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Golfer Im Sung-jae to chase FedEx Cup points at CJ Cup Byron Nelson

" He keeps going because his playoff hopes depend on it. "I missed two months of tournaments... "I always want to play well at the CJ Cup since it's hosted by my main sponsor," Im said. "If I can...

KOREAJOONGANGDAILY 입력 2026.05.20 16:28 0

Published: 20 May. 2026, 16:27

Updated: 20 May. 2026, 16:45

Im Sung-jae talks with the reporters during a press conference prior to THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson 2026 at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas, on May 19. [CJ CUP]

Im Sung-jae will tee off at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas, on Thursday, in his ninth consecutive week of competition, pushing through fatigue to make up FedEx Cup points after a wrist injury sidelined him at the start of the season.

Exhaustion was written across the 28-year-old's face at the course on Tuesday. Asked what he would do if he could rest, Im said: "If I could rest right now? I'd just want to lie down at home, not thinking about anything."

He keeps going because his playoff hopes depend on it.

"I missed two months of tournaments because of a wrist injury before the season started. Now I think the right thing to do is to play whenever my body holds up," Im said. "There are about three months left until the playoffs, and I need to stack up FedEx Cup points before then."

His father said his son could afford a rest. "He could skip one or two tournaments, but my son keeps insisting on playing."

In his ninth season on the PGA Tour, Im has had a rocky start. After missing January and February with the wrist injury, he returned in March only to miss the cut at both the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Players Championship. He bounced back to finish tied for fourth at the Valspar Championship the following week, and tied for fifth at the Truist Championship, which ended May 11.

"As my wrist got better, my game improved, too," Im said.

He sits 59th in FedEx Cup points, outside the top 30 needed to safely reach the Tour Championship, the season-ending playoff event. He has qualified for the event for seven straight years, finishing 24th in 2023, seventh in 2024 and 27th last year.

Im Sung-jae talks with the reporters during a press conference prior to THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson 2026 at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas, on May 19. [CJ CUP]

"I always want to play well at the CJ Cup since it's hosted by my main sponsor," Im said. "If I can play the way I want, I think I can finish the tournament feeling satisfied."

Two other CJ-sponsored Korean golfers will join him at TPC Craig Ranch. Kim Si-woo, 31, has been in steady form this season, and Lee Kyoung-hoon, 35, returns from a left hip injury that sidelined him last year. No Korean player has yet won The CJ Cup, which debuted on the PGA Tour in 2017 and merged into the Byron Nelson stop in 2024.

Kim opens Thursday's round in a marquee group with defending champion Scottie Scheffler, 30, and Brooks Koepka, 36, both Americans. Koepka won The CJ Cup in 2018, when it was held at Nine Bridges in Korea.

"It's already been more than three years since I last won,” Kim said.

"I really want to win at our main sponsor's event, and since I can commute from my Dallas home, I feel at ease here."

Lee, back on the PGA Tour earlier this year after about a year off, recounted the recovery.

From left, Im Sung-jae, Kim Si-woo and Lee Kyoung-hoon speak about their determination at the official press conference for the PGA Tour's CJ Cup Byron Nelson held on May 19. [CJ CUP]

"I went in because my lower back hurt, and I was diagnosed with a hip injury. I went back to Korea and did five months of rehabilitation, including swimming," Lee said. “It was really tedious. Watching the others compete made me want to grip a club again. I want to play well at this event since my sponsor waited for me during my medical leave."

TPC Craig Ranch underwent a major renovation ahead of this year's tournament. The course replaced its Zoysia grass on the fairways with a new variety, narrowed the fairway widths and rebuilt the greens with more undulation, drawing complaints from players. With heavy rain and thunderstorms forecast all week, green play could prove decisive. On Tuesday, torrential rain and repeated lightning warnings forced most players to cut their practice round short.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

BY KO BONG-JUN [

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