South Korea's Im seizes lead at Truist Championship, Fleetwood one shot behind

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/im-sungjae/Q9J05W3O/"]Im[/a] birdied the par-five 10th and 15th holes and answered a bogey at the 12th hole with a birdie at 14 to stand on nine-under 133 after 36 holes at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, North Carolina.[/p][p][b]"I'm very happy I'm leading," [/b]Im said. [b]"I didn't putt very well, but I'm happy with where I'm at.[/b][/p][p][b]"I'm driving the ball very well. I'm keeping it in the fairways, so it makes it easier for me to hit my second shots on the green. I know this course very well, so I'm taking advantage of that."[/b][/p][embed guid="386ed29e-3f14-4112-8898-ce00e235283a" url="https://x.com/TruistChamp/status/2052882375328071891" social-type="twitter" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fleetwood-tommy/Svq63qoo/"]Fleetwood[/a] fired a 67 to finish one adrift with England's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fitzpatrick-alex/GYIyObZk/"]Alex Fitzpatrick[/a] and American [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/thomas-justin/jV7EtuiD/"]Justin Thomas[/a] sharing third on 135 after each fired 68.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mcilroy-rory/djwanksN/"]Rory McIlroy[/a], coming off a triumph in last month's Masters, shot 67 despite a bogey at 18 to join a pack in eighth on 137 that included Americans [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fowler-rickie/z9A2Fe31/"]Rickie Fowler[/a], who fired a 63, and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mccarty-matt/fNuDZzuq/"]Matt McCarty[/a], the first-round leader.[/p][p][b]"Would have been nice not to make that bogey at the last," [/b]McIlroy said.[b] "But overall it was a good day's work and puts me right into the thick of things going into the weekend."[/b][/p][p]Im, a 2020 Masters runner-up, seeks his third PGA Tour title after the 2000 Honda Classic and 2021 Shriners Children's Open.[/p][p]The 28-year-old Asian star had struggled with a wrist injury but said he was "100 per cent" this week.[/p][p]Fleetwood sank a 13-foot birdie putt at 14 and made a five-footer for birdie at the par-three 17th to grab second.[/p][p][b]"Definitely didn't have my rhythm, got ahead of a few shots, but I didn't hit it in any terrible spots and I scored very well,"[/b] Fleetwood said.[/p][p][b]"I've definitely hit enough good shots. Today I didn't quite have it, but still managed to get a good score out of it. I holed out well and did a lot of other things well."[/b][/p][p]McCarty, who fired a 63 on Thursday, shot 74 with three bogeys and a double bogey.[/p][h2]McIlroy back in form[/h2][p]World number two McIlroy, who had played only the Masters over a seven-week span, found his form as he charged into the hunt for his fifth victory at Quail Hollow.[/p][p]The Northern Ireland star sank a 17-foot birdie putt at par-five 11th, made a 13-foot birdie putt at 11 and dropped his approach inside three feet, then tapped in for birdie at the par-three 13th.[/p][p]McIlroy reached the green in two and tapped in for birdie at the par-five 15th, then made an 11-foot birdie putt at 16 to pull within three of the lead before finding fairway and greenside bunkers at 18 to set up a bogey.[/p][p]A day earlier, he sank a 15-foot birdie putt at 18 after 17 pars.[/p][p][b]"I still feel like I left a couple out there," [/b]McIlroy said.[b] "It was an improvement and if I can keep seeing improvements as the week goes on, that's a good thing.[/b][/p][p][b]"There's maybe a little rust, but it's more like getting a (scorecard) in your hand and getting comfortable hitting certain shots. Definitely felt a little more comfortable today, drove it in the fairway a little bit more and was able to take advantage of that and make some more birdies."[/b][/p][p]American [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/blanchet-chandler/x6hD3c3g/"]Chandler Blanchet[/a] aced the 188-yard, par-three 17th hole.[/p]