Vol. 8 [Alumni News] Golfer Scottie Scheffler (FIN '18) Headlines CJ Cup Byron Nelson in Texas

• World No. 1 golfer, Scottie Scheffler (FIN '18) tees off as defending champion at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, which opened May 21 at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas — competing for a share of the $10.3 million prize fund among a 144-player field. (Asiatoday; Newscj)
• Scheffler (FIN '18), a Texas native, won last year's edition by 8 strokes over Erik van Rooyen with a 31-under 253, tying the PGA Tour 72-hole scoring record. (Asiatoday; Newscj)
• Although he has not added to his win total since the American Express in January, Scheffler (FIN '18) has posted six top-5 finishes including three runner-up results across 10 starts this season, maintaining his hold on the world No. 1 ranking. (Asiatoday; Newscj)
• The course has been modified since last year — with changes to green contours and bunker placements to raise the difficulty level — making early adaptation a key factor. (Asiatoday)

Korean connections:

• The tournament is sponsored by Korean conglomerate CJ Group, drawing strong interest from fans in Korea; CJ Group food subsidiaries will have booths on-site showcasing Korean food products. (Newscj)
• Scheffler (FIN '18) told reporters he is looking forward to sampling Korean cuisine during the week, expressing particular enthusiasm for spicy chicken dishes. (Newscj)
  
• Si-woo Kim is among the strongest Korean contenders — he has made the cut in every event this season, with six top-10 finishes including one runner-up result, and lives near Dallas, which he said gives him a mental edge at this venue; at a press conference he stated his intention to end a three-year winless stretch. (Asiatoday; Newscj)
• Sung-jae Im, whose main sponsor is CJ Group, is also in the field looking to rebound after missing the cut at last week's PGA Championship; he missed seven early-season events due to a right wrist injury sustained in January and is currently 59th in the FedEx Cup standings. (Newscj)
• Joo-hyung Kim, ranked outside the top 100 in the FedEx Cup standings and struggling to find form, is using this event as a springboard; Scheffler (FIN '18) offered public encouragement, noting that Kim is only 23 and already achieving more at that age than Scheffler (FIN '18) himself had. (Newscj)

(Source: Asiatoday; Newscj)