'Special Temporary Member' Kim Juhyung "Accelerating PGA Tour Entry"..."3M Open Declaration"

On the Night of the 21st, Three PGA Tour Events Including the 3M Open Begin, PO Ranking 'Top 125' Entry Challenge, Cameron Champ Aims to Defend Title

Kim Juhyung has obtained special temporary membership status and is officially challenging entry into the PGA Tour.

[Asia Economy Golf Specialist Reporter Kim Hyun-jun] 'Special Temporary Member.'

Kim Joo-hyung (20, CJ Logistics) has gained momentum in his entry into the U.S. PGA Tour. By finishing tied for 47th in the final major of the 2022 season, The Open, he added 10 FedEx Cup points and became a Special Temporary Member, securing a pathway to the PGA Tour without going through the Korn Ferry (second-tier) Tour. He immediately declared his participation in the 3M Open (total prize money $7.5 million), which opens on the night of the 21st (Korean time) at Twin Cities Golf Club in Blaine, Minnesota, USA (par 71, 7,431 yards).

Kim Joo-hyung was last year’s youngest triple crown winner on the Korean Professional Golfers' Association (KPGA) Korean Tour. He competed for the title in every tournament, including one win and three runner-up finishes in 14 events, such as winning the SK Telecom Open in June. He swept the year-end money list (754.94 million KRW), the Player of the Year award (5,540.56 points), and the lowest scoring average (69.16 strokes). After winning the Singapore International in January to become the Asian Tour money leader, he has recently been moving between the PGA Tour and other leagues, seeking entry into the world league.

The highlight was his 3rd place finish at the Genesis Scottish Open on the DP World Tour (formerly European Tour) and PGA Tour co-sanctioned event on the 13th. Held as a 'mock test' for The Open, the event featured top-ranked players like Scottie Scheffler (USA), where Kim demonstrated exceptional power. Most notably, he secured 296 FedEx Cup points at The Open, surpassing last year’s 150th-ranked Satoshi Kodaira (Japan, 287 points), the benchmark for Special Temporary Membership.

Special Temporary Members have no restrictions on the number of tournaments they can enter, giving them a relative advantage over non-members. If Kim finishes within the top 125 in this tournament, the Rocket Mortgage Classic, and the Wyndham Championship?three events before the playoffs?he will be guaranteed a PGA Tour card for next year. It is interesting that Kim is already ranked 40th in the world, suggesting he could even contend for a win. The fact that this event follows immediately after The Open increases his chances.

Korea is represented by 'Shriners Champion' Im Sung-jae (24), Kang Sung-hoon (35, both CJ Logistics), and 'Tank' Choi Kyung-ju (52, SK Telecom). Im Sung-jae especially needs a turnaround in momentum. After consecutive missed cuts at the U.S. Open and Genesis Scottish Open, followed by a tie for 81st at The Open, his form appears to be declining. Defending champion Cameron Champ (USA) is aiming to defend his title, while Hideki Matsuyama (Japan) and Jason Day (Australia) have also joined the competition for the win.

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