Pat Mayo advised taking the Round-1 UNDER on Sungjae Im’s 11.5 Greens-in-Regulation prop at Underdog. Mayo noted that Im draws the Thursday-morning wave expected to see the stiffest 20-25 mph gusts of the day, a brutal combo for a player already ranking outside the top-60 on Tour in GIR percentage over the last two months. Renaissance Club’s generous fairways mean wayward tee shots won’t kill a scorecard, but Mayo stressed that holding the green is the issue when winds are quartering across these elevated putting surfaces. With only 13 non-par-3 approaches available, Im would need to stick nine of them just to threaten the number—something he has done only twice in his past nine opening rounds. Mayo labeled the pick a "weather plus baseline fade" and built his four-leg flex card around it.

Although Sungjae Im shows up fifth in the numbers, Farnsworth wants no part of him. Im ranks near dead last in this weak field for strokes-gained approach and greens-in-regulation over the last month, forcing him to rely on scrambling – a skill set largely irrelevant at TPC Deere Run where up-and-downs are minimal. Farnsworth noted Im has flashed good history here, but the current iron play is too poor to justify his salary or ownership, so he’s an outright fade in DFS builds.

Andy Lack advised staying away from Sungjae Im in both betting and DFS despite the Korean opening near the top of the odds board. Lack called Im’s approach play “the worst iron run of his career,” noting that he continues to hemorrhage strokes on shots inside 150 yards—the exact wedge range that dominates Deere Run. While Im’s driver and short game remain solid, Lack emphasized that TPC Deere Run rewards elite wedge play and hot putting, making Im’s current form a poor fit. Until his irons rebound, Lack will not roster or wager on him.

Brandon Gdula warned against chasing Sungjae Im at $9,000 or in the outright market, even with a third-place finish here last year. Gdula said he “can’t ever trust someone whose irons are so consistently negative,” pointing out that Im has lost strokes on approach in six of his past eight measured events and ranks outside the top-70 in approach play over the last three months. While the South Korean’s accuracy off the tee fits TPC River Highlands in theory, Gdula argued the course’s tiny greens make sharp iron play non-negotiable. He is steering clear of Im in DFS builds and betting cards, recommending gamers pivot to similarly priced ball-strikers like Ben Griffin or Ryan Fox instead.

Iain MacMillan bet Sungjae Im +360 to finish as Top Asian, arguing TPC River Highlands is a ‘plotters’ course that mitigates distance. He dismissed Hideki Matsuyama and Si Woo Kim for being less precise off the tee this season and trusts Im’s driving accuracy, tidy short game, and streaky putter to outlast the Asian contingent even if his irons remain merely average.

MacMillan bet Sungjae Im at +360 to finish as top Asian, arguing that River Highlands favors accurate drivers and tidy short games—areas where Im excels. He dismissed long-hitting peers Hideki Matsuyama and Si Woo Kim on fit grounds and trusts Im’s elite scrambling and putting to separate in this mini-market even without his best iron season.

Pat Mayo highlighted Sungjae Im as a sneaky Oakmont play after running Fantasy National filters for ‘Hard Courses, Fast Greens.’ Im ranks 6th in total strokes gained across Riviera, Memorial, Bay Hill and Augusta over the last three seasons, picking up 1.4 strokes per round despite only average distance. He is top-15 in fairways gained and leads the Tour in scrambling percentage from 10–20 yards on firm greens—exactly the profile that survives crowned Poa surfaces and 5-inch rough. With sportsbooks hanging 70-1 outrights and DraftKings pricing him at $7,900, Mayo expects single-digit ownership and recommends top-20 (+275) and bogey-avoidance props alongside DFS exposure.

Pat Mayo pumped the brakes on backing Sungjae Im this week after digging into his recent ball-striking numbers. Im is gaining a tidy 8.0 strokes around the green and finding nearly every fairway, but Mayo highlighted an alarming trend: minus-2.7 strokes on approach per start over his last five events and zero positive iron weeks since the Cognizant Classic, where he still missed the cut. Mayo fears the U.S. Open’s 175-to-225-yard approach windows will punish that weakness and doubts the elite scrambling can bail him out for four straight rounds. Unless Im flashes at least neutral irons—think the +0.5 SG:Approach spike he posted at the CJ Cup—Mayo sees more downside than upside and is fading him in outrights and tight head-to-head markets while limiting DFS exposure to low-owned GPP sprinkles.

