The Korean Tour is a men's
professional golf tour run by the Korea Professional Golfers' Association (KPGA) of
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
. In 2011, it had total prize money of about
US$
The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...
14 million.
Professional
golf
Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible.
Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping wi ...
in
Korea
Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
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
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. Official money events on the tour count for Wor ...
and the
Japan Golf Tour
The Japan Golf Tour ( ja, 日本ゴルフツアー機構) 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 (that is not for seniors) men's professional tours after th ...
, and a few have made it onto the
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour (stylized in all capital letters as PGA TOUR by its officials) is the organizer of professional golf tours in the United States and North America. It organizes most of the events on the flagship annual series of tournaments also k ...
or the
European Tour. Notable examples include
Yang Yong-eun, who was the first Korean to win a
men's major golf championship
The men's major golf championships, commonly known as the major championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the most prestigious tournaments in golf. Historically, the national open and amateur championships of Great Britain a ...
, and
K. J. Choi
Choi Kyung-Ju ( ko, 최경주; born 19 May 1970), commonly known as K. J. Choi, is a South Korean professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions. Since turning pro in 1994, he has won more than twenty p ...
, the first Korean-born PGA Tour winner whose most notable win was the
2011 Players Championship
The 2011 Players Championship was a golf tournament in Florida on the PGA Tour, held at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, southeast of Jacksonville. It was the 38th Players Championship.
K. J. Choi defeated David Toms on the first hole of a su ...
.
In December 2022, it was announced by the
European Tour that the KPGA had extended their partnership with them and the
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour (stylized in all capital letters as PGA TOUR by its officials) is the organizer of professional golf tours in the United States and North America. It organizes most of the events on the flagship annual series of tournaments also k ...
. As part of the expansion, the leading player on the Korean Tour Order of Merit was given status onto the European Tour for the following season.
Main tour
In 2011, there were 17 events on the main tour. All these tournament have prize funds of at least 300 million
won
Won may refer to:
*The Korean won from 1902–1910
*South Korean won, the currency of the Republic of Korea
*North Korean won, the currency of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
* Won (Korean surname)
* Won (Korean given name)
* Won Buddhis ...
(approximately
US$
The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...
300,000). Four have prize funds of 1 billion won (US$1 million) while the
Ballantine's Championship
The Ballantine's Championship (known as The Championship at Laguna National in its final year) was a European Tour golf tournament which was played from 2008 to 2014. It was the first European Tour event to be staged in South Korea.
From 2008 to 2 ...
has a prize fund of 2.2 million
euro
The euro ( symbol: €; code: EUR) is the official currency of 19 out of the member states of the European Union (EU). This group of states is known as the eurozone or, officially, the euro area, and includes about 340 million citizens . ...
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
The Official World Golf Ranking is a system for rating the performance level of professional golfers. It was started in 1986.
The rankings are based on a player's position in individual tournaments (i.e. not pairs or team events) over a "rolli ...
points. The first regular tournament to carry World Rankings Points was the 2011 Twayair Open. Korean Tour events carry a minimum of nine OWGR points for the winner, increased from six in 2016.
Order of Merit winners
The Order of Merit uses a points system, currently called Genesis Points.
*2022
Kim Yeong-su
*2021
Kim Joo-hyung
Kim Joo-hyung ( ko, 김주형; born 21 June 2002), also known as Tom Kim, is a South Korean professional golfer. He has won twice on the PGA Tour, twice on the Asian Tour, as well as having two victories on the Korean Tour.
Early life and ama ...
*2020
Kim Tae-hoon
*2019
Moon Kyong-jun
The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its parent planet, with a diameter about one-quarter that of Earth (comparable to the width of ...
*2018
Lee Hyung-joon
Lee may refer to:
Name
Given name
* Lee (given name), a given name in English
Surname
* Chinese surnames romanized as Li or Lee:
** Li (surname 李) or Lee (Hanzi ), a common Chinese surname
** Li (surname 利) or Lee (Hanzi ), a Chinese s ...
*2017
Choi Jin-ho
*2016
Choi Jin-ho
*2015
Lee Tae-hee
Lee Tae-hee (; born 16 June 1992) is a South Korean footballer who plays as defender for Daegu FC.
Career
Lee joined Seongnam FC
Seongnam () is the fourth largest city in South Korea's Gyeonggi Province after Suwon and the 10th largest ...
