THE OVERVIEW If Sungjae Im was one of one of the cool-kid, Madison Avenue-driven American youngsters, the media hype around him might be out of this world. This South Korean star on the rise dominated the Web.com Tour in 2018, winning the opening event and leading the money list wire-to-wire, the only player in Tour history to achieve the feat. Two wins and 13 total top-25 finishes showed incredible consistency, and at just 20 years old, Im is indeed a player we need to keep an eye on. His first win came when he was just 19, making him the second-youngest player to ever win on that Tour behind Jason Day. He made 397 birdies during the Web.com Tour season, the most by a single player since 2011, and his final-round scoring average was an incredible 68. Im is the youngest of all new rookies on the PGA TOUR this season and may turn out to be the best – although Cameron Champ already has set a pretty high standard by posting a win in the fall. Proving the step up to the big leagues would not faze him, Im opened the new season with a T4 at the Safeway Open. Through six starts he sits 34th in the FedExCup and has plenty of TOUR veterans looking over their shoulder wondering just how long it might be before he makes his next breakthrough. Im hits the ball incredibly straight and loves a high ball flight, making him well suited to plenty of TOUR venues. His swing is comparable to Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama given the deliberate takeaway, although there is not as much of a pronounced pause at the top. — By Ben Everill BY THE NUMBERS How Sungjae Im ranked in Strokes Gained statistics during his last full season on the PGA TOUR: FEDEXCUP UPDATE Current 2018-19 position: 34th Playoff appearances: 0 TOUR Championship appearances: 0 Best FedExCup result: Im is in good shape after the fall events as he seeks to secure a Playoffs spot in his rookie season. SHOTLINK FUN FACT Sungjae Im was 192 under par on the Web.com Tour last season, ranking second for the most under-par player on that tour since 2010. INSIDER INSIGHTS PGATOUR.COM’s Insiders offer their expert views on what to expect from Sungjae Im in 2019. TOUR INSIDER: Talk to anyone who spent time around the Web.com Tour last season and they’ll wax lyrical about this kid. The key to his performance appears to be a machine-like quality of consistency. He’s already ranked 20th in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee. To get to the next level of excellence, he will need to sharpen his short game. Around the greens can cause a level of anxiety for the youngster, perhaps because he’s rarely in trouble. — By Ben Everill FANTASY INSIDER: All things considered, he’s off to the kind of start that he projected after a historic season on the Web.com Tour. He co-leads the PGA TOUR with six starts – he may touch 35 overall – and his final-round scoring average (with four sub-par scores contributing) is better than his averages of each of the first three rounds. Showcasing the same balanced attack that led to the top spot in Web.com Tour earnings, exempt status from the reshuffle this season and a tee time at TPC Sawgrass for THE PLAYERS in March. And he still won’t turn 21 until two weeks after the TOUR’s flagship event. — By Rob Bolton EQUIPMENT INSIDER: Although Im found success on the Web.com Tour with a TaylorMade M3 driver in the bag, he switched to a Titleist TS3 for the 2018 Safeway Open and The CJ Cup. He stayed with the Graphite Design Tour AD-DI shaft despite switching heads. Im now has a bag full of Acushnet products, including a 917F2 fairway wood, 818H1 hybrid, AP2 irons, Vokey SM7 wedges and a Scotty Cameron 009 putter. — By Andrew Tursky STYLE INSIDER: With 1/4-zip sweaters, saddle shoes, and straight-legged trousers, Im proves there is still place in the game for classic looks. His style game is at its best when he uses pops of bright colors against darker, more traditional hues. Trading the white belt for one that matches his trousers would be a good New Year’s resolution for Im. — By Greg Monteforte
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