■ Genesis Championship, the Biggest Watershed in the KPGA Points Race
Jang Yu-bin slumps, four-month lead wobbles
Three-way fight for the crown with Shin Sang-hun and Jung Chan-min
1,300 points at stake in this event, a wild card
PGA Tour’s Kim Si-woo, Im Sung-jae chase the title
The Genesis Points race on the KPGA Tour is in upheaval late in the season. Jang Yu-bin (Shinhan Financial Group), who had run away with the lead for four months since June, has faltered, while Shin Sang-hun (PXG) and Jung Chan-min (CJ) have vaulted to first and second, igniting the standings battle. With three events left in the season, the Genesis Championship ($4 million purse), which draws all of the top contenders, has emerged as the biggest watershed.
Shin Sang-hoon hits a tee shot on the third hole during the final round of the KPGA Tour The Charity Classic at Seowon Valley CC in Paju, Gyeonggi, on the 18th. Courtesy of KPGA
Jung Chan-min hits a tee shot on the third hole during the final round of the KPGA Tour The Charity Classic at Seowon Valley CC in Paju, Gyeonggi, on the 18th. Courtesy of KPGA
Jang Yu-bin hits a tee shot on the seventh hole during the third round of the KPGA Tour Hana Bank Invitational at Namchuncheon CC in Chuncheon, Gangwon, on June 20. Courtesy of KPGA
According to the KPGA Tour on Sunday, Shin Sang-hun, who finished runner-up at the Charity Classic that ended the previous day at Seowon Valley Country Club in Paju, Gyeonggi-do, moved to the top of the Genesis Points standings with 4,807.94 points. Winner Jung Chan-min (4,744.77 points) sits second, 63 points back, while Jang Yu-bin, who had led through the previous event, tied for 53rd and added just 25 points, slipping to third (4,512.08 points).
As recently as midseason, Jang looked a near-certainty for this year’s Genesis Points title after two wins (the KPGA Classic and the Hana Bank Invitational in June). But Jang failed to post a top-10 finish in four straight events from the Golfzon Open in September through the Charity Classic, allowing Shin (Golfzon Open in September) and Jung (Charity Classic in October), each with a win, to pass him.
That has raised the stakes at the Genesis Championship ($4 million purse). Co-sanctioned by the KPGA Tour and the DP World Tour and played over four days from Thursday at Woo Jeong Hills Country Club (par 71) in Cheonan, Chungcheongnam-do, the event carries the largest points allocation of the season at 1,300.
That total is more than enough to erase the gaps among the current leaders in one stroke. Players from fifth-place Choi Chan (Daewon Plus Group, 3,991.04 points) to seventh-place Moon Do-yeop (DB Insurance, 3,512.33 points) could, depending on circumstances, reclaim the top spot with a win.
The event is also an opportunity for the leaders — Shin, Jung and Jang — to bank a big haul and open a gap on their pursuers.
The Genesis Points winner receives a 200 million won bonus along with a Genesis vehicle, a five-year KPGA Tour exemption, direct entry to the final stage of PGA Tour Q-School and a one-year DP World Tour card.
The players are determined. “Since I’m coming in with good momentum, I’ll prepare hard and go for the win,” Shin said. Jang, who surrendered the lead and fell to third, said, “I want to use this event as a turning point to get my good form back.”
Kim Si-woo and Im Sung-jae (both CJ), who compete on the PGA Tour, will also tee it up in pursuit of the title. Kim is chasing a first win here, while Im is hunting a second trophy after his 2019 victory.
■ BMW Ladies Championship, Korea’s Only LPGA Event
Yu Hae-ran tees off with the Vare Trophy in sight
Hwang Yu-min gets a chance to overtake in Rookie of the Year race
Attention on Yoon Yi-na’s bid for a first win
Korean contingent chases a combined seventh win at home
Yoo Hae-ran plays an iron shot on the fourth hole during the fourth round of the 26th HiteJinro Championship on the KLPGA Tour at Blue Heron Golf Club in Yeoju, Gyeonggi, on the 4th. Courtesy of KLPGA
The BMW Ladies Championship ($2.35 million purse), Korea’s only LPGA Tour event, will be played at Pine Beach Golf Links in Haenam, Jeollanam-do. The field features Korean players based overseas on the LPGA Tour along with 15 leading stars from the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour, raising expectations among domestic fans.
The Korean contingent has combined for six LPGA Tour wins this season, with Kim Hyo-joo and Yu Hae-ran taking two apiece and Lee Mi-hyang and Shin Ji-eun one each. Already level with last year’s total of six, the group is chasing a seventh at home this week.
The most compelling figure is Yu Hae-ran. She is enjoying a career year with three major titles across the U.S. and Korean tours. After winning the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in June and the Amundi Evian Championship in July, she captured the KLPGA Tour major Hite Jinro Championship in October.
Yu’s sights are set on the Vare Trophy for low scoring average, one of the LPGA Tour’s top honors. With scoring-average leader Nelly Korda of the U.S. failing to meet the minimum-round requirement, the door has opened for Yu, who ranks second at 69.54. Having missed the Vare Trophy by 0.01 strokes two years ago, she aims to hold off third-place Yamashita Miyu of Japan (69.64) and become the first Korean winner since Ko Jin-young in 2019.
Hwang Yu-min hits a tee shot in the first round of the LPGA Tour Lotte Championship at Hoakalei CC (par 72) in Ewa Beach, Oahu, Hawaii, on the 1st, local time. AFP-Yonhap
Hwang Yu-min is another player targeting a major LPGA title. Hwang is second in Rookie of the Year points with 395, trailing leader Hara Erika of Japan (539) by 144. Because the winner this week earns 150 rookie points, a single victory could flip the standings. Hwang has declared she intends to bring back the rookie crown, which has gone to Japan for the past two years since Yu Hae-ran won it in 2023.
Second-year player Yoon Yi-na’s bid for a first U.S. victory is another draw. After managing just one top-10 finish last year, she has shown steep improvement with six top-10s this season, including two runner-up results. Her recent form, including a runner-up finish at the Lotte Championship early this month, raises hopes of a breakthrough win at home. Defending champion Kim Sei-young, who won wire-to-wire last year for her 13th career title, will defend her crown, while Choi Hye-jin, runner-up at last week’s Buick LPGA Shanghai, knocks again on the door of a first win.
From the KLPGA Tour, Seo Kyo-rim (four wins this season), Kim Min-sol (three wins), and two-time winners Kim Min-sun and Yoo Hyun-jo will compete. With a win here earning a direct ticket to next year’s LPGA Tour, a fierce showdown between Korean and U.S.-based golfers is in prospect.
Seo Gyo-rim hits a tee shot on the third hole during the first round of the KLPGA Tour Iceberg Golf·Seoul Shinmun Open at H1 Club (par 72) in Icheon, Gyeonggi, on the 16th. Courtesy of KLPGA