Im Sung-jae opens BMW Championship in tie for 12th, 3 shots off lead

Im Sung-jae made a solid start in the second event of the PGA Tour playoffs as he chases a place in the season finale for an eighth consecutive year.

Im carded five birdies and two bogeys for a 3-under-par 67 on Thursday in the first round of the BMW Championship at Bellerive Country Club (par 70) in St. Louis, Missouri. He finished the day in a tie for 12th, three shots behind the leaders, in the $20 million event.

The top 30 players in the FedEx Cup standings after the BMW Championship will earn spots in the Tour Championship, the playoff finale with a $40 million purse.

Im, currently 40th in the FedEx Cup standings, is aiming to climb inside the top 30 this week to secure his place in the finale. Having reached the Tour Championship in each of the past seven years, Im's bid to extend that streak hinges on his performance over the remaining rounds.

Im opened his round with a birdie on the par-4 second hole, sticking his approach to within 2.9 meters of the cup before converting the putt. He dropped shots on consecutive holes — a wayward approach on the par-4 fifth led to a bogey, and a tee shot into a bunker on the par-3 sixth produced another.

After turning at 1-over, Im rallied on the back nine. He made back-to-back birdies on the par-4 10th and par-4 11th, draining a 3.7-meter putt on the 10th before holing a 7.2-meter birdie putt on the 11th. He then added consecutive birdies on the par-3 14th and par-4 15th to set up a charge at the leaders in the next round.

Kim Si-woo, ranked 13th in the world and fourth in the FedEx Cup standings — already assured of a Tour Championship berth — posted an even-par 70 with four birdies and four bogeys to sit in a tie for 32nd. He bogeyed three of his opening holes, from the par-4 first through the par-3 third, before steadying over the remainder of the round.

Kim Joo-hyung, 26th in the FedEx Cup standings, struggled to a 2-over 72 with six birdies, four bogeys and two double bogeys, leaving him in a tie for 44th. With his Tour Championship spot still in jeopardy, Kim will need to recover over the final rounds.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler of the United States, who won the first playoff event, the FedEx St. Jude Championship, also had a difficult day, making three birdies against five bogeys for a 2-over 72 and a tie for 44th.

Five players share the lead at 6-under 64: world No. 2 Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, along with Americans Gary Woodland, Wyndham Clark, J.J. Spaun and Chris Gotterup.

Ryo Hisatsune of Japan and Matt Fitzpatrick of England are tied for sixth at 5-under 65. Four players, including Ludvig Aberg of Sweden, share eighth place at 4-under 66.