McKINNNEY, Texas — Sungjae Im withdrew from the CJ Cup Byron Nelson on Thursday morning, citing illness, according to a PGA Tour media official.
Im, 26, pulled out of the event less than 30 minutes before his scheduled tee time. He is an ambassador of CJ, the South Korean conglomerate which is in the first year of a 10-year deal as the title sponsor of the Tour’s longtime Dallas stop.
Im won the KPGA Tour’s Woori Financial Group Championship on Sunday and had several off-course duties for the title sponsor in the lead up to the tournament. He has regularly been one of the leaders in Tour starts in recent years, making 12 starts already this season and 31 last year. (On two occasions, he’s made 35 starts in a season.) Im ranks 37th in the world and is currently in line to be one of two representatives for South Korea in the Olympics.
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Im was replaced by Seung-yul Noh in a featured group with Jason Day and Jordan Spieth. Last year, Noh posted an 11-under 60 in the first round here at TPC Craig Ranch.
Veteran Sean O’Hair also withdrew before the round and was replaced by Scott Piercy.