Alex Blickle admitted Sungjae Im’s irons are a disaster—FTN’s model pegs him dead last among regular PGA Tour members in strokes-gained approach this week—but still likes him as a contrarian bullet. Winning score projections around –12 mean Im may only need to gain three strokes per round instead of four-plus to contend. He just picked up eight strokes around the green at Memorial and ranks top-10 in fairway accuracy, a combo that plays if TPC Toronto’s rumored thicker rough materializes. Im continues to hole 20-footers and chip-ins to mask the approach woes, and his ownership is expected to sit below 10% in DraftKings with only 22% of one-and-done entries having used him. Blickle recommended sprinkling top-10 bets at 35-1 and using Im as a season-long pivot where most opponents will flock to Pendrith or Rory holdovers.

Despite recent inconsistency, Gannon likes Sungjae Im at $9,100 as a forgotten tournament play. Im is still driving it well and carries elite back-door top-5 equity compared with similarly priced chalk such as Taylor Pendrith. With ownership suppressed, Sungjae offers leverage plus ceiling if his irons rebound just slightly—something Gannon believes is likely on a setup that rewards accurate driving and mid-iron play.

Farnsworth leans toward Sungjae Im over Keegan Bradley. Im’s good-drive percentage, total driving, scrambling, and putting grade out top-tier, and he owns an encouraging track record at Mirfield Village. While his recent approach numbers lag, Farnsworth expects the all-around profile to shine on a course demanding complete games.

Polzin warned that Sungjae Im is no longer the cut-making machine of his rookie season but still offers slate-breaking upside. Im owns three top-10s at Muirfield (8th, 10th, and 15th) along with a missed cut, mirroring his recent volatility. Over the last 24 rounds he sits 12th in strokes gained approach yet just 68th in putting, explaining the boom-or-bust results. Polzin recommends deploying Im only in large-field GPPs, getting overweight when projected ownership is muted to capitalize on a potential top-5 outcome.

Andy Lack called Sungjae Im a "sneaky, awesome" GPP play at the Memorial. While his iron play is admittedly shaky, Lack argued that Im’s ability to "hit a million fairways and get up and down from everywhere" can neutralize the approach concerns on a course with sub-55% GIR rates. Im already owns two top-10 finishes at Muirfield Village, showing a proven knack for navigating its thick Kentucky bluegrass rough. With most line-ups gravitating toward pure ball-strikers, Lack believes Im’s elite driving accuracy and short-game prowess provide contrarian leverage and legitimate top-10 equity at moderate salary and ownership levels.

Brandon Gdula advised passing on Sungjae Im this week, noting the South Korean is parked right at field average in every strokes-gained category over his last 24 rounds. Im’s recent success at Quail Hollow (three top-25s in five starts) has been almost entirely putter-driven, and he still sits well below the field median in driving distance. With Quail’s 7,600-yard layout strongly favoring bombers, Gdula sees little ceiling and plenty of ownership risk in DFS. He will exclude Im from his player pool and look toward stronger tee-to-green profiles in the same price tier.

Im is listed at +8000, and Kalland loves the upside. The Korean has gone T8 and T4 in his last two Quail Hollow starts and already rewarded Kalland’s sleeper call at Augusta with a T5. While Im’s weekly results can swing wildly, Kalland argues the Charlotte course fits his all-around game and that his ceiling is higher than most at this price range, making him a worthwhile dart for outright tickets or top-10 props.

Rich Gehman said he is ready to be early on Sungjae Im, calling the South Korean’s upward trend impossible to ignore. Im has gained strokes on approach in five of his last six starts and parlayed that ball-striking into a 5th at the Masters, 11th at Harbour Town and multiple top-30s since. Gehman added that Quail Hollow is quietly one of Im’s best venues—4th here in 2024 and 8th in 2023—where he gained in all four strokes-gained categories each time. With the driver stable, short-game elite, and Quail’s length no issue, Gehman believes Im can hit the two solid shots per hole a major demands and makes him a priority DFS core play and outright bet before sportsbooks adjust.

