Joohyung Kim (left) and Sungjae Im at the 2022 Presidents Cup. Image courtesy PGA Tour/Getty Images.
By Rahul Banerji
Riding his runner-up finish to Scottie Scheffler at the Travelers Championship on Sunday, Korean star Joohyung ‘Tom’ Kim has climbed to no. 2 in the International Team standings for the Presidents Cup.
The 22-year-old, who lost to the world no. 1 in a playoff, is looking to secure an Internationals spot after a memorable debut at Quail Hollow in 2022, the PGA Tour said.
The Presidents Cup returns to The Royal Montreal Golf Club in Canada from September 24 to 29 with Mike Weir’s Internationals taking on the US Team led by Jim Furyk.
Kim emerged as the breakout Internationals name two years ago where he compiled a 2-3-0 record, highlighted by two wins on Saturday, including a clinching birdie putt on the 18th hole to defeat Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele in four-balls.
The three-time PGA Tour winner has hit form in recent times with a tied fourth finish at the RBC Canadian Open earlier this month complementing his second-place finish last weekend.
“I’ve worked really, really hard this past few week, it’s my eighth week in a row and it’s just nice to know that the hard work kind of really does come to life.
Philosophical view
“It would have been super sweet if I won but it still doesn’t change who I am,” said Kim.
Fellow-Korean Sungjae Im also climbed the standings to no. 4, bumping countryman Byeong Hun An to fifth.
An, who has five top-10s on the tour this season, withdrew from the Travellers with illness and is seeking to make his second International Team following a 2019 debut.
Im, who represented the Internationals in 2019 and 2022, has solidified his position in the top-6 of the team rankings following four top-10s in his last six tour starts, including a tied third finish at the Travellers where he shot 63 and 66 over the weekend.
“I had a strong finish until the end and made great result. I’ve got a clear view of the Presidents Cup and I know I will need to keep pushing until the end. I want to make the team so badly,” said Im, who holds a 5-3-2 record in the Presidents Cup.
Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama continues to lead the International Team rankings with Australian Jason Day in third and Nick Taylor of Canada (sixth) rounding up the top-6 places.
Top 6 International Team standings
1. Hideki Matsuyama
2. Tom Kim
3. Jason Day
4. Sungjae Im
5. Byeong Hun An
6. Nick Taylor
With just three months to go, US standout Scheffler remains firmly atop the US Team standings. He became the first player on Sunday to record six PGA Tour wins before July since Arnold Palmer in 1962.
Patrick Cantlay and Akshay Bhatia, who both finished tied for fifth last week, are looking to qualify for the US. Seeking to play in his third Presidents Cup, Cantlay has moved up one place to no. 5.
Bhatia, 22, improved two places to 13th as he aims to become the first Junior Presidents Cup player to compete in the Presidents Cup. Sahith Theegala currently occupies the sixth and final automatic slot for the US.
Both teams will have six automatic qualifiers and six captain’s picks. For the US it will be a weighted system based on FedEx Cup points from January 1, 2023 to August 25, 2024 while it will be based on OWGR points for the internationals after the BMW Championship.
Top 6 US team standings
1. Scottie Scheffler
2. Xander Schauffele
3. Collin Morikawa
4. Wyndham Clark
5. Patrick Cantlay
6. Sahith Theegala
Also read: Scheffler outlasts Morikawa to win his first Memorial title
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