Belleair: Following the best performance of her LPGA career on Sunday in Florida, South Korean golfer Im Jin-hee has positioned herself as a strong contender 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 achieved three birdies and one bogey on Sunday. According to Yonhap News Agency, Im, alongside Charley Hull of England and Zhang Weiwei of China, concluded the tournament three strokes behind the champion, Nelly Korda of the United States. This marked the highest finish of Im's LPGA career, surpassing her previous best of a tie-for-fourth at the JM Eagle LA Championship in April. With her sixth top-10 finish of 2024, Im has set herself up for a late-season push for the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year award. She currently trails Mao Saigo of Japan by 66 points, with the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship slated to begin Thursday. Rookies accumulate points based on their tournament finishes, with the winner receiving 150 points and the runner-up 80 points. Players who make the cut and finish in 41st place or below earn five points. While Im secured a second-place finish in Belleair, Saigo missed the cut, failing to add to her points total. World Golf Hall of Famer Pak Se-ri became the first South Korean winner of the top rookie prize in 1998, and since then, South Korea has produced 13 more winners, including Ryu Hae-ran last year. Im expressed her desire to win the Rookie of the Year, stating, "I really want the Rookie of the Year. 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 shared her excitement about participating in the CME Group Tour Championship, which is open to the top 60 players and ties in the Road to CME Globe standings. Following the Annika Sorenstam tournament, Im climbed nine spots to No. 22 and will be among 11 South Koreans competing in the field.