Im Jin-hee in hunt for top LPGA rookie award after runner-up finish in Florida

Following the best performance of her LPGA career on Sunday in Florida, South Korean Im Jin-hee has put herself in the hunt for the tour's top rookie award.

Im finished tied for second place at The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican at 11-under 269, after shooting a two-under 68 at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida. She had three birdies and one bogey Sunday.

Im, Charley Hull of England and Zhang Weiwei of China all ended up three strokes behind the champion, Nelly Korda of the United States.

This was the highest finish of Im's LPGA career, surpassing a tie-for-fourth showing at the JM Eagle LA Championship in April.

With her sixth top-10 finish of 2024, Im has also positioned herself for a late-season rally for the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year award.

She trails Mao Saigo of Japan by 66 points, 934 to 868, with the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship scheduled to tee off Thursday.

Rookies earn points based on their finishes at each tournament. The winner collected 150 points and the runner-up receives 80 points, and so forth. Players who make the cut and finish in 41st place and below earn five points.

While Im finished second in Belleair, Saigo missed the cut and failed to add to her total.

World Golf Hall of Famer Pak Se-ri became the first South Korean winner of the top rookie prize in 1998, and South Korea has since produced 13 more winners, including Ryu Hae-ran last year.

"I really want the Rookie of the Year," Im said. "I don't know how big the gap is, but I will try my best. I like Florida, so I'll try to hopefully win."

Im also said she felt "absolutely great" about getting to play at the CME Group Tour Championship, which is open to the top 60 players and ties in the Road to CME Globe standings.

Im jumped nine spots to No. 22 after the Annika Sorenstam tournament. She will be one of 11 South Koreans in the field. (Yonhap)