Siwoo Kim 4th, Sungjae Im 7th... "Early Bird Gaja~"

PGA Tour 2021/2022 Season Round 2 Sanderson Farms Championship Day 1: Tigal Leads with 8-Under, Starts of 6-Under and 5-Under

Kim Si-woo is teeing off on the 1st hole on the first day of the Sanderson Farms Championship. Jackson, USA = Getty Images / Multibits Photo by Multibits

[Asia Economy Golf Specialist Reporter Kim Hyun-joon] The start for the ‘K Brothers’ is promising.

Kim Si-woo (26) is tied for 4th place at 6 under par, and Im Sung-jae (23, both from CJ Logistics) is tied for 7th at 5 under par. This is after the first round of the Sanderson Farms Championship (total prize money $7 million), the second event of the 2021/2022 PGA Tour season, which opened on the 1st (Korean time) at Jackson Golf Club in Mississippi, USA (par 72, 7,461 yards). Sahis Tigala leads unexpectedly at 8 under par, while Nick Watney and Harold Varner III (both from the USA) are in a fierce battle for the title, tied for 2nd place at 7 under par (65 strokes), just one stroke behind.

Kim Si-woo recorded seven birdies and one bogey. He showed great momentum with a birdie on the 5th hole (par 4), three consecutive birdies from the 7th to 9th holes, and another birdie on the 12th hole (par 4) in the back nine. Although his second shot on the 15th hole (par 4) landed in a greenside bunker, resulting in his only bogey, he finished strongly with consecutive birdies on the 17th and 18th holes. His ‘computer iron shots’ stood out with a maximum drive of 320 yards and a greens in regulation rate of 88.89%, complemented by a ‘stingy putting’ average of 1.63 putts per hole.

It is interesting that Kim Si-woo had already opened the new season early last month with a tie for 11th place at the Fortinet Championship (total prize money $7 million). He won the American Express in January, marking his third career victory after a long gap of 3 years and 8 months since The Players Championship, known as the ‘fifth major,’ in May 2017. Although he was disappointed by a loss in a six-man playoff at the Wyndham Championship in August, he expressed high expectations, saying, "My recent shot feel is coming back to life."

This is Im Sung-jae’s first start. After successfully qualifying for the Tour Championship, the final third playoff event of the PGA Tour where only 30 players participate for two consecutive years, he took a sweet rest to recharge his energy. He scored six birdies and one bogey for 5 under par, including three consecutive birdies from the 12th to 14th holes. Despite missing the green six times, his brilliant short game, which saved his score five times, caught attention. Korea’s Kang Sung-hoon (34) follows at a tie for 17th place at 4 under par. Lee Kyung-hoon (30) and Noh Seung-yul (31) are tied for 101st at even par.

Tigala is a 23-year-old rookie who joined the tour for the first time this season after progressing through the Korn Ferry (second-tier) Tour. Watney is a player to watch. He is challenging for his sixth career win, the first in nine years since The Barclays in August 2012. Defending champion Sergio Garcia (Spain) remained tied for 50th place at 2 under par with two birdies. Coming straight from the Ryder Cup, the intercontinental golf competition between the USA and Europe, to defend his title, he seems to be somewhat lacking in stamina.

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