(Reuters) – Im Sung-jae may be a long shot to win the Masters on his first trip to Augusta this week but the talented South Korean has already decided what will be on the menu if he becomes the first Asian to win one of golf’s biggest prizes.
As well as being fitted for the famous green jacket, the winner of the Masters also selects the menu at the traditional Champions Dinner the following year and the 22-year-old Im is keen to ensure one special dish will be on the list.
“Marinated ribs. I feel like players of all nationalities would love that and I would of course cook them in the Korean style,” Im said in a PGA Tour release.
A trip to Augusta National offers sensory overload from the sweet-smelling azaleas to the taste of a Masters pimento cheese sandwich and Im said he was keen to soak it all up.
“I’m not familiar with the pimento cheese sandwich, but I love all types of food, so I’m willing to give it a try,” said Im, who qualified by winning the Honda Classic in March.
“I watched this a lot as a kid. I’ve always dreamed of playing the Masters and it’s hard to believe I’ll be competing here … It’s pretty cool and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Im said that he was not setting lofty targets.
“I would like to first make the cut. After that, I would be happy with a top-15 or top-20 finish. I hope to quickly adjust to the course and perform well,” Im said.
“I’ve heard from other players the winds tend to swirl … I know the undulation on the greens will be severe … I’ll have to take all of those into consideration.”
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Robert Birsel)
