Last man standing: Im survives Champion Course, wins Honda Classic for 1st PGA Tour title

Each day of the four-day Honda Classic, there was a new golfer atop the tournament’s leaderboard.

However, it definitely was Sungjae Im who picked the right day to hold that position — the fourth, final and deciding day.

In fact, Im can spend the next year holding — and savoring — the day he led the Honda Classic and won it.

“I am very happy and satisfied with where I am,” Im said through an interpreter.

“I’m just so happy to be on the PGA Tour and just to play golf,” he added. “I don’t really look at it as work. It’s just a chance to go out and do what I love.”

In a frantic finish, Im, 21, captured his first PGA Tour title by shooting 72-66-70-66 for the tournament and finishing with a 6-under 274 total on the Champion Course at PGA National Resort & Spa.

Im, from South Korea and last year’s PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, had to wait and watch before breathing a sigh of relief as he finished his round with three pairings yet to finish.

One by one, three challengers fell:

▪ First, Im’s playing partner Mackenzie Hughes hit into the stands on 18. Hughes was gone.

“I was grinding my butt off, but unfortunately was one short,” said Hughes, who finished second at 71-72-66-66—275.

▪ Then Brendan Steele hit into the water on No. 18. Steele, who shot 68-67-71-71—277 and tied for fourth, was gone.

▪ Finally, Tommy Fleetwood hit into the water on No. 18. Fleetwood was gone.

“It’s just disappointing although I feel fine right now,” said Fleetwood, who finished third at 70-68-67-71—276.

Those miscues left Im alone at the top and walking out of the clubhouse to the trophy presentation.

Im started the day on one of the PGA Tour’s toughest courses with an implausible four birdies on the first five holes. On the back nine, he added three more birdies, including two on the par-3s (No. 15 and No. 17) that are part of the infamous Bear Trap.

Ironically, the day before Fleetwood had said, “Par is your friend out there.”

On Sunday, apparently birdies — not pars — were Im’s friend.

Basically, with those two late and crucial birdies, Im took the bite out of the Bear Trap.

However, on 18, he did supply some drama.

After nervously chunking his approach shot on the par-5 18th into a greenside trap, Im came back with the shot that probably kept him out of a playoff. He splashed his 62-foot bunker shot two feet from the pin and made the putt.

“I’ve been good out of the bunkers all week,” Im said. “I really like the bunkers around here. Once I got up and saw my ball and saw that it was a good lie in the bunker, I knew that it was just an ordinary, everyday bunker shot.

“I went up there and was pretty confident with it.”

During his interview, Im did interrupt the talk about golf to address what is going on in his country in relation to the coronavirus.

“There are reportedly over 2,000 cases of people that have been affected by the virus in Korea, and to be honest I’m concerned and worried about how fast it is spreading,” he said.

“As of now, all I can do is pray for the best.”