The sixth edition of the Hana Financial Group Championship tees off on Thursday with the promise of showcasing top quality golf as a star-studded international field arrives to compete at the most lucrative event on the KLPGA schedule.
108 players from the LPGA and Korea LPGA are expected to make the KRW 1.5 billion event held at the Bear’s Best Golf Club – conveniently located just a two-minute walk from Cheongna International City Station (Hana Financial Town) on the airport railroad – a keenly fought contest from September 26-29.
LPGA Hall of Famer Lydia Ko, Australia’s Minjee Lee, Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit are among the international star players ready to take on a formidable local field that includes KLPGA winners Kim Hyo-joo, Park Hyun-kyung, Park Ji-young, Bae So-hyun, Lee Da-yeon, and Yoon In-na.
Park Hyun-kyung, KLPGA Player of the Year, Park Ji-young, and Bae So-hyun have already secured three wins this season. With the winner’s prize purse worth KRW 270 million, a victory at the Hana Financial Group Championship will bring them one step closer to achieving a fourth victory and claiming the KLPGA ranking.
Rising teen stars ready to compete at the tournament include Lee Hyo-song, who became the youngest player to turn professional on the JLPGA Tour after making headlines as the youngest winner of the JLPGA Tour World Ladies Championship Salonpas Cup in May.
Oh Soo-min also impressed golf fans by finishing third as an amateur at the Hana Financial Group Singapore Women’s Open in March while Esther Kwon, competing in the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA), is ready to challenge the professionals.
Since the Hana Financial Group Championship was inaugurated in 2019, no international players have won the event. Lee and Patty – a 10 and two-time LPGA winner respectively – came close to taking that honour last year but lost in a three-way playoff against to Lee.
Away from the golf course, local fans can enjoy the festive atmosphere as the Hana Global Campus Plaza located within Hana Financial Town is set to be transformed into the largest gallery plaza, offering a festive atmosphere for the whole family.
The plaza will feature themed areas, including food trucks with diverse cuisine, a kids’ play area, dining and relaxation spaces, and event spaces for the gallery.
In addition, the gallery plaza will host various events such as player autograph sessions, ice cream giveaways, prize draws, and snag golf activities for children.
To promote an environmentally friendly tournament, Hana Financial Group is offering free admission to spectators who arrive via the airport railroad. The gallery can collect their entry tickets from a designated distribution point inside Cheongna International City Station.
Hana Financial Group will engage in various charitable activities alongside participating players during this tournament. Each player will donate 1% of their prize money, and Hana Financial Group will match this amount, resulting in a total contribution of KRW 30 million.
Additionally, for every birdie or better score recorded on the ‘Every Birdie’ hole on the first and 11th holes, Hana Financial Group will donate up to 20 million KRW. Furthermore, a ‘Hana ESG Zone’ will be set up at the second shot area of the 17th hole, where KRW 1.11 million will be donated each time a golf ball lands in the designated area.
In total, these efforts aim to raise up to KRW 200 million in donations, which will be directed to selected charitable organizations after the tournament concludes.
A representative from Hana Financial Group said: “This tournament, featuring top domestic and international players, is easily accessible via public transportation such as the airport railroad.
“We hope many golf fans will visit the venue and fully enjoy the women’s golf festival taking place this fall. Hana Financial Group is committed to delivering finance that connects everyone’s hopes, based on our mission of ‘growing together and sharing happiness.'”
The Hana Financial Group Championship is the sole KLPGA Tour event that features a host of international competitors. It is part of the Ladies Asian Tour (LAT) Series, organised by the Asia Golf Leaders Forum (AGLF)- a non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing women’s golf in Asia.
