Kapalua: South Korean golfer Im Sung-jae finished third at the PGA Tour season opener in Hawaii, marking a promising beginning to his 2025 campaign. Im delivered a flawless performance with a bogey-free 65 in the final round of The Sentry at The Plantation Course at Kapalua, Hawaii, concluding the tournament at 29-under 263. He was six strokes behind the winner, Japan's Hideki Matsuyama.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Im managed to keep his bogeys to a minimum, registering just four throughout the tournament, and none after the third hole in the second round. However, his efforts fell short against Matsuyama, who made history with a new PGA Tour scoring record in relation to par at 35-under after shooting 62-65 over the weekend. Collin Morikawa from the United States claimed the runner-up position at 32-under.
Despite the challenge, Im expressed satisfaction with his performance, stating, "I am really happy to have finished third. Since I had a good start here, I hope the rest of the season goes well." He noted the windy conditions but was pleased with his ability to save key pars, particularly over the final two days without a bogey.
The tournament brought together 31 past winners and 29 players who qualified by finishing in the top 50 in FedEx Cup points in 2024. Im was one of three South Korean players in the lineup, all of whom qualified through their FedEx Cup rankings. This event marked Im's fifth consecutive appearance at The Sentry and his fourth top-10 finish, though he still seeks his first win since October 2021 at the Shriners Children's Open.
Looking forward, Im plans to take a short break before returning to competition, maintaining a relaxed approach toward breaking his title drought. "I'd love to get a win this season but it's not something that can happen just because you want it to happen," Im remarked, acknowledging the high level of competition on the tour. He remains hopeful about securing his third career victory.
Meanwhile, the other South Korean participants, An Byeong-hun and Kim Si-woo, completed the tournament tied for 32nd place at 16-under, both shooting 67s in the final round.