BMW Championship: Matsuyama, Im enjoy fast starts; Bhatia, Theegala fall behind

Castle Rock [US], August 23 (ANI): Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama continued his impressive form from last week's St. Jude Championship, which he won, by securing a solo second place with a 5-under 67 at the BMW Championship.
Korean golfers Sungjae Im (68) and Si Woo Kim (69) made strong starts, keeping the momentum going for Asian players in the FedExCup Playoffs.
However, Indian-Americans Akshay Bhatia (72, T-22) and Sahith Theegala (73, T-34), along with Indo-British Aaron Rai (74, T-38), lagged behind in the 50-man field. Korea's Byeong Hun An also opened with a 72.
American Keegan Bradley, who was the last player to qualify for the BMW Championship in 50th place, shot a bogey-free 66 to take the lead after the first round.
Just four days after securing a two-stroke victory at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, marking his second win of the season and his 10th PGA TOUR title, the 32-year-old Matsuyama excelled once again at Castle Pines Golf Club in Colorado, posting six birdies, including an impressive 74-foot birdie on the fourth hole.
Im and Kim are determined to join the winner's circle in this week's penultimate Playoffs event, with rounds of 68 and 69, respectively, placing them T3 and T7 as they chase the early leader.
The 26-year-old Im is seeking his third PGA TOUR win, bolstered by six birdies, including three early gains to start his round. His short game was particularly sharp, as he scrambled for six par saves to remain on the leaderboard. With Castle Pines situated at 6,200 feet above sea level, players like Im have had to adjust their distance control, as the thinner air causes the ball to travel further, making the 8,130-yard course a challenging walk.
Im holds the distinction of recording Asia's best finish in the FedExCup, having tied for second place behind Rory McIlroy in 2022. Currently 10th on the points list, he is set to make his sixth consecutive appearance in the Playoffs finale, the TOUR Championship, next week, where the FedExCup will be decided.
Compatriot Si Woo Kim, who needs a high finish to qualify for his third TOUR Championship appearance, put himself in a strong position with a six-birdie round, including a chip-in birdie on the fifth hole and a near hole-in-one on the par-3 16th, where his ball narrowly missed the cup.
A third victory of the season for Matsuyama could propel him to second place on the FedExCup points list, just behind leader Scottie Scheffler. This would place him two strokes back at the start of the TOUR Championship, which uses a staggered-scoring format based on players' rankings after the BMW Championship. No Asian golfer has ever won the FedExCup since its inception in 2007. (ANI)