Sungjae Im Set for Season Debut After Five-Month Break
by Roh Woolae
Published 04 Mar.2026 09:00(KST)
Updated 05 Mar.2026 08:02(KST)
Returning for the Arnold Palmer Invitational After Recovering From Wrist Injury
First Tournament Since Last October's Genesis Championship
Aiming to Regain Competitive Form at a Signature Event
Sungjae Im is finally making his return.
From March 5 (local time), he will compete in the Arnold Palmer Invitational, a PGA Tour event held over four days at Bay Hill Golf & Lodge in Orlando, Florida (par 72, 7,466 yards), with a total prize pool of $20 million. Only 72 top players are invited to the Arnold Palmer Invitational, where they compete in a shot-for-shot battle. This tournament is one of the Signature Events, considered premier designated tournaments on the PGA Tour.
This marks Sungjae Im’s first official tournament appearance since the Genesis Championship, which was co-hosted by the Korea Professional Golfers’ Association (KPGA) Tour and the DP World Tour in Cheonan at the end of October last year. His last PGA Tour event was the Shriners Children’s Open, which concluded on October 12, 2025.
Sungjae Im will participate in the first tournament of the 2026 season at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Photo by AFP Yonhap News
원본보기 아이콘After finishing the season, Im focused on treating a wrist injury. He originally aimed to return at the Genesis Invitational in mid-February, undergoing treatment and rehabilitation for that purpose; however, considering his condition, he decided to make his comeback at this event. As his return to competition comes after a long break, he plans to concentrate on regaining his physical condition and competitive edge.
Among Korean players, Kim Siwoo will also participate alongside Im. The field includes top-ranked players such as World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (USA) and No. 2 Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland). Scheffler, who won the Arnold Palmer Invitational in both 2022 and 2024, is aiming to reclaim the title after two years and secure his second win of the season. McIlroy, who won this tournament in 2018, is seeking his first victory of the season.
Other world top-10 players in the field include Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose (both England), Collin Morikawa, Chris Gotterup, Russell Henley (all USA), Robert MacIntyre (Scotland), J.J. Spaun, and Xander Schauffele (both USA).
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