'PO Ranking No.1' Im Sungjae: "What Is the Secret to Dominating the PGA Tour?"

Equipped with a Slow Backswing, Consistent Long Iron Shots, Excellent Bunker Shots, Steel Endurance, and a Competitive Spirit

Im Sung-jae is dominating the tour by increasing shot consistency with a slow backswing.

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] It is the prime era of Im Sung-jae (22, CJ Logistics), the 'PGA Rookie of the Year.'

He is soaring in the 2019/2020 season of the PGA Tour. On the 2nd, he rose to champion status in just his 50th PGA Tour event at the Honda Classic, and he has placed in the 'Top 3' four times in 14 tournaments, showing an upward trend. As of the 18th, he is having his best season with FedEx Cup points (PO) ranking 1st (1458 points), prize money 2nd ($3,862,168), and world ranking 23rd (4.04 points). What is the secret behind Im Sung-jae’s success as the leading figure of Korean men’s golf?

His strengths lie in his straight and long drives and consistent iron shots. His average driving distance is 303.2 yards (54th), fairway hit rate is 63.56% (79th), and greens in regulation is 68.62% (61st). His shots are unwavering. This is the power behind his 10th place average score (69.62). He has earned the nickname 'Iron Byron' locally, named after the swing machine used for ball testing. This is high praise indicating that Im Sung-jae’s swing is as mechanical as the machine.

The accuracy of his swing can be found in his slow backswing. The swing time of PGA Tour players is 1.8 seconds, while Im Sung-jae’s is 2.5 seconds. This secret was perfected since 2016. His style is similar to that of Hideki Matsuyama, known as 'Japan’s pride.' However, while Matsuyama briefly pauses at the top of his backswing, Im Sung-jae naturally brings it down. Because the motion from backswing to downswing is slow, it appears as if he is pausing. He adds maximum power at the downswing impact.

Im Sung-jae (left) and 'Number 1' Rory McIlroy are shaking hands before the tee shot on the 1st hole on the third day of the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

"At first, I swung with a normal tempo," said Im Sung-jae, "but after switching to a slower tempo, my swing consistency improved," adding, "It’s a swing that really suits me and produces better results." He has strong stamina, which fuels his terrifying concentration on every shot. Last season, he played in as many as 35 tournaments. Among players ranked within the top 30 in the FedEx Cup, he was the only one to play more than 30 events. FedEx Cup champion Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) participated in 19 tournaments.

"I think my stamina is innate," said Im Sung-jae. "Even when I’m tired, after a night’s sleep, the feeling of exhaustion disappears," he said, adding, "I plan to participate in even more tournaments going forward." His ability to escape from crises is outstanding. Especially, his bunker shots are excellent. His sand save rate is 61.29% (15th). On the final day of the Honda Classic, at the 18th hole (par 5), he fully demonstrated his skill. Although his third shot landed in a greenside bunker, he saved the 'winning par' with a fantastic bunker shot.

His fundamentals are solid. His address and grip are evaluated as perfect. K.J. Choi (50, SK Telecom) said, "When Im Sung-jae addresses the ball, it doesn’t seem like the ball will go off course." He is also impressive on the greens. His average putts per round are only 28.24 (15th). On the final day, his putts were 27 (5th), showing strong finishing power. His putting from 10 to 15 feet (3 to 4.6 meters), which can be considered birdie opportunities for players, is also remarkable. His success rate is 43.30% (7th).

Im Sung-jae's strength is his excellent bunker shots.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.