Progress for Im and Matsuyama but Lee Bows Out

Maryland, United States: Im Sung-jae secured solo third place at the BMW Championship to qualify for his third successive Tour Championship. But fellow-Korean KH Lee suffered a final-hole mishap which dashed his hopes of getting into the FedEx Cup Play-offs Finale.

Im fired a closing five-under 67 to finish four shots behind the play-off duo of Patrick Cantlay and Bryson DeChambeau at Caves Valley Golf Club, where Cantlay drove off with his third title of the season and fifth career PGA Tour win by prevailing with a birdie on the sixth extra hole.

The 24-year-old Im, who was chasing his second PGA Tour victory, will now head to East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta in 12th position on the FedEx Cup standings. Through the staggered-start format, the Korean will begin the first round at three-under, seven shots behind Cantlay who starts at 10-under by virtue of being the new FedEx Cup leader in the elite 30-man field starting on Thursday.

Lee agonisingly bogeyed the 18th hole from the middle of the fairway en route to a 67 and a share of 12th position. It left him in 31st place on the FedEx Cup standings, one shy of getting into the Tour Championship. Needing a par at the last, the 29-year-old sprayed his approach from 195 yards into a waste area and failed to get his recovery shot on the putting surface. His fourth trickled past the hole, ending his hopes of getting to East Lake.

A closing 66 by Kim Si-woo for a share of 29th position saw him end his season in 34th on the FedEx Cup standings. He needed a top-15 finish to extend his season while Japan’s Masters champion, Hideki Matsuyama qualified for his eighth straight Tour Championship despite finishing tied 46th at Caves Valley. He will start the Play-offs Finale in 22nd place.

Im was delighted with his fifth top-10 of the season, especially after finding his range with the flatstick. He ranked fourth in Strokes Gained: Putting and gained 6.15 strokes over the field on the greens. “The last couple of tournaments my putting was not right, but this week my putter improved,” said Im.

For the second straight day, he made crucial birdies on 17 and 18 from 10 and five feet respectively which helped secure solo third ahead of Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy. “When I got to 17 and 18, my feeling was so comfortable. I played a little bit aggressive there,” said Im, who made six birdies on the day, all from inside of 12 feet.

After starting the final round tied for the lead, Cantlay and DeChambeau fought toe-to-toe and were still locked on 27-under 261 following matching 66s in the final round. It took six additional holes for Cantlay to become the first player this season to win three times.

“I’m a little tired but very happy. I played really well all week. At the beginning of the week I didn’t realise it would take that many under par to just force a play-off,” said Cantlay, who holed a 17-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole for his victory.