*2014
Kim Seung-hyuk
Kim Seung-hyuk ( ko, 김승혁; born 5 April 1986) is a South Korean professional golfer.
Kim plays on the Japan Golf Tour and Korean Tour. In 2014, he won the SK Telecom Open and the Kolon Korea Open, both co-sanctioned by the Korean and OneAsi ...
*2013
Ryu Hyun-woo
*2012
Lee Sang-hee
General (Ret.) Lee Sang-hee (born 1945), ROKA, was the 32nd Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces and the 41st Republic of Korea Minister of National Defense.
General Lee graduated from the Republic of Ko ...
*2011
Hong Soon-sang Hong may refer to:
Places
*Høng, a town in Denmark
*Hong Kong, a city and a special administrative region in China
*Hong, Nigeria
*Hong River in China and Vietnam
*Lake Hong in China
Surnames
*Hong (Chinese name)
*Hong (Korean name)
Organiz ...
*2010
Kim Bi-o
Kim Bi-o ( ko, 김비오; born 21 August 1990) is a South Korean professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour.
Amateur career
As an amateur, Kim won the Korean Amateur Open and Japan Amateur Golf Championship in 2008. He also represented Asia/P ...
*2009
Bae Sang-moon
*2008
Kim Hyung-sung
Kim Hyung-sung ( ko, 김형성; born 12 May 1980) is a South Korean professional golfer.
Kim has played on the Japan Golf Tour since 2009. He won his first tour event in 2012 at the Vana H Cup KBC Augusta.
Professional wins (7) Japan Golf Tour ...
*2007
Kim Kyung-tae
*2006
Yang Yong-eun
*2005
Hur Suk-ho
Hur Suk-ho ( ko, 허석호; born 20 August 1973), who is usually known as SK Ho in English, is a South Korean professional golfer who plays mainly on the Japan Golf Tour.
Career
Hur was born in Seoul. He attended Chae Yoog University and turned ...
*2004
Yang Yong-eun
*2003
K. J. Choi
Choi Kyung-Ju ( ko, 최경주; born 19 May 1970), commonly known as K. J. Choi, is a South Korean professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions. Since turning pro in 1994, he has won more than twenty p ...
*2002
K. J. Choi
Choi Kyung-Ju ( ko, 최경주; born 19 May 1970), commonly known as K. J. Choi, is a South Korean professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions. Since turning pro in 1994, he has won more than twenty p ...
*2001
Kang Wook-soon
*2000
Kang Wook-soon
*1999
Kang Wook-soon
*1998
Choi Gwang-soo
*1997
K. J. Choi
Choi Kyung-Ju ( ko, 최경주; born 19 May 1970), commonly known as K. J. Choi, is a South Korean professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions. Since turning pro in 1994, he has won more than twenty p ...
*1996
K. J. Choi
Choi Kyung-Ju ( ko, 최경주; born 19 May 1970), commonly known as K. J. Choi, is a South Korean professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions. Since turning pro in 1994, he has won more than twenty p ...
*1995
Choi Sang-ho Choi may refer to:
* Choi (Korean surname), a Korean surname
* Choi, Macau Cantonese transliteration of the Chinese surname Cui (崔) and Xu (徐)
* Choi, Cantonese romanisation of Cai (surname) (蔡), a Chinese surname
* CHOI-FM, a radio station ...
*1994
Choi Sang-ho Choi may refer to:
* Choi (Korean surname), a Korean surname
* Choi, Macau Cantonese transliteration of the Chinese surname Cui (崔) and Xu (徐)
* Choi, Cantonese romanisation of Cai (surname) (蔡), a Chinese surname
* CHOI-FM, a radio station ...
*1993
Park Nam-sin
A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are green spaces set aside for recreation inside towns and cities. N ...
*1992
Choi Sang-ho Choi may refer to:
* Choi (Korean surname), a Korean surname
* Choi, Macau Cantonese transliteration of the Chinese surname Cui (崔) and Xu (徐)
* Choi, Cantonese romanisation of Cai (surname) (蔡), a Chinese surname
* CHOI-FM, a radio station ...
*1991
Choi Sang-ho Choi may refer to:
* Choi (Korean surname), a Korean surname
* Choi, Macau Cantonese transliteration of the Chinese surname Cui (崔) and Xu (徐)
* Choi, Cantonese romanisation of Cai (surname) (蔡), a Chinese surname
* CHOI-FM, a radio station ...
