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[이데일리 스타in 임정우 기자] ‘Defending Champion’ Lim Seong-jae (23) jumped to 7th place on the third day of the US Professional Golf (PGA) Tour Honda Classic (total prize money of $7 million).
Lim Sung-jae hit one under par 69 in the third round held at the PGA National Golf Club (par 70) in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA on the 21st (Korean time). Lim Sung-jae, who recorded 205 strokes in the middle of a 5-under par, was tied for 7th place with Jack Johnson and Stuart Sink (above the United States). It’s five strokes against sole leader Matt Johnson (Australia).
Last year’s winner of this tournament, Lim Seong-jae, is playing his first title defense fight in the PGA Tour’s life. Im Seong-jae, who had reduced 4 strokes by the second day of this competition, tied 4 birdies, 1 bogie, and 1 double bogie to write down 1 under par. Im Seong-jae, who raised the ranking by nine places from a tie of 19th to a tie of 7th the day before, challenges to win the reversal on the last day.
Im Seong-jae, who started the 3rd round with a birdie on the 2nd hole, made his first look at the 5th hole, but was not shaken. He bounced back with a birdie on hole 6 and finished the first half with one under par. In the second half, Im Seong-jae remained calm. He raised the rank by reducing one stroke each on the 12th and 14th holes.
However, at the PGA National Golf Club where this tournament is held, he was caught in holes 15-17, which are the most difficult’bear traps’. He scored pars on holes 15 and 16, but he had to be content with a double bogie on the 17th and reducing one stroke in the third round.
Johnson, who scored 200 strokes at a 10 under par, took the lead alone, and JB Holmes and Aaron Weiss (above the United States) formed a joint second-place group with 7 under par 203 strokes. Judgment-Jung (Taiwan), Cameron Trungali (USA) and Sam Ryder (USA) finished the third round with a tie for fourth place with 6 under par 204 strokes.