"It's a tournament hosted by my sponsor and held near my home, so I feel more at ease. My goal is to win." (Kim Si-woo)
"This is my third appearance at The CJ Cup. This time, I will definitely lift the trophy." (Im Sung-jae)
"I've won this tournament before, so I always want to play well here. Many Koreans live in Texas, which makes me even more eager to perform well." (Lee Kyoung-hoon)
Team CJ players Kim Si-woo, Im Sung-jae, and Lee Kyoung-hoon, all active on the PGA Tour, expressed their determination to win ahead of The CJ Cup Byron Nelson (total purse: $10.3 million), hosted by their sponsor. The most recent PGA Tour victory by a Korean player came when Kim Joo-hyung won the Shriners Children's Open in October 2023. If a Korean player wins this week, it would mark the first PGA Tour title for a Korean in two years and seven months.
The three players shared their ambitions in a meeting with reporters on the 19th (local time) at TPC Craig Ranch (par 71) in McKinney, Texas. They will compete together in The CJ Cup on the PGA Tour over four days starting on the 21st.
Kim Si-woo (world ranking: 24th) has the best chance among Team CJ players to win this tournament. He has produced strong results this season, with six top-10 finishes in 15 starts, including four top-five finishes. With his home located in Dallas, where the tournament is held, he is expected to get sufficient rest and be in better condition. "I'm happy to compete near my home alongside my fellow Team CJ players. I'll challenge for the title against world-class players," Kim said. "Putting has been a big weakness for me, but it seems to be trending positively recently. If I play as I've prepared, I think I can post a good result." He will tee off from the 10th hole at 9:33 p.m. on the 21st (Korea time), playing alongside Scottie Scheffler (No. 1) and "major hunter" Brooks Koepka (USA, No. 111).
Im Sung-jae (No. 72), making his third appearance at The CJ Cup this year, made no secret of his desire to win. Although he is on a grueling stretch of nine consecutive starts including this event, he expressed a different level of resolve given that it is his sponsor's tournament. "It's true that my body is tired, but since I rested for about two months due to a wrist injury, I think it's right to play in many tournaments now," he said. "There are about three months left until the playoffs, and my goal is to accumulate as many points as possible by then." Im will start his round at the 1st hole at 2:43 a.m. on the 22nd, alongside Texas native Jordan Spieth (No. 47) and six-time Tour winner Chris Kirk (USA, No. 96).
Lee Kyoung-hoon, ranked 675th in the world, is the only Team CJ player with previous wins at this event (2021 and 2022, when it was known as the AT&T Byron Nelson). He achieved back-to-back titles at the tournament. He took time off in 2025 due to a back injury and returned to the PGA Tour in February at the Cognizant Classic. "I have so many good memories here that it feels like home. My physical condition has improved significantly compared to last season. I have no problem walking or playing," Lee said. "Including this event, I have 15 tournaments left, and I have to keep my Tour card within that span. I'll do my best." Lee will begin his first round at 9:22 p.m. on the 21st alongside Tom Hoge (USA, No. 110) and Rasmus Hojgaard (Denmark, No. 67).
