Sungjae Im: 2021 FedEx Cup Contender or Pretender?

Sungjae Im is a very talented young player who has his best golf still ahead of him. Can he compete for the 2021 FedEx Cup?

With the 2020 portion of the PGA Tour schedule in the books, we at Pro Golf Now will be taking a look at the current top 50, and some selected others, in the current FedEx Cup standings and whether they are contenders or pretenders for the 2021 FedEx Cup. Our latest subject is the current No. 20, Sungjae Im.

Best career FedEx Cup finish: Im has played just two years on the PGA Tour and has had an impact in the playoffs in both of his seasons. As a rookie in 2019, Im played 35 times and had seven Top 10 finishes on his way to finishing 19th in the FedEx Cup standings. Last year, Im moved up a little bit more, earning his first PGA Tour win (at the Honda Classic) on his way to an 11th place showing in the final standings.

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So far this season: Im has played eight times in the 2020-21 campaign. He opened his season at the U.S. Open at Winged Foot. There, he shot 70 on Thursday but slipped to a 75 on Friday. Im then shot 73 on Saturday and 71 on Sunday. While he was never really in contention, he did finish in 22nd place.

His next stop was at the Sanderson Farms Championship. There, a 66 on Sunday helped him climb into a tie for 28th place for the week.

That round seemed to help Im carry momentum into the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas. There, he shot four rounds in the 60s, including a 63 on Friday, to finish in a tie for 13th place.

Im would finish in a tie for 45th at the CJ Cup at Shadow Creek, followed by a tie for 41st at the Zozo Championship at Sherwood Country Club. After a week off, he tied for 50th at the Houston Open.

Then, Im found himself on a very big stage. And he showed that he was up to the challenge.

At the Masters, Im shot a 66 in the first round and was one shot back. After a 70 on Friday, Im was still one shot back with 36 holes to play. He shot a 68 on Saturday and in a tie for second place, four shots behind eventual winner Dustin Johnson. And a 69 on Sunday earned Im a tie for second at Augusta National.

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The week at the Masters took a lot out of him and he missed the cut at the RSM Classic the following week. Still, it was a successful fall for Im.

The verdict: Im is an up-and-coming talent. He continues to make strides each season. While we don’t consider him a front-runner this season, he is a contender for the 2021 FedEx Cup.

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