"If you make a hole-in-one, you'll get a BMW!"' iM Financial Open 2026, Gyeongbuk Gumi Starts on the 9th... Defending champion Kim Min-ju said, "I'm excited about my first title defense match."

*This content was translated by AI.

The iM Financial Open 2026 (total prize money of 1 billion won and winning prize money of 180 million won), the third competition of the KLPGA Tour in the 2026 season, will kick off for four days from April 9 at Seonsan (par 72, 6,778 yards) in Golf Zone County, Gumi-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do.

A total of 120 top players will compete in this competition for a spectacular shot. First of all, Kim Min-ju (24, Samchully), who enjoyed her first career victory in this competition last year, will compete for the title. On top of that, Ko Ji-won (22, Samchully), who won his first land championship at the South Korean opener "The Siena Open 2026" last week, and Lim Jin-young (23, Daebang Construction), the winner of the 2026 season opener "Lijuran Championship," will compete to win two games of the season.

Defending champion Kim Min-ju said, "I remember vividly last year, but I think time really flies because a year has already passed."It's my first time playing as a defending champion, but I'm more excited than I'm burdened. As the consistency of shots has improved by focusing on physical training and refining swings during the off-season, I will move forward with the goal of winning."

Go Ji-won is one of the most experienced players at the moment. "Jeju Girl" Ko Ji-won won the land competition for the first time by beating Seo Kyo-rim (20, Samchully) by one stroke at the Dersiena Open (total prize money of 1 billion won) that ended on the 5th. Ahead of the iM Financial Open tournament, Ko Ji-won said, "I'm happy to win my first victory of the season earlier than I thought. I'm grateful and looking forward to trying to win for two consecutive weeks. Currently, he has a good feeling by maintaining a constant shot RBI. In this competition, he plans to make the most of the short game and long putt distance during the off-season. As I have little experience in the course because I did not participate in this competition last year, I will do my best to perform well by closely examining the practice round."

Seo Kyo-rim, who unfortunately missed the championship, also showed the spirit of winning last year's Rookie of the Year award. Seo Kyo-rim said, "As confidence in the shot has increased, satisfactory results have continued from the beginning of the season. The intensive supplementation of play around the green, such as approaches and putts, in off-season training is shining. As I remember being tricky because the green speed was fast, I will focus on maintaining a sophisticated putt sense and do my best to win for the first time in my life in this competition and further achieve multiple wins," he said with strength.

Im Jin-young, the No. 1 prize money and the winner of this season's opening game, is also determined. Lim Jin-young said, "I'm happy that I've been at the top of the major rankings since the beginning of the season, including prize money and grand prize points. This course will focus on strategies to thoroughly avoid risk factors for each hole as the second shot must be accurately seated at the desired point to easily solve the game. I will continue to play well with the goal of reaching the top 10 by making the best physical condition until the game day," he said with a big smile.

In addition, Lee Ye-won (23, Medihill), who won the joint multi-win award in the 2025 season, and Bang Shin-sil (22, KB Financial Group), as well as Yoo Hyun-jo (21, Lotte), who won the 2025 season grand prize, are also set to participate, while Jung So-yi (24), Kim Si-hyun (20, NH Investment & Securities), and Seo Kyo-rim, who were listed at the top of the grand prize points in the early 2026 season, are determined to become the main characters of the new Cinderella story at the competition.

Yang Hyo-jin, a candidate for the Rookie of the Year award, said, "Last week's tee shot fairway settlement rate was high, so we were able to easily solve the game, and we were able to achieve good results with short games and putts well supported. In this competition, the goal is to keep the fairway well and focus on sophisticated iron shots to create as many birdie chances as possible. As it is my first time experiencing the course, I want to quickly grasp it through a practice round, enjoy the game like a rookie, and show a clean play without three putts," he stressed.

Meanwhile, the stage of this tournament, Seonsan, Golf Zone County, is generally open to view, so there are few big variables. However, strategic play is required according to the course design intention. In particular, the 16th hole, which is the left doggret hole, was set to use the right green unlike last year, adding variables at the end of the game. Elaborate play overcoming the ever-changing wind at Hole 17, which boasts a beautiful landscape, is also expected to be a watershed in the game.

The competition, the only KLPGA regular tour competition held in Daegu and Gyeongbuk, contributes to revitalizing the local economy and spreading sports culture and has established itself as a venue for festivals representing the region. This year, with plenty of fun to enjoy for the gallery, it will add a different kind of fun to the awards ceremony by hosting the "Account Transfer Ceremony" performance, which received great response last year. In addition, if you participate in a snack vending machine event through the iM Bank app, there is also a prize event that presents "BMW 520i M Sport" through a lottery when a player's hole-in-one occurs.

There are also a variety of injuries. The winner will be given a high-end Korean beef set (worth about 1 million won) and a "Moonchair massage sofa Moonbeige CMS-A3" worth 3 million won if there is no hole-in-one in the eighth hole. Players who record a course record will be provided with 3 million won in cash - golf zone county selection. There are several products that stand out even for the first hole-in-one recorders. In the event of hole-in-one at Hole 8, a doorchair massage sofa worth about 3 million won will be provided by Kojima, Hall 13 will be given a luxury bed worth about 50 million won from Hastens, and a BMW worth 80 million won will be given to those who achieve hole-in-one at Hole 17.

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

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*This content was translated by AI.