Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour players made their presence felt on home soil as they returned to an LPGA Tour event for the first time in five years after regaining entry spots.
At the BMW Ladies Championship, which wrapped up on the 25th, five of the 15 KLPGA Tour players in the field finished within the top 15. Counting all Korean players, the number rises to nine, including Yu Hae-ran and Choi Hye-jin (tied for second), Kim Hyo-joo (tied for fourth) and Yoon Ina (tied for 15th).
Thirty KLPGA Tour players competed in the tournament through 2021, but differences between the two tours kept them out for the following four years. Unlike events in Japan and China, not a single player from the host country's own tour was able to compete. An agreement in July between KLPGA Chairman Kim Sang-yeol and LPGA Commissioner Craig Kessler secured 15 spots this year, and the number will rise to 30 next year.
The standout was Kim Min-sol, the KLPGA Tour money-list leader and a rookie. Kim shot under par for four straight rounds to finish at 15-under and tie for fourth, upholding the KLPGA Tour's pride. Kim Min-sun, a two-time winner this season, also cracked the top 10, finishing 10th at 13-under. Park Min-ji, who has 20 career victories, tied for 11th at 12-under, while Yoo Hyun-jo and Lee Ye-won tied for 15th at 11-under, further demonstrating the KLPGA Tour's depth.
