Kim Joo-hyung wins first PGA title at Wyndham Championship

Kim Joo-hyung holds his trophy after winning the Wyndham Championship on Sunday in Greensboro, North Carolina. [USA TODAY/YONHAP]

Kim Joo-hyung won his first-ever PGA Tour title on Sunday at the Wyndham Championship, carding a 20-under-par 260, five strokes ahead of countryman Im Sung-jae and John Huh of the United States.

Despite heading into the final round two strokes behind, Kim smashed through the front nine, carding seven birdies to take the lead, then carded one bogey and two birdies in the back nine for a 9-under 61 on Sunday.

Sunday’s win earns Kim instant membership to the PGA Tour, also making him eligible for the upcoming FedExCup Playoffs next week.

Kim was able to achieve his first win just a month after being given a special temporary membership from the PGA Tour.

That temporary membership only allowed Kim to compete for the remainder of the 2021-22 season with just three events — the 3M Open, Rocket Mortgage Classic and Wyndham Championship — and the FedEx Cup playoffs remaining at the time.

To secure his spot on the PGA Tour, Kim was looking to earn as many FedEx Cup points in the three events to qualify for the three playoffs.

But Kim did more than just that, after tying for 26th in the 3M Open and finishing in a solo seventh place at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, he finishes his regular season with a bang, winning his first-ever PGA title at the last event.

BY YUN SO-HYANG [yun.sohyang@joongang.co.kr]