Im Sungjae Ties for 20th... "Number 6" Morikawa Leads by 2 Strokes

Day 3 of Workday Championship: 3 Under Par, Kepka and Hosel Tied for 2nd, McIlroy Tied for 5th, Johnson Tied for 42nd

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] World ranking 17th Im Sung-jae (23, CJ Logistics, photo) has laid the groundwork for a leap to the top ranks.

On the 28th (Korean time), at the World Golf Championships (WGC) Workday Championship (total prize money $10.5 million) held at the Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Florida, USA (par 72, 7,474 yards), he shot 3-under par on the third day to rise to a tie for 20th place (5-under par 211). 'Number 6' Collin Morikawa leads (15-under par 201), with 'Phoenix Open champ' Brooks Koepka and Billy Horschel tied for 2nd place (13-under par 203), and Webb Simpson (all from the USA) positioned 4th (12-under par 204).

Im Sung-jae started from a tie for 26th place, 9 strokes behind, and combined 6 birdies and 3 bogeys. After a birdie on the 1st hole was offset by a bogey on the 2nd hole (both par 4), he added two more birdies on the 3rd and 7th holes, progressing smoothly. In the back nine, he energized the round by reducing 3 strokes over 4 holes, including birdies on the 10th hole (par 4) and consecutive birdies on the 12th and 13th holes. However, bogeys on the 15th and 18th holes slowed him down. Although he is 8 strokes behind the leader, he is only 5 strokes behind the tie for 7th place, making a 'top 10' entry a realistic target.

Morikawa dominated the top of the leaderboard with a 5-under par round. His precise shots, with a fairway hit rate of 78.57% and green in regulation rate of 77.78%, were outstanding. Leading by 2 strokes, he seized the opportunity for his 4th career win since his major PGA Championship victory last August. Koepka also added 2-under par with 4 birdies and 2 bogeys, continuing his pursuit of the championship. Among his 8 career wins, 4 are majors, showcasing his strong performance in high-profile matches.

Rory McIlroy is looking at the green on the 2nd hole of the third day of the Workday Championship. Bradenton, Florida, USA - Getty Images / Multibits

Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) demonstrated his resilience by shooting 6-under par. Along with defending champion Patrick Reed (USA), he is eyeing a comeback from a tie for 5th place, 4 strokes behind (11-under par 205). Matthew Fitzpatrick (England) is tied for 7th place (10-under par 206). 'The Hulk' Bryson DeChambeau is tied for 28th place (3-under par 213), 'Number 1' Dustin Johnson (USA) is tied for 42nd place (1-under par 215), and 'Number 2' Jon Rahm (Spain) is tied for 45th place (even par 216).

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