Matt Gannon is loading up on Sungjae Im at $8,200. He explained that Sungjae’s high-spin, controlled fade excels on firm, fast Bermuda greens and prevents balls from bounding over the putting surface. Quail Hollow’s long-iron heavy approach distances and emphasis on fairway-finding align with Sungjae’s strengths, giving him top-10 DFS upside at a bargain salary.

Geoff Ulrich liked Sungjae Im to beat the 22.5 finishing-position line on DraftKings Pick6. Ulrich pointed out that Im has gained strokes off the tee and around the green in five straight starts, a profile that helped him to a T-5 at Augusta and a T-11 at Harbour Town. Although Im’s irons have been cold, Ulrich expects the Philadelphia Cricket Club’s Tillinghast design to reward steady driving accuracy and sharp short-game work more than pure ball-striking. Im tallied six top-12 finishes over a seven-event stretch last summer, so Ulrich framed this as a “buy-the-dip” spot on a golfer whose all-around game suits a 7,100-yard track with fast, tiered greens and heavy bunkering.

Rick Gehman urged gamers to get ahead of the curve on Sungjae Im. The Korean has gained strokes off the tee in every start since Memphis nine months ago, maintained his usual short-game excellence, and now shows only mildly negative approach numbers after months of dreadful irons. Gehman believes a top-five finish is imminent—possibly this week—and envisions DFS and outright value if Sungjae pops before DraftKings can adjust pricing for next week’s PGA Championship. He plans to give Im one more try as a low-owned ceiling play at Philly Cricket.

Andy Lack advised rolling the dice on Sungjae Im in One-and-Done pools and as an outright/DFS play. After a brutal start to 2025, Im has quietly posted 5th and 11th-place finishes in his last two individual stroke-play events, and Lack noted that the missed cut at last week’s team Zurich can be tossed. Im’s putter remains a strength (+0.29 SG: Putting this season) while his around-the-green game is bordering on elite. The lone red flag— -0.41 SG: Approach over six months— has shown signs of life during the recent mini-run. Add in elite driving accuracy, sponsor synergy (both Im and the tournament share the same corporate backer), and Lack’s uncertainty about when he’d feel comfortable deploying Im later in the season, and he believes it’s the perfect spot to pounce while ownership and outright odds remain suppressed.

Farnsworth advised fading Sungjae Im despite the discounted price. Im has not looked right all season, posting only one strong showing at the Masters and missing the cut last week in Korea. He now has to make the long flight back to Texas with little turnaround time. On a bomber-friendly birdie fest where recent form and travel fatigue matter, Noto sees better ways to spend salary and will have zero Im exposure.

Patrick McDonald labeled Sungjae Im a hard fade at TPC Craig Ranch after a disastrous title defense in Korea. Im flew home following a missed cut at the Woori Financial Group Championship, meaning back-to-back 13-hour flights and almost no prep time for a Texas birdie-fest. McDonald worries the combination of jet lag, recent poor form, and the need to fire 26-to-30-under makes Im’s outright and DFS prices unplayable this week.

McClure’s model recommends grabbing the +220 at DraftKings on Sungjae Im to finish inside the top 10 (ties paid). Im opened the season red-hot with two top-five finishes in his first three starts, cooled off in February and March, but is trending back upward—T5 at the Masters and T11 at the RBC Heritage in his last two individual events. The simulation expects that form to hold on a course where Im’s accurate driving and long-iron play (13th on Tour in Strokes Gained: Approach from 175-200 yards) are rewarded, giving him double-digit top-10 equity and making the plus-money ticket an attractive bankroll builder for Byron Nelson week.

Derek Farnsworth expressed caution on Sungjae Im despite his recent T5 finish, noting Im's strong result last week was carried mostly by his short game, not ball striking. Sungjae typically thrives on Pete Dye layouts like Harbour Town Golf Links and has consistently produced four straight top 25 finishes at the RBC Heritage, but Farnsworth flagged worries about the reliability of his ball striking after lackluster recent data. With shaky underlying iron numbers, Farnsworth remains hesitant and uncertain in rostering Im at an elevated DFS price tag.

