PGA TOUR
Shriners Children's Open
Im Collects Big Win In Vegas
Sungjae Im banked his second PGA Tour win at the Shriners Children’s Open in Las Vegas. The 23-year-old Korean becomes the second youngest winner of this event behind Tiger Woods. Aged 20, Woods scored his maiden PGA Tour win at this event in 1996.
Im outclassed the field on Sunday to produce the low round of the day with a sizzling 9-under 62 at TPC Summerlin, Nevada. The bogey-free score matched his career best PGA Tour round.
The 2019 PGA Tour Rookie of The Year began the final round three shots off the lead set by Adam Schenk and made a fast start with four birdies in the opening seven holes. He made the turn at 5-under and claimed the lead by one shot with his fifth birdie of the day at the 9th hole. From this point, Im was never headed. Im poured in birdies at the 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th holes to go five shots clear of the field and make it 9-under through 13 holes. The world No. 29 finished his round with five consecutive pars and at 24-under for the week.
Matthew Wolff finished at 20-under and in outright second place. The 22-year-old American was searching for his second PGA tour title after winning the 3M Open in 2019. Wolff, who lost a playoff to Martin Laird at this event in 2020, posted a final round 3-under 68. Remarkably, he has never shot worse than 69 in his 12 rounds at TPC Summerlin.
Australia’s Marc Leishman, Slovakia’s Rory Sabbatini and America’s Schenk ended the event at 19-under to take a share of third place. Leishman, aged 37, carded a sensational final round 8-under 63. The Victorian owns two top 5 finishes from his two starts this season on the PGA Tour. Leishman finished T4 at the 2021/22 season-opener at the Fortinet Championship.
Sabbatini, aged 45, was hoping for his first win on the PGA Tour in 10 years when he won the 2011 Honda Classic. The veteran of 573 PGA Tour starts and six titles, made a bold press for victory after covering the front nine in just 28 shots. A dropped shot at the 10th hole halted his run. Sabbatini, who won the silver medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, closed with a 7-under 64.
Schenk held the 54-hole lead for the second time in his career. The 29-year-old was looking for his maiden PGA Tour win and signed for a 1-under 70 on Sunday. It was his career-best finish on the PGA Tour besting his 4th place at the 2021 Barracuda Championship.
Im won his maiden PGA Tour win in his 50th event and earned his second win at his 100th start. His play this week Vegas suggests he is a sure bet to collect his third PGA Tour win before he makes his 150th start.
The PGA Tour remains in Las Vegas for next week’s The CJ CUP at The Summit Club. America’s Jason Kokrak is the defending champion.
Final Scores
Shriners Children's Open
1. Sungjae Im -24
2. Matthew Wolff -20
T3. Marc Leishman -19
T3. Rory Sabbatini -19
T3. Adam Schenk -19
T6. Lanto Griffin -18
T6. Adam Hadwin -18
T8. Hayden Buckley -17
T8. Aaron Wise -17
T8. Harry Hall -17
Other Australians
T27. Cam Davis -12
T27. Matt Jones -12
T35. Adam Scott -11
Photo credit: Alex Goodlett/Getty Images
