Sungjae Im takes his Shriners Open title defense seriously

Sungjae Im might be in one of the most entertaining cities in the world this week, but you won’t catch him anywhere near the Strip or in a casino.

“I try to stick with my profession, and I’m a golfer,” said Im, the defending champion at the Shriners Children’s Open. “I’m here to play golf. I love to have fun, but I’m here to play a tournament.”

If Im has the same focus he brought to TPC Summerlin last year, that could be a scary proposition for the 143 other players in the field. Last year, he shot a final round 62 to finish at 24-under 260, leaving the field in the desert dust. It was a round that included eight birdies in a 10-hole stretch in the middle of the round, including five straight at one point.

The details of the round are a blur to Im, but he certainly remembers the numbers on the scorecard.

“What I remember the most is getting on that birdie roll that I got on, five straight birdies on No. 9, I believe, and just coming to the end of the stretch, I looked at the scoreboard and I was leading by quite a few shots,” he said. “I was pretty nervous, but at the same time pretty happy.”

The victory was the first of nine top-10 finishes last season for Im, including three runner-up finishes. He finished second to Rory McIlroy in the FedEx Cup standings, vaulted to No. 19 in the world rankings and was a key member for the International team in last month’s Presidents Cup.

He has lofty goals for the new season and hopes the Shriners Children’s Open can be a launching pad once again.

“The key to having a good season is to have a strong start in the Fall Series events, and that’s always been my goal, and likewise for this year,” he said.

If history is any indication, Im should find himself on the leaderboard this week at TPC Summerlin. In three appearances at the tournament, he has finished no worse than 15th.

“I’m extremely happy to return to TPC Summerlin,” he said. “I always feel great when I come back here, and I hope to continue this good momentum.”

One of the best iron players in the game, Im has made a big impression during his five years on tour. His success and frequent appearances on leaderboards belie the fact that he remains just 24 years old and is still growing his skills.

And despite his age, Im was leaned on for veteran leadership in the Presidents Cup, where he scored 2.5 points and took down American Cameron Young in the Sunday singles. It was an experience he treasured and hopes to be a part of for many years to come.

“Playing in a team event is definitely different than individual competition,” he said. “There was a lot of anxiety and nervousness playing in the Presidents Cup, but from that experience I think I can have success out here on tour when it comes to clutch moments. I want to continue that good momentum that I had in Charlotte.”

Im begins his quest for a repeat in one of the elite groupings Thursday. He’ll play with 2017 champion Patrick Cantlay and Harris English, starting at 12:24 p.m.

And come Sunday night, celebration or not, his job will be over and Im just might find his way to some Las Vegas entertainment. Which begs the question, just where might somebody find him?

“Blackjack,” he said with a smile. “Easy.”

Greg Robertson covers golf for the Review-Journal. He can be reached at grobertson@reviewjournal.com.