Tour coach highlighted Sungjae Im as a strong betting target at +350 after a quiet top-10 finish at Augusta that potentially signals a form turnaround. He emphasized Im's outstanding iron control, a skill crucial to succeeding at Harbour Town Golf Links. Sungjae has translated this strength into consistent results, registering four consecutive top-25 finishes at Harbour Town, further solidifying his value heading into the RBC Heritage event.

Wes Reynolds sees Sungjae Im as a valuable outright bet at 40-to-1 odds at the RBC Heritage, despite typically avoiding Masters contenders due to inflated prices. He observed Im improving his ball striking significantly over Masters weekend and highlighted Im's consistent Harbour Town results: 13th, 21st, 7th and 12th in his last four starts. With three Top-5 finishes already this season, Im enters Harbour Town in promising form as he pursues his first PGA Tour victory in over three years, adding strong motivation and increasing betting value at the available odds.

Neil Parker recommended betting Sungjae Im to shoot under 69.5 in Round 1 at Harbour Town, noting he's historically thrived in opening rounds at this event. Im shot 69 or better in 6 of his last 8 rounds at Harbour Town and finished Top 25 in each of his four recent appearances here, including top-tier finishes like T7 (2023) and T12 (2024). Coming off a strong T5 finish at the Masters, where he flashed well-rounded strokes gained metrics, Im offers clear early-round scoring potential for bettors.

Wes Reynolds supports Sungjae Im (40-1) for Harbour Town following a fifth-place finish at Augusta, where he found his groove striking the ball well in the final round. Im has recorded consistent results at RBC Heritage, placing 13th, 21st, 7th, and 12th over his last four visits. Additionally, he is knocking on the door for a PGA Tour breakthrough, currently possessing three top-5 finishes this season.

Jonny Leighfield picked Sungjae Im as a promising outsider at RBC Heritage (+3300), citing Im's consistent strong results and improving form with the putter. Im has registered four straight top-21 finishes at Harbour Town, including a T7 in 2023. Though he struggled with the flat stick in previous visits, recent tournaments suggest notable improvement. Leighfield pointed especially to Im's encouraging T5 finish at The Masters, despite average approach shot execution, indicating he's found substantial balance in his overall game. Leighfield expects Im to build upon that showing and translate positivity into another strong performance this week at Hilton Head.

Eric Polzin discouraged using Sungjae Im in DFS lineups at the RBC Heritage due to concerns about placement points. Polzin noted that building lineups relying on Im to outperform higher-ranked players such as Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa appears unlikely. Polzin emphasized that DFS success at RBC Heritage heavily relies on securing golfers capable of earning consistent, strong finishes rather than betting on lower-ranked players outperforming elite options. While Im is a notable player, Polzin's data and DFS strategy indicated that Im doesn't offer sufficient projected placement points to warrant selection over the top-end golfers this week.

Pat Perry cautiously likes Sungjae Im at 40 to 1 at this week's RBC Heritage, acknowledging Im's consistent course history at Harbour Town. Im notably has finished in the top 15 in three of his last four starts here. Perry feels a safer way to bet Im may be the top 10 market, specifically at plus 280 odds, as Im has struggled to actually win events lately but exceptional consistency at this course bolsters his chance to record another solid finish.

Cam DaSilva tagged Sungjae Im (+4000) as a smart pick at RBC Heritage following his promising T5 finish at the Masters. DaSilva stressed that Im's Masters performance signals significant improvement after an earlier downturn in his form this year. With four consecutive top-21 finishes at Harbour Town since 2021, Im has consistently demonstrated comfort and scoring potential at this venue. Based on his rebound at Augusta, DaSilva forecasts another strong outing for Im this week.

Despite acknowledging Sungjae Im's recent approach struggles (ranked 181st strokes gained approach this season), Cam DaSilva views Im as a viable long-shot bet at +10000 odds due to an inflated value, given his proven Augusta history. Im notably finished runner-up at Augusta in 2020 and eighth in 2022, showing he can perform greatly at this venue. DaSilva emphasizes Im's exceptional driving accuracy, ranked 26th in strokes gained off the tee, could help mitigate his recent iron struggles and justify taking a chance at these generous odds.

