10 Things You Didn't Know About Sungjae Im

10 Things You Didn't Know About Sungjae Im

1. Im grew up in golf-mad Jeju Island and first started playing golf when he was four-years old because he followed his mum to an indoor practice facility. Just four years later, Im beat his father for the first time.

2. It was clear he had talent for the game. He got his first coach at 7, joined a Korean golf academy at 12 and then turned professional at 17. 

3. His parents (Ji Taek Im and Mi Kim) followed him to every tournament on the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour in the 2018 and 2019 seasons.

4. Im earned $1,260,000 for his one-stroke victory at the 2020 Honda Classic, and the same amount for his second PGA Tour win at the 2021 Shriners Children's Open.

5. Im earned the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year award in 2019.

6. He also earned a spot on Ernie Els' 2019 Presidents Cup team in which he won 3 matches, halved one, and lost one in a very impressive display.

7. Im loves his food and has no desire to change his diet to give himself an extra edge in the modern game. His favorite dish is Jeju Black Pig and whilst travelling around the United States he regularly searches for Korean restaurants.

8. Whilst competing he never uses a ball with the number 4 on it because in South Korea the number represents death.

9. Im grew up playing The Club at Nine Bridges which later became the host of The CJ Cup tournament on the PGA Tour.

10. Whilst playing junior golf tournaments he would often compete against fellow professional Si Woo Kim.