Birdie machine Im gets ready to go on a roll

AUSTIN (Texas) • South Korean birdie machine Im Sung-jae plans to cement his reputation as a matchplay expert with a strong showing in the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play which starts today.

The 22-year-old makes his debut in the US$10.5 million (S$14.1 million), 64-man field tournament at Austin Country Club with every intention of utilising his aggressive style of play to help him become Asia's first winner of the event, which sees a welcome change from the traditional strokeplay format on the PGA Tour this week.

After a stellar Presidents Cup debut in 2019, when he delivered 3.5 points for the International Team which included a convincing 4 & 3 Singles win over then reigning US Open champion Gary Woodland, Im hopes to contest Sunday's all-important Championship match.

He led the total birdies category on tour in 2019 (480 birdies) and 2020 (390 birdies) and leads the category with 286 this season.

Im has been drawn into Group 16 alongside Victor Perez, International teammate Marc Leishman and Russell Henley, with the round-robin group winner progressing into the single-match knockout stage.

Other Asians in this week's elite field headlined by world No. 1 Dustin Johnson and defending champion Kevin Kisner, include Im's compatriot Kim Si-woo and Japan's Hideki Matsuyama.

Kim, who earned his third PGA Tour title in January and fresh from a top-10 at The Players Championship, is in Group 5 with FedExCup points leader Bryson DeChambeau, Tommy Fleetwood and Antoine Rozner while Matsuyama will face Patrick Cantlay, Carlos Ortiz and Brian Harman in Group 10.

Im has a chance to live up to his nickname, the "Ironman", as any player who harbours dreams of winning the tournament will be required to play seven matches in five days.

"In matchplay, I have to focus on every hole," the world No. 24 said. "That is the main difference between matchplay and strokeplay.

"In strokeplay, every hole's score matters, but in matchplay, if I lose one hole, I can make up in the next hole. I still have a chance to compete with my opponent, so I need to keep my focus and the strategy is different."

Asia's closest challenger in the history of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play was Japan's Hideto Tanahira, who qualified for the semi-finals in 2017 before losing 1-up to eventual winner Johnson.

Johnson enters the tournament as the top seed for the fourth consecutive year. He will go up against Kevin Na, Robert MacIntyre and Adam Long in the group stages.

Kisner, the No. 48 seed, will begin his long-awaited title defence, joining recent Players champion Justin Thomas, Louis Oosthuizen and Matt Kuchar.

World No. 2 Thomas has extra incentive to keep his momentum rolling as he is aims to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.

The 27-year-old American is in prime position to secure a spot at the July 23-Aug 8 Games.

"I hope I qualify because I think that would be one of the coolest honours that I've ever had," the 2017 PGA Championship winner said on Monday, after Johnson confirmed earlier this month that he would skip Tokyo.

"It's probably one of the only tournaments that I would brag about playing in or qualifying for, the fact that I would be able to play for Team USA in the Olympics."

Thomas, who has finished in the top 15 in nine of his last 10 starts, must keep his strong performances going until the end of the men's June 21 qualifying window to book a ticket to the Tokyo Games.

PGATOUR.COM, REUTERS