KLPGA, which waited four months, will host the opening game "D-2" in Thailand, Li Ju-ran Championship... Grand Prize Yoo Hyun-jo - Sponsor Noh Seung-hee, etc. are all out

*This content was translated by AI.

The Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour opener "Lijuran Championship" will be held in Chonburi, Thailand.

The "Lijuran Championship" (total prize money of 1.2 billion won and winning prize money of 216 million won), which will be held as the opening game of the KLPGA Tour in 2026 season, will be held at Amata Spring Country Club (par 72/6,552 yards-qualifying, 6,609 yards-mainline) in Chonburi, Thailand for four days from March 12 (Thursday) to 15 (Sunday).

PharmaResearch (Chairman Jung Sang-soo), which owns a global beauty brand, Rejuran, is a pharmaceutical and bio company that manufactures and sells medicines, medical devices, cosmetics, and health functional foods using DOT® PDRN and DOT®PN substances based on regenerative medicine, and is growing in domestic and international markets in the K-bio field.

PharmaResearch, which has led the development of Korean women's golf by establishing a golf team in 2023 and contributing to the development of Korean women's golf by hosting the Dream Tour King of Kings, will hold the KLPGA regular tour for the first time through the "Lijuran Championship."

In addition, Quad Sports (CEO Lee Joon-hyuk), who has experience hosting various tournaments in Southeast Asia such as Thailand and Vietnam, including "The Dalat at 1200 Ladies Championship 2016" and "KLPGA International Qualifying Tournament (IQT)" have been in charge of the operation to create the best overseas opening tournament ever with PharmaResearch.

In addition, various partners such as K-Food, K-Berry, Thai Post Office, UIH, TP Millis, WAAC, Nolbu, Monkey Travel, Smith & Leather, Golf Pride, SBS Golf and Golf Plus will join the event.

With the highest-ever season-opening prize of 1.2 billion won in total prize money, the tournament has received great attention from players and golf fans, and a total of 120 outstanding players, including the top 90 on the 2026 KLPGA regular tour qualification list, 23 top players and foreign players in the 2025 THAI LPGA prize money rankings, and 7 sponsor-recommended players, are drawing more attention.

First of all, Yoo Hyun-jo (21, Lotte), who won the WeMade Grand Prize in the 2025 season, Hong Jung-min (24, Korea Land Trust), and Seo Kyo-rim (20, Samchully), who won the individual title last season, all predicted their participation.

"First of all, it's the first competition of the 2026 season, and it's the first competition held by a new sponsor, so it's true that I want to do well," Yoo Hyun-jo said carefully, adding, "But since it's right after the off-season training, and it's a time when the sense of play is a little distant, I think it's important to stick to the process and do your best every moment rather than focus on the results."

Regarding the results of off-season training, this competition, and this season's goals, he confidently replied, "During the winter, I exercised and practiced together every day to supplement short games and physical parts," adding, "As mentioned earlier, the goal is to focus on the process rather than the results and rankings in this competition. And this season's goal is to do my best to record many wins last year," he said.

Hong Jung-min, who won three games last year and received the honor of the prize money king, also said, "I'm looking forward to the 2026 season opener as I've been waiting for it."I naturally have a desire for the first champion because I trained hard while focusing on swing and rhythm in this off-season training," he said. However, since it is the first place where the competition will be held, I will try to figure out the course and grass."

Lee Ye-won (23, Mediheel), who was named the co-winner with three wins last season along with Hong Jung-min, aims to win another Thai tournament by utilizing his experience in winning the 2024 Blue Canyon Ladies Championship.

Seo Kyo-rim, who won the Rookie of the Year award in the 2025 season, also did not hide her expectations for the first tournament of the 2026 season, saying, "I'm really excited and looking forward to participating in the Lijuran Championship, the opening game. I think it's important to make a good flow from the opening game, but I'll play with confidence as much as I've prepared hard during the offseason."

Seo Kyo-rim then said, "I won the Rookie of the Year award last year, but I was disappointed that I didn't win, so my goal for the 2026 season is to win," adding, "To that end, I think I focused on short games and distance within 100 meters in this training and grew a lot." I will try to win the championship, which is my goal this season, in the opening game," he added.

In addition, all players with two wins last season will participate. First of all, Jeju's daughter Ko Ji-won (22, Samchully), who won two wins in Jeju last season alone, and Kim Min-sol (19, Doosan E&C We've), who won the "BC Card and Hankyung Ladies Cup 2025" as a recommended player and raised another trophy at the "2025 Dongbu E&C and Korea Land Trust Championship," also threw her hat in the ring.

In addition, Noh Seung-hee (25) and Li Shu-ying (23), who are sponsored by Li Ju-ran from this season, Lee Da-yeon (29, Medi Hill), Lee Ga-young (27, NH Investment & Securities), Park Hyun-kyung (26, Medi Hill), Park Hye-joon (23, Doosan Construction We've), Jung Yoon-ji (26, NH Investment & Securities), Kim Min-ju (24, Samchully), Park Bo-gyeom (28, Samchully), Lee Yu-lin (24, Doosan Construction We've), and Shin Da-in (24, Yojin Construction Industry) who recorded one win last season are also set to participate.

In addition to Noh Seung-hee and Li Shu-ying, the players sponsored by Li Ju-ran have different resolutions. Ma Seo-young (23), Cho Hye-rim (25), and Hwang Yu-na (23) are aiming for their first career championship, while Kim Ha-eun (22), Yoon Soo-ah (24), and Hwang Yeon-seo (23) are determined to repay them with good performance as they participate as sponsor-recommended players.

Among the recommended players, Oh Soo-min (18, Hana Financial Group), the second-ranked player of the Korea Golf Association (KGA), and Park Seo-jin (18, Korea Land Trust), the third-ranked player, will compete with professional players at this tournament to create a new KLPGA Cinderella story.

A special award with 'KLPGA's official healthcare and massage chair partner' Seragem was also prepared. First of all, the winner will be given the "Seragem Fauze M8 FIT" worth 4.4 million won as an injury along with the prize money, and the player who recorded the hole-in-one for the first time in the 13th hole will be given the "Seragem Master V9" product worth 6.6 million won as an injury. Attention is focusing on who will be the main character of Seragem, which will be provided for the first time since the partnership was signed.

Meanwhile, KLPGA plans to install and operate "KLPGA SUITE LOUNGE," which was only seen in domestic competitions, within Amata Spring Country Club. KLPGA SUITE LOUNGE is operated at all times as VIP LOUNGE, and KLPGA goods are sold and catering services are provided. In addition, on the 11th, a day before the main competition begins, the "Asia Pacific Golf Summit 2026," hosted by KLPGA for the first time in history, will be held at KLPGA SUITE LOUNGE to discuss the joint growth strategy of Asian women's golf and institutionalize a cooperative system.

Hosted by PharmaResearch and organized by KLPGA, the competition will be broadcast live every round through SBS Golf and WAVVE, the host broadcaster.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.