Korean Tour
Encyclopedia
The Korean Tour is a men's professional golf tour run by the Korea Professional Golfers' Association (KPGA) of South Korea
. In 2011, it had total prize money of about US$
14 million.
Professional golf
in Korea
dates back to the mid 20th century. The Korean Professional Golf Championship and the Korean Open were launched in 1958 and the KPGA was founded in 1963. Various other tournaments were created over the following decades.
The KPGA's tours serve as feeders for richer tours around the world. Substantial numbers of Korean golfers have played on the Asian Tour
and the Japan Golf Tour
, and a few have made it onto the PGA Tour
or the European Tour, including Yang Yong-eun
, who was the first Korean to win a major championship
, and Choi Kyung-Ju
, who has won several PGA Tour events.
(approximately US$
300,000). Four have prize funds of 1 billion won (US$1 million) while the Ballantine's Championship
has a prize fund of 2.2 million euro
s (approximately US$3.1 million). Total prize money for the tour is approximately 12 billion won (US$12 million).
Until 2011, regular Korean Tour events did not carry Official World Golf Ranking points. The first regular tournament to carry World Rankings Points was the 2011 Twayair Open.
Notes:
1. The three tournaments that were previously co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour
(Maekyung Open
, SK Telecom Open
, and Korea Open
) have been co-sanctioned by the OneAsia Tour
since 2009.
2. The Ballantine's Championship
, which was previously held in Korea but was not a part of Korean tour, has been part of the Korean tour since 2010.
The KPGA also runs a senior tour and a series of events for teaching pros. The Korean Senior Open Golf Championship was launched in 1996.
Women's professional golf has a high profile in South Korea, due to the immense international success of Korean women golfers such as Se Ri Pak
since the mid-1990s. There is a separate LPGA of Korea Tour
for women.
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. In 2011, it had total prize money of about US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
14 million.
Professional golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
dates back to the mid 20th century. The Korean Professional Golf Championship and the Korean Open were launched in 1958 and the KPGA was founded in 1963. Various other tournaments were created over the following decades.
The KPGA's tours serve as feeders for richer tours around the world. Substantial numbers of Korean golfers have played on the Asian Tour
Asian Tour
The Asian Tour is the principal men's professional golf tour in Asia except for Japan, which has its own Japan Golf Tour, which is also a full member of the International Federation of PGA Tours. The Asian Tour is administered from offices in Singapore...
and the Japan Golf Tour
Japan Golf Tour
The Japan Golf Tour is a prominent golf tour. It was founded in 1973 and as of 2006 it offers the third highest annual prize fund out of the regular men's professional tours after the PGA Tour and the European Tour. However since the early 1990s, the growth in prize money has not kept pace with...
, and a few have made it onto the PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
or the European Tour, including Yang Yong-eun
Yang Yong-eun
Yang Yong-eun , or Y. E. Yang, is a South Korean professional golfer currently playing on the PGA Tour, where he has won twice, including most notably the 2009 PGA Championship where he held off the challenge of Tiger Woods during the final round....
, who was the first Korean to win a major championship
Men's major golf championships
The men's major golf championships, commonly known as the Major Championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf...
, and Choi Kyung-Ju
Choi Kyung-Ju
Choi Kyung-Ju , also known as K. J. Choi. is a South Korean professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour. Since turning pro in 1994, he has won a total of eighteen professional golf tournaments worldwide, including eight on the PGA Tour, making him Asia's most successful golfer. His...
, who has won several PGA Tour events.
Main tour
In 2011, there were 17 events on the main tour. All these tournament have prize funds of at least 300 million wonSouth Korean won
The won is the currency of South Korea. A single won is divided into 100 jeon, the monetary subunit. The jeon is no longer used for everyday transactions, and appears only in foreign exchange rates...
(approximately US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
300,000). Four have prize funds of 1 billion won (US$1 million) while the Ballantine's Championship
Ballantine's Championship
The Ballantine's Championship is a European Tour golf tournament which was played for the first time from 13 to 16 March 2008 at Pinx Golf Club on the island of Jeju in South Korea...
has a prize fund of 2.2 million euro
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
s (approximately US$3.1 million). Total prize money for the tour is approximately 12 billion won (US$12 million).
