Korea’s S.H. Kim surges to 2nd place with impressive 65 at Fortinet Championship

South Korea’s rising golf star, S.H. Kim, delivered a stellar performance at the Fortinet Championship, shooting an impressive 7-under 65. Kim, aged 24, showcased his remarkable skills at the Silverado Resort in Napa, California, positioning himself in solo second place after the first day of the tournament. The highlight of Kim’s round was a breathtaking eagle, accompanied by five birdies.

Kim’s remarkable performance closely followed the exceptional round by Lucas Herbert from Australia, who surged to the top of the leaderboard with an opening score of 63.

Notably, fellow South Korean golfers Sung Kang and Sangmoon Bae also had strong starts at the Fortinet Championship. Both Kang and Bae, who have secured victories on the PGA TOUR, managed to complete bogey-free rounds, carding scores of 66 (T3) and 67 (T9) respectively. Japan’s Satoshi Kodaira also recorded a 67.

Kim, known for his tenacity and potential, continues to display his growth in the world of professional golf. He expressed his disappointment at missing out on the FedExCup Playoffs, concluding the Regular Season in 83rd position despite notching eight top-25 finishes.

During his impressive round at the Fortinet Championship, Kim secured three of his five birdies with putts from inside 14 feet. His putter truly came alive on the ninth and 17th greens, sinking putts from 21 and 37 feet, respectively.

Sangmoon Bae, a two-time winner on the PGA TOUR, demonstrated flashes of his top form with five birdies, all from within 10 feet. Bae excelled in Strokes Gained: Putting, ranking fourth in this category. Although he has experienced a quieter period in terms of form following his career-best year in 2015, during which he made it to the TOUR Championship and featured in the Presidents Cup in Korea, his performance at the Fortinet Championship suggests a resurgence.

Sung Kang, the winner of the AT&T Byron Nelson in 2019, secured six birdies during his round. This performance positions the 36-year-old golfer for an opportunity to strengthen his PGA TOUR playing rights for 2024. Currently ranked 193rd from 15 starts through his past champion category, Kang aims to work his way into the Top-125 by the end of the Fall schedule in November.

The FedExCup Fall comprises seven events that will determine PGA TOUR champions and finalize the top-125 players who will enjoy additional playing opportunities for the 2024 Season, commencing in January. This marks the TOUR’s return to a calendar-year schedule for the first time since 2012.

Players ranked from 1 to 50 in the FedExCup standings following the TOUR Championship have secured their positions. Meanwhile, those ranked from 51 and beyond carry their FedExCup points over and accumulate them throughout The RSM Classic.

The winner of the Fortinet Championship will receive the same rewards as winners of Full-Field events during the Regular Season. These include 500 FedExCup Points, Official World Golf Ranking points, a two-year PGA TOUR exemption (valid through 2025), and invitations to prestigious tournaments such as The Sentry, THE PLAYERS Championship, Masters Tournament, and PGA Championship.

The total purse for the Fortinet Championship stands at US$8.4 million, with the victorious golfer earning US$1,512,000 in prize money.

-IANS