HAENAM — The 15 players chosen from the Korea Ladies Professional Golf (KLPGA) Tour held their own at the BMW Ladies Championship, the only LPGA Tour event held in South Korea, with a total purse of $2.35 million.
With the KLPGA's allotment set to expand to 30 players next year, the group came in determined to show the domestic tour's strength.
In the first round at Pine Beach Golf Links in Haenam, Jeollanam-do, on the 22nd, Kim Min-ju and Kim Min-sun each carded four birdies and one bogey for a 3-under 69, leaving them tied for eighth. They sit three strokes off the lead.
Kim Min-sun is enjoying a career-best season with two wins and eight top-10 finishes, while Kim Min-ju has yet to win but has recorded 10 top-10s, including a runner-up finish at this month's major, the HiteJinro Championship.
Gusts topping 13 meters per second swept the course and gave the field trouble. "There aren't many courses on the KLPGA Tour right next to the sea, so the sea breeze was on my mind, but I enjoyed it," Kim Min-sun said. "I think I posted a good score even with the wind blowing hard. The fairways are reasonably wide, so for the remaining three days I'll focus on my iron shots and go after birdies." Kim Min-ju said, "It looks like the wind will blow in the remaining rounds, just like today. I'll work more on the iron shots that disappointed me a little today, so tomorrow I can save par more easily and create birdie chances."
Behind them, Yoo Hyun-jo, Kim Min-sol and Park Min-ji were tied for 18th at 2-under. Yoo Hyun-jo and Kim Min-sun plan to enter this year's LPGA Qualifying Series. A win this week would secure an automatic 2026 LPGA Tour card and a direct path to the U.S. circuit. Seo Kyo-rim, who leads the KLPGA Tour with four wins this season, finished at even par.
Among the Korean contingent on the LPGA Tour, Yu Hae-ran — whose two wins this season both came at majors — made five birdies without a bogey for a 5-under 67 and a share of third. She trails co-leaders Karis Davidson of Australia and Yuri Yoshida of Japan, both at 6-under, by one stroke. Yu missed only one fairway and one green, sharp form that raised expectations for the Vare Trophy, awarded for the lowest scoring average.
Choi Hye-jin, who last week let another chance at a first career victory slip away at the Buick LPGA Shanghai and added to her runner-up tally, shot 1-under alongside her close friend and KLPGA Tour peer Choi Ye-rim, who is the same age. Defending champion Kim Sei-young made a shaky start with bogeys on the first three holes but picked up three birdies afterward to sign for an even-par round, joining Yoon Ina and Jeon In-ji.
Among the Korean contingent on the LPGA Tour, Yu Hae-ran — whose two wins this season both came at majors — made five birdies without a bogey for a 5-under 67 and a share of third. She trails co-leaders Karis Davidson of Australia and Yuri Yoshida of Japan, both at 6-under, by one stroke. Yu missed only one fairway and one green, sharp form that raised expectations for the Vare Trophy, awarded for the lowest scoring average.
Choi Hye-jin, who last week let another chance at a first career victory slip away at the Buick LPGA Shanghai and added to her runner-up tally, shot 1-under alongside her close friend and KLPGA Tour peer Choi Ye-rim, who is the same age. Defending champion Kim Sei-young made a shaky start with bogeys on the first three holes but picked up three birdies afterward to sign for an even-par round, joining Yoon Ina and Jeon In-ji.