Until 2011, regular Korean Tour events did not carry Official World Golf Ranking points. The first regular tournament to carry World Rankings Points was the 2011 Twayair Open.
2011 Schedule
| Dates | Tournament | Location | Prize fund (KRW) | Winner | OWGR points Official World Golf Rankings The Official World Golf Ranking is a system for rating the performance level of male professional golfers... | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 31–Apr 3 | Twayair Open |  Jeju CityJeju City Jeju is the capital of Jeju province in South Korea and the largest city on the island of Jeju. Its geographical location is . The city is served by Jeju International Airport .... |
300,000,000 |  Andrew Tschudin |
6 | |
| Apr 28–May 1 | Ballantine's Championship Ballantine's Championship The Ballantine's Championship is a European Tour golf tournament which was played for the first time from 13 to 16 March 2008 at Pinx Golf Club on the island of Jeju in South Korea... |
Icheon Icheon Icheon is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. It should not be confused with the much larger Incheon Metropolitan City. Neighboring districts include Yeoju County, Gwangju City, Yongin City, and Anseong City within Gyeonggi province, as well as Eumseong County in North Chungcheong... |
€2,205,000 |  Lee WestwoodLee Westwood Lee John Westwood OBE is an English professional golfer. Noted for his consistency, Westwood is one of the few golfers who has won tournaments on every major continent, including victories on the European Tour and the PGA Tour. He was named player of the year for the 1998, 2000, and 2009 seasons... |
42 | Co-sanctioned by European Tour and Asian Tour Asian Tour The Asian Tour is the principal men's professional golf tour in Asia except for Japan, which has its own Japan Golf Tour, which is also a full member of the International Federation of PGA Tours. The Asian Tour is administered from offices in Singapore... |
| May 5–8 | GS Caltex Maekyung Open | Seongnam Seongnam Seongnam is the second largest city in South Korea's Gyeonggi province after Suwon and the 9th largest city in the country, with a population of nearly 1 million... |
1,000,000,000 | Kim Kyung-tae Kim Kyung-tae Kim Kyung-tae is a South Korean golfer. He won several amateur tournaments, including the 2006 Japan Amateur Championship. He turned professional in late 2006 and he won the 2007 Maekyung Open in his second start on the Asian Tour... |
10 | Co-sanctioned by OneAsia Tour OneAsia Tour OneAsia is a men's professional golf tour based in the Asia-Pacific region. The tour was founded in 2009 as a joint venture between the PGA Tour of Australasia, the China Golf Association, the Korean Golf Association and the Korean PGA. The Japan Golf Tour has been invited to participate in the... |
| May 12–15 | Volvik Gunsan CC Open | Gunsan Gunsan Gunsan is a city in North Jeolla Province, South Korea. It is located on the south bank of the Geum River just upstream from its exit into the Yellow Sea. Gunsan is served by frequent railway service on the Gunsan Line from Iksan. It is also connected to the Seohaean Expressway.Kunsan Air Base... |
300,000,000 | Lee Seong-ho |
6 | |
| May 19–22 | SK Telecom Open SK Telecom Open The SK Telecom Open is an annual professional golf tournament hosted in South Korea and sponsored by the Korean cell phone company SK Telecom. The tournament was inaugurated in June 1997 as "SK Telecom Classic", and renamed in 2001. It is part of the Korean Tour for men, and was co-sanctioned by... |
Seogwipo Seogwipo Seogwipo is a city in Jeju Province, South Korea with a pre-2008 estimated population of 155,000 inhabitants. In July, 2006, Seogwipo city was expanded to include the entire southern half of Jeju island. In 2002, it was one of the host cities for the FIFA World Cup.-Climate:-External links:*... |
900,000,000 | Kurt Barnes Kurt Barnes Kurt Barnes is an Australian professional golfer.Barnes was born in Muswellbrook, New South Wales. He had a successful amateur career which included victories in the 2002 Australian Amateur, the 2003 Riversdale Cup, which he won with a record 22 under par total, and the 2003 New Zealand Amateur... |