Pat Mayo identified Sungjae Im as being egregiously mispriced at just $7,300 on DraftKings for The Masters. Mayo describes this price as 'disrespected,' highlighting an excellent leverage opportunity for DFS players. Given Im's consistent high-quality play and past performance at major tournaments, Mayo believes his incorrect pricing creates a chance to capitalize with strong upside and lower ownership compared to his deserved value.

Tyler Tamboline strongly endorsed including Sungjae Im in DFS lineups for the 2025 Houston Open at the $9,300 price range. He noted Sungjae is going overlooked likely due to public skepticism and minimal general interest this week, despite previously excelling at courses like Torrey Pines and Augusta—potentially comparable courses to the Houston Open. Tamboline acknowledged the validity of skepticism about course comparisons, yet emphasized his ongoing DFS use of Sungjae due to upside and a tendency to perform well regardless of comps. Tamboline considered Sungjae an excellent pivot, likely to bring leverage and potential strong finishes at lower ownership than similarly priced golfers.

Byron Lindeque advised strongly against betting on Sungjae Im in outright markets, citing Im's longstanding trend of poor returns when bet to win. Using a metrics-based approach to illustrate historical performance, Lindeque pointed out that Sungjae's betting odds have consistently been set too low to provide adequate return given his infrequent victories, making it virtually impossible to profit long-term betting on him outright. Due to Im's weak returns over the past several seasons, Lindeque emphasized fading outright bets on Sungjae going forward, noting that the repeated betting at short odds without victories significantly diminishes bettor's profits over time.

Andy Lack advised fading Sungjae Im in DFS contests for the Houston Open due to significant struggles with his iron play. Currently Im ranks 143rd on tour in approach and recently lost a staggering 6.4 strokes with his irons at the Players Championship. This poor iron play has placed enormous pressure on his short game, which has also been pedestrian, making him an unattractive DFS option.

Patrick McDonald recommended fading Sungjae Im this week, mentioning Sungjae's ongoing struggles with his iron play and overall form. Despite his talent and past success on challenging courses, Sungjae hasn't won since the Shriners several years ago and simply looks lost recently. McDonald's concerns highlight Sungjae as a risky fantasy or betting option until he demonstrates improvement, especially with tough Memorial Park presenting precise approach shot demands.

Sia Nejad recommends Sungjae Im as an intriguing, contrarian DFS play at the Houston Open. Despite recent poor approach statistics making Im an unpopular choice, Nejad highlighted that Memorial Park rewards players who are solid everywhere rather than stellar in just one category. Sungjae fits this criteria and if his approach game rebounds even slightly, he could significantly exceed expectations at very low ownership. Nejad sees Im as a potential GPP-winning, low-owned leverage play given his otherwise balanced skill set.

Tyler Tamboline advocated for Sungjae Im as a contrarian DFS play after discussing that Sungjae was mistakenly left out of initial pricing and added late at $9,700, causing him to be overlooked. Sungjae is positioned oddly between more popular golfers, creating an ownership squeeze. Tamboline recalled Sungjae’s strong history at correlated courses, specifically mentioning impressive finishes at the Wyndham Championship and previously at THE PLAYERS Championship. Tamboline humorously mentioned Sungjae's reported motivation due to pricing oversight, indicating he is highly confident in Sungjae's DFS potential this week.

Byron Lindeque likes Sungjae Im as a leverage play in the 9K price range this week. He believes Sungjae's recent struggles will lower ownership after inconsistent recent form, but highlighted Sungjae responding well historically after criticism. Byron noted Sungjae's recent bounce-back performance at API after being publicly called out and expects similar motivation to perform strongly at THE PLAYERS Championship. Due to projected lower ownership in comparison to Tommy Fleetwood at a similar price, rostering Sungjae carries strong leverage potential.

Ben Coley hesitantly labeled Sungjae Im as somewhat overrated due to a perception gap between his high market odds and comparatively limited victories. Despite winning the Shriners Children's Open and Honda Classic, Im's strike rate hasn't matched lofty market expectations. Coley acknowledged Im's notable talent and consistency, including his near victory at The Masters, but suggested his limited PGA Tour wins and over-reliance on specific events could make him overrated in betting markets. This suggests caution in outright betting strategies, despite Coley's admiration for Im as an elite player on the tour.