Top-25 Kiawah Island Finishes for Im and Matsuyama

Kiawah Island, South Carolina, United States: With spirited final-day performances, Im Sung-jae and Hideki Matsuyama secured top-25 finishes at the PGA Championship.

On a day when 50-year-old Phil Mickelson wrote his name into the record books as the eldest winner of a Major championship, Korean Im and Japan’s Matsuyama succeeded in enhancing their reputations.

Despite back-to-back double-bogeys on the 12th and 13th holes, Im carded a closing one-over 73. With a four-day total of even-par 288 he ended in a share of 17th place over the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island.

Matsuyama, whose victory at last month’s Masters Tournament enabled him to became the first Asian winner at Augusta National and Japan’s first male Major champion, signed off with a 72.

Bouncing back from a double-bogey seven at the long second, the two-time former Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship winner covered the demanding final seven holes in two-under.

His 289 aggregate left him in joint 23rd place, alongside Korean Chan Kim, who produced one of the best rounds of the last day to rise 35 rungs on his overnight position on the leaderboard.

Chan, 80th in the Official World Golf Ranking, posted a 67, which include an eagle-three at the seventh a 49-foot holeout for birdie at the short 14th, having found water and run-up a double-bogey six at 13.

Fellow-Korean An Byeong-hun also produced a strong finish with a 68, made up of five birdies and a solitary dropped shot at 11. He ended in joint 49th spot on 293.

Australians Cameron Smith (77, 295) and Lucas Herbert (72, 297), both former Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship participants, ended tied 59th and equal 71st respectively.

At 50 years, 11 months and seven days old, Mickelson claimed his sixth Major crown and 45th PGA Tour title with a closing one-over 73 helping him see off the challenges of Louis Oosthuizen (73) and Brooks Koepka (74), who finished tied second.

Left-landed Mickelson, who took a one-shot lead into the final round, defeated Father Time and a stellar field to replace Julius Boros (48 years, four months, 18 days/1968 PGA Championship) as the oldest Major champion. He also joined Sam Snead, Davis Love III and Raymond Floyd to win in four different decades on the PGA Tour.

“This is just an incredible feeling. I just believed that this was possible but yet everything was saying it wasn’t. I hope that others find that inspiration. It might take a little extra work and a bit harder effort to maintain physically and maintain the skills, but gosh, it is worth it in the end. I’m so appreciative to hold this Wannamaker Trophy,” said a Mickelson, who ended the week on six-under 282.

“I just love this game of golf and I love what I do and I love the challenge of competing against these great players. I don’t think I have had such an experience like that.”