14 | Co-sanctioned by OneAsia Tour OneAsia Tour OneAsia is a men's professional golf tour based in the Asia-Pacific region. The tour was founded in 2009 as a joint venture between the PGA Tour of Australasia, the China Golf Association, the Korean Golf Association and the Korean PGA. The Japan Golf Tour has been invited to participate in the... |
| May 26–29 | Lake Hills Open | Haman Haman County Haman County is a county in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. The local government is seated in Gaya-eup. The county magistrate is Seok Gyu Jin.... |
300,000,000 | Choi Ho-sung |
6 | |
| Jun 2–5 | Subaru Classic | Yongin Yongin Yongin is a major city in the Seoul National Capital Area, located in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. With a population of nearly 1 million, the city has developed abrutly since the 21st century, recording the highest population growth of any city in the country. Yongin is home to Everland and... |
500,000,000 | Hong Soon-sang |
6 | |
| Jun 23–26 | Dongbu Insurance Promy Open | Hoengseong |
300,000,000 | Kang Kyung-nam |
6 | |
| Jul 1–3 | Million Yard Cup | Gimhae Gimhae Gimhae, also commonly spelled Kimhae, is a city in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. Gimhae is known to locals as "The Paris of Gyeongsangnamdo." It is the seat of the large Gimhae Kim clan, one of the largest Kim clans in Korea... |
n/a | n/a | Team Match between Korea Korea Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the... and Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
|
| Jul 7–10 | The Charity High 1 Resort Open | Jeongseon |
1,000,000,000 | Cancelled | Co-sanctioned by OneAsia Tour OneAsia Tour OneAsia is a men's professional golf tour based in the Asia-Pacific region. The tour was founded in 2009 as a joint venture between the PGA Tour of Australasia, the China Golf Association, the Korean Golf Association and the Korean PGA. The Japan Golf Tour has been invited to participate in the... |
|
| Aug 4–7 | Johnnie Walker Open | Jeju City Jeju City Jeju is the capital of Jeju province in South Korea and the largest city on the island of Jeju. Its geographical location is . The city is served by Jeju International Airport .... |
300,000,000 | Park Do-kyu |
6 | |
| Aug 25–28 | Daishin Securities KPGA Championship | Yongin Yongin Yongin is a major city in the Seoul National Capital Area, located in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. With a population of nearly 1 million, the city has developed abrutly since the 21st century, recording the highest population growth of any city in the country. Yongin is home to Everland and... |
500,000,000 | Kim Byung-jun |
6 | |
| Sep 23–25 | Munsingwear Championship | Yeoju |
400,000,000 | Hong Soon-sang |
6 | |
| Sep 29–Oct 2 | Shinhan Donghae Open | Incheon Incheon The Incheon Metropolitan City is located in northwestern South Korea. The city was home to just 4,700 people when Jemulpo port was built in 1883. Today 2.76 million people live in the city, making it Korea’s third most populous city after Seoul and Busan Metropolitan City... |
1,000,000,000 | Paul Casey Paul Casey Paul Alexander Casey is an English golfer who is a member of the world's top two professional golf tours, the U.S.-based PGA Tour and the European Tour. In 2009 he achieved his highest position, third, in the Official World Golf Rankings.... |
20 | |
| Oct 6–9 | Kolon Korea Open Korea Open The Kolon Korea Open, as it is currently known for sponsorship reasons, is a men's professional golf tournament that has been held annually in South Korea since 1958.... |
Cheonan Cheonan Cheonan is a city located in the northeast corner of South Chungcheong, a province of South Korea, and is 83.6 km south of the capital, Seoul... |
1,000,000,000 |  Rickie FowlerRickie Fowler Rick Yutaka Fowler is an American professional golfer. He was the number one ranked amateur golfer in the world for 36 weeks in 2007 and 2008.-Amateur career:... |
26 | Co-sanctioned by OneAsia Tour OneAsia Tour OneAsia is a men's professional golf tour based in the Asia-Pacific region. The tour was founded in 2009 as a joint venture between the PGA Tour of Australasia, the China Golf Association, the Korean Golf Association and the Korean PGA. The Japan Golf Tour has been invited to participate in the... |
