Lee and Kim ready for the fight in PGA Tour fall events

Lee Kyoung-hoon and Kim Seong-hyeon know fully well the significance of the re-imagined PGA Tour Fall Schedule which begins this week at the Fortinet Championship in Napa, California.

Lee Kyoung-hoon plays a drive on the 13th tee box during the first round of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands on June 22 in Cromwell, Connecticut. [GETTY IMAGES]

Lee Kyoung-hoon and Kim Seong-hyeon know fully well the significance of the re-imagined PGA Tour Fall Schedule which begins this week at the Fortinet Championship in Napa, California.

While both golfers, who enter the Fall ranked 77th and 83rd respectively on the FedExCup standings, are virtually safe to retain their Tour cards for the new 2024 Season by being inside the top-125, their goal over the next two months is to fight for some top rewards which include starts in the early Signature events and major championships next year.

“Personally, I think this Fall series is very important,” said Lee, who missed the FedExCup Playoffs for the first time in five years last month. “I need to perform well to get to the Signature events. I want to make the most of the opportunities this Fall so that next year, I get to compete in the bigger tournaments and give myself a chance to win again.”

Lee, 32, was disappointed with how he concluded the Regular Season where he missed seven cuts in his last eight starts. He began the 2022-23 Season in strong fashion following a third place at The CJ Cup and a tie for seventh at The Sentry but his game inexplicably became unstuck in the rough from June onward.

“This year has been a year of disappointments because I've had some frustrating weeks where things didn't go my way. I had some bad tournaments toward the end of the [Regular] Season,” said Lee, who is a two-time PGA Tour winner.

“However, I know golf is a game with ups and downs. If I keep doing what I've been doing, my chances will come again. The most important thing is not to give up and to keep working hard. It's been a while since I've been to Napa. It was the first course when I made my full PGA Tour debut in 2018. I have a lot of memories here, so I feel comfortable and I think I can play well.”

Kim has enjoyed a commendable rookie season with eight top-25s from 32 starts. While he fell short in his attempt to make the FedExCup Playoffs, the 24-year-old said the experience garnered competing alongside the world’s best golfers will spur him to chase for a career breakthrough victory in the United States.

Kim Seong-hyeon hits his tee shot on the fifth hole during the second round of The Players Championship at Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on March 10 In Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. [GETTY IMAGES]

“There were challenges but there were also many great moments. In hindsight, I think those experiences helped me a lot in my golf life. Since I am playing on the PGA Tour, the biggest stage in the world, I'll try to keep my expectations high and keep moving forward,” he said.

He returns to Silverado Resort some 12 months after a tied 36th finish last year and is looking forward to the other Fall events as he notched a T13 at the Sanderson Farms Championship and T4 at the Shriners Children’s Open.

“It’s impressive to see how quickly the top players adapt to different courses and different situations every week. Not only from their mental strength, I also learned how they create shots and manage unfamiliar situations,” said Kim.

“I expected to make the FedExCup Playoffs but there were many disappointing moments at the end of the season. However, 83rd place is pretty good. Even though I still lack a lot of things, I think I did a good job. Rather than thinking about winning first, I think if I keep hovering around the top-10, there will be a chance to win. The goal is to consistently perform well in every competition.”

The FedExCup Fall is made up of seven events that will crown PGA Tour champions and finalize the top-125 and additional playing opportunities for the 2024 Season, which begins in January as the Tour returns to a calendar-year schedule for the first time since 2012. Nos. 1-50 in the FedExCup standings through the Tour Championship are locked in their positions, while Nos. 51 and beyond carry their FedExCup points over and accumulate through The RSM Classic.

The winner of the Fortinet Championship will receive the same benefits of winners of Full-Field events during the Regular Season, including 500 FedExCup Points, Official World Golf Ranking points, a two-year PGA Tour exemption [exempt thru 2025] and invitations to The Sentry, The Players Championship, Masters Tournament and PGA Championship. The purse for the Fortinet Championship is $8.4 million with the winner earning $1,512,000.

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BY CHUAH CHOO CHIANG [kjdsports@joongang.co.kr]