 finishes in 12 starts in 2019-2020, including a T-3 at the Zozo Championship.

He also won on the Korean Tour last fall at the Genesis Championship. Next on the goal sheet is picking up a PGA Tour win. Im came closest in September when he finished solo second behind Sebastian Munoz at the Sanderson Farms Championship.

Im is making a name for himself not only for his high-quality play but for also just playing a ton of golf. He teed it up a whopping 35 times worldwide in 2019.

Now with some money in his bank account and a fairly safe spot in the coveted world top 50, he can relax a little bit. For him, that means he’s rested one week in 2020.

Im missed his first cut since the 2019 Open Championship a couple of weeks ago at the Genesis Invitational. He bounced back for three below-par rounds at the no-cut WGC-Mexico last week where he finished T-29 (69-72-70-70). Im hit the ball fairly well (64.29% driving, 68.06% GIR) but didn’t get much going with the flat stick.

I’m bullish on that part of his game turning around. He’s 34th on Tour in SG putting (.5) and was 39th a season ago (.323). And this was seeing new greens every week.

Im posted a T-51 in his Honda Classic debut in 2019. He had quite the roller coaster ride, going from a 64 on Friday to a 77 on Saturday. PGA National can come at you fast.

I think he’ll be less fearful of the Bear Trap and come away more unscathed this time.

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