| Oct 13–16 | Meritz Solmoro Open | Yeoju |
500,000,000 | Kang Kyung-nam |
6 | |
| Oct 20–23 | CJ Invitational CJ Invitational The CJ Invitational hosted by KJ Choi is a golf tournament on the Asian and Korean Tours. It was played for the first time in October 2011 at the Haesley Nine Bridges Golf Club in Yeoju, South Korea. The tournament is hosted by South Korean golfer K. J. Choi, who also won the inaugural event. The... |
Yeoju |
$750,000 | K. J. Choi Choi Kyung-Ju Choi Kyung-Ju , also known as K. J. Choi. is a South Korean professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour. Since turning pro in 1994, he has won a total of eighteen professional golf tournaments worldwide, including eight on the PGA Tour, making him Asia's most successful golfer. His... |
22 | Co-sanctioned by Asian Tour Asian Tour The Asian Tour is the principal men's professional golf tour in Asia except for Japan, which has its own Japan Golf Tour, which is also a full member of the International Federation of PGA Tours. The Asian Tour is administered from offices in Singapore... |
| Oct 27–30 | NH Open | Yeoju |
500,000,000 | Lee Sang-hee |
6 | |
Notes:
1. The three tournaments that were previously co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour
Asian Tour
The Asian Tour is the principal men's professional golf tour in Asia except for Japan, which has its own Japan Golf Tour, which is also a full member of the International Federation of PGA Tours. The Asian Tour is administered from offices in Singapore...
(Maekyung Open
Maekyung Open
The GS Caltex Maekyung Open, as it is known for sponsorship reasons, is a professional golf tournament that takes place in South Korea. It was established in 1982...
, SK Telecom Open
SK Telecom Open
The SK Telecom Open is an annual professional golf tournament hosted in South Korea and sponsored by the Korean cell phone company SK Telecom. The tournament was inaugurated in June 1997 as "SK Telecom Classic", and renamed in 2001. It is part of the Korean Tour for men, and was co-sanctioned by...
, and Korea Open
Korea Open
The Kolon Korea Open, as it is currently known for sponsorship reasons, is a men's professional golf tournament that has been held annually in South Korea since 1958....
) have been co-sanctioned by the OneAsia Tour
OneAsia Tour
OneAsia is a men's professional golf tour based in the Asia-Pacific region. The tour was founded in 2009 as a joint venture between the PGA Tour of Australasia, the China Golf Association, the Korean Golf Association and the Korean PGA. The Japan Golf Tour has been invited to participate in the...
since 2009.
2. The Ballantine's Championship
Ballantine's Championship
The Ballantine's Championship is a European Tour golf tournament which was played for the first time from 13 to 16 March 2008 at Pinx Golf Club on the island of Jeju in South Korea...
, which was previously held in Korea but was not a part of Korean tour, has been part of the Korean tour since 2010.
Other KPGA tours
The KPGA launched a developmental tour in 1999. In 2007 there are two developmental tours. Both of them consist of two-day, 36-hole tournaments, and the dates of the tours do not clash. The Bear River Tour consists of ten tournaments with prize funds of 60 million won (US$60,000) each, and the SBS Golf Calloway Tour has eight tournaments with prize funds of 40 million won (US$40,000) each.The KPGA also runs a senior tour and a series of events for teaching pros. The Korean Senior Open Golf Championship was launched in 1996.
Women's professional golf has a high profile in South Korea, due to the immense international success of Korean women golfers such as Se Ri Pak
Se Ri Pak
Pak Se Ri is a South Korean professional golfer, playing on the LPGA Tour. She was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in November 2007.-Career overview:...
since the mid-1990s. There is a separate LPGA of Korea Tour
LPGA of Korea Tour
The LPGA of Korea Tour is a South Korean professional golf tour for women. LPGA stands for Ladies Professional Golf Association; it is the independent LPGA of Korea which runs this tour, not the American LPGA...
for women.