By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, Aug. 19 (Yonhap) -- Going up against elite fields in the two remaining tournaments of the annual PGA Tour playoffs, South Korean veteran Kim Si-woo knows his time is running out to pick up a win in 2026.

But Kim also insisted, during a video conference with South Korean media Wednesday, that his self-belief is still running high.

He will chase his first win since January 2023, when the BMW Championship, the second of three tournaments in the FedEx Cup playoffs, tees off Thursday at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis.

In a testament to his consistency, Kim is ranked fourth in the FedEx Cup points standings, the highest position by a winless player this year. He has had the second-most top-10 finishes on the tour with a career-best 11, including three runner-ups. He also leads the tour with 60 under-par rounds and 49 sub-70 rounds.

And Kim would gladly trade those numbers for a title.

"I would give myself a nine out of 10 for this season. Other than the fact that I don't have a win, I have been consistent at almost every tournament," Kim said. "And I also feel like I have become a much better golfer.

"My goal every season is to notch at least one victory, and it has been a bit disappointing and frustrating that I have not won since 2023," Kim added. "I only have two more cracks left this year, and since these are playoff events with deep fields, it will not be easy. But if I can keep playing my game, I think I will have a chance, and my time will come."

Kim attributed his success to his work on "many different types of shots."

"Depending on hole locations, I have attempted different ball flights. I have become so much better this year at playing conservatively at times but also getting aggressive when I needed to," Kim said. "I have been able to stay patient when I knew I could not afford to force the issue. That has helped me with my scoring."

The BMW Championship is open only to the top 50 players in FedEx Cup points following the playoff opener from last week, the FedEx St. Jude Championship. And the top 30 players after this week will qualify for next week's finale, the Tour Championship. And Kim is virtually assured of his place in the exclusive-field event.

Kim, who last played at the Tour Championship in 2023, said he welcomed the elimination of the "starting strokes" format. Until 2024, the top-ranked player in FedEx Cup points began the Tour Championship at 10-under, with No. 2 at eight-under, and so forth. It gave higher-ranked players a massive advantage, but now, everyone starts from scratch.

"Everyone will have a chance to win, even the guys that are lower in the standings, and I think it is a much fairer setup," Kim said. "And I will pour out every last ounce of my energy to give myself a chance to win over the next two weeks."

jeeho@yna.co.kr

(END)

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