*1990
Lee Kang-sun
*1989
Bong Tae-ha
*1988
Park Nam-sin
A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are green spaces set aside for recreation inside towns and cities. N ...
*1987
Choi Youn-soo
*1986
Choi Sang-ho Choi may refer to:
* Choi (Korean surname), a Korean surname
* Choi, Macau Cantonese transliteration of the Chinese surname Cui (崔) and Xu (徐)
* Choi, Cantonese romanisation of Cai (surname) (蔡), a Chinese surname
* CHOI-FM, a radio station ...
*1985
Choi Sang-ho Choi may refer to:
* Choi (Korean surname), a Korean surname
* Choi, Macau Cantonese transliteration of the Chinese surname Cui (崔) and Xu (徐)
* Choi, Cantonese romanisation of Cai (surname) (蔡), a Chinese surname
* CHOI-FM, a radio station ...
*1984
Choi Sang-ho Choi may refer to:
* Choi (Korean surname), a Korean surname
* Choi, Macau Cantonese transliteration of the Chinese surname Cui (崔) and Xu (徐)
* Choi, Cantonese romanisation of Cai (surname) (蔡), a Chinese surname
* CHOI-FM, a radio station ...
*1983
Choi Sang-ho Choi may refer to:
* Choi (Korean surname), a Korean surname
* Choi, Macau Cantonese transliteration of the Chinese surname Cui (崔) and Xu (徐)
* Choi, Cantonese romanisation of Cai (surname) (蔡), a Chinese surname
* CHOI-FM, a radio station ...
*1982
Han Chang-sang
Han may refer to:
Ethnic groups
* Han Chinese, or Han People (): the name for the largest ethnic group in China, which also constitutes the world's largest ethnic group.
** Han Taiwanese (): the name for the ethnic group of the Taiwanese p ...
*1981
Choi Sang-ho Choi may refer to:
* Choi (Korean surname), a Korean surname
* Choi, Macau Cantonese transliteration of the Chinese surname Cui (崔) and Xu (徐)
* Choi, Cantonese romanisation of Cai (surname) (蔡), a Chinese surname
* CHOI-FM, a radio station ...
*1980
Kim Seung-hack
Kim or KIM may refer to:
Names
* Kim (given name)
* Kim (surname)
** Kim (Korean surname)
*** Kim family (disambiguation), several dynasties
**** Kim family (North Korea), the rulers of North Korea since Kim Il-sung in 1948
** Kim, Vietnamese ...
*1979
Han Chang-sang
Han may refer to:
Ethnic groups
* Han Chinese, or Han People (): the name for the largest ethnic group in China, which also constitutes the world's largest ethnic group.
** Han Taiwanese (): the name for the ethnic group of the Taiwanese p ...
*1978
Cho Tae-woon
Source:
Multiple winners
*9 times
**
Choi Sang-ho Choi may refer to:
* Choi (Korean surname), a Korean surname
* Choi, Macau Cantonese transliteration of the Chinese surname Cui (崔) and Xu (徐)
* Choi, Cantonese romanisation of Cai (surname) (蔡), a Chinese surname
* CHOI-FM, a radio station ...
: 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995
*4 times
**
K. J. Choi
Choi Kyung-Ju ( ko, 최경주; born 19 May 1970), commonly known as K. J. Choi, is a South Korean professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions. Since turning pro in 1994, he has won more than twenty p ...
: 1996, 1997, 2002, 2003
*3 times
**
Kang Wook-soon: 1999, 2000, 2001
*2 times
**
Han Chang-sang
Han may refer to:
Ethnic groups
* Han Chinese, or Han People (): the name for the largest ethnic group in China, which also constitutes the world's largest ethnic group.
** Han Taiwanese (): the name for the ethnic group of the Taiwanese p ...
: 1979, 1982
**
Park Nam-sin
A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are green spaces set aside for recreation inside towns and cities. N ...
: 1988, 1993
**
Yang Yong-eun: 2004, 2006
**
Choi Jin-ho: 2016, 2017
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 since the mid-1990s. There is a separate
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. LPGA of Korea runs this tour, not the American LPGA. It is one of the world's five leading women's golf tours.
Based o ...
for women.
Notes
References
External links
English-language version of official site
stv feature, 19 June 2007.
{{Men's Professional Golf Tours
Professional golf tours
Golf in South Korea
1963 establishments in South Korea