"Young Korean stars like Seo Kyo-rim and Kim Min-sol proving themselves on a big stage like the LPGA Tour is at the heart of the cooperation between the Korean and U.S. tours."
LPGA Tour Commissioner Craig Kessler knew the names of Seo Kyo-rim and Kim Min-sol, the two young stars leading the Korea Ladies Professional Golf (KLPGA) Tour this year.
In a recent written interview with The Seoul Economic Daily, Kessler said he looks forward to seeing KLPGA Tour prospects test their skills against the world's best players. "That is the ultimate goal we are trying to achieve through our partnership with the KLPGA Tour," he said. He added that the BMW Ladies Championship will serve as a springboard for the sustainable growth of Korean women's golf. Kessler, a former chief operating officer of the PGA of America, took the helm of the LPGA Tour in July last year.
The BMW Ladies Championship, which teed off on the 22nd at Pine Beach Golf Links in Haenam, Jeollanam-do (South Jeolla Province), is the stage where cooperation between the two tours has produced tangible results. The tournament featured 30 KLPGA Tour players through 2021, but differences of opinion afterward limited KLPGA Tour participation for the past four years. After KLPGA Chairman Kim Sang-yeol and Kessler reached an agreement in July this year, 15 KLPGA Tour players are competing this year. Starting next year, the number of spots will rise to 30.
Kessler said he was pleased to be shaping the future of the tournament together with the KLPGA. "This summer, the two tours reached a meaningful agreement aimed at the sustainable development of Korean women's golf," he said. "We will continue to work closely together to create positive ripple effects across the global women's golf market."
Kessler cited the skills of players who came up through the KLPGA Tour, along with its development system, as the reason for expanding cooperation. He said Korean players are among the most competitive in the world. "The fact that many champions such as Yu Hae-ran, Kim Hyo-joo and Kim Sei-young developed on the KLPGA Tour shows the strength of Korean golf," he said. "Their performances are also a great inspiration to the next generation of players."
Cooperation between the two tours will deepen further from next year. KLPGA Tour entries will expand to 30 and a cut will be introduced, giving the event a field of 108 players. The LPGA Tour will also expand its total purse to $147 million, or about 198 billion won, in 2027, with the BMW Ladies Championship serving as the opening event of the fall Asian Swing.
On the larger purse and the schedule overhaul, Kessler said partners recognize the value and invest generously when the world's best players compete on a major stage. "Together with partners like BMW that raise the level of our tournaments, we are delivering on our promises of optimized travel, top-tier course selection and bigger purses," he said.
Kessler closed with a word of thanks to Korean fans. "Korean fans are extremely passionate and knowledgeable about golf, and the players feel that intense energy every time they visit Korea," he said. "With 30 KLPGA Tour players competing next year and the tournament growing even larger, I hope many people will come out to the course and show their support."