The field for the Genesis Championship, the richest event on the KPGA Tour this season, will be determined at this week's The Charity Classic.
The four-day tournament begins Thursday at the par-72 Valley and Seowon courses at Seowon Valley Country Club in Paju, Gyeonggi Province.
The tournament offers about $744,000 in prize money, including about $149,000 for the winner, but Genesis points will be even more important.
Only players ranked in the top 36 in the Genesis points standings after the tournament will qualify for the $4 million Genesis Championship, which begins Oct. 22 at Woo Jeong Hills Country Club in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province.
The Charity Classic winner will receive 1,000 Genesis points.
Current points leader Jang Yu-bin, with 4,487 points, second-place Shin Sang-hoon with 4,207 and third-place Song Min-hyuk with 3,951 have effectively secured their spots in the Genesis Championship.
Defending champion Choi Seung-bin, ranked 12th in the standings, can also approach his title defense with less pressure.
"It means a lot as a player just to have the opportunity to defend a title," Choi said. "I want to do my best and put on another good performance."
Players ranked from 30th to 40th are expected to face a fierce battle for places in next week’s tournament.
Cho Woo-young, who won the inaugural Charity Classic in 2024, is 34th with 1,512 points.
With only 200 points separating him from players outside the top 36, Cho will need a strong finish this week to secure his place.
Heo In-hoe is 36th, followed closely by Lee Jae-jin, Lee Tae-hee, Kang Kyung-nam and Shin Yong-gu, meaning a single shot could produce major changes in the standings.
Meanwhile, Dong-A Socio Group, which hosts the tournament, will match donations made by players and spectators and use the funds for social contribution programs.
(This article was produced with the assistance of AI. — Ed.)