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Host Korea among seven countries to qualify for LPGA match-play event

Published: 24 Jun. 2025, 11:18

Ryu Hae-ran plays her shot from the 14th tee during the second round of the U.S. Women's Open at Erin Hills Golf Course on May 30 in Erin, Wisconsin, United States. [AFP/YONHAP]

The host Korea is among seven nations to have qualified for an LPGA match-play event scheduled for this fall.

The LPGA announced Monday that Korea, the United States, Japan, Thailand, Sweden, Australia and China will compete in the Oct. 23-26 International Crown.

New Korea Country Club in Goyang, Gyeonggi, will host the four-day match-play competition, which was first held in 2014.

The seven national teams were chosen based on the combined number of the world ranking position for their top four players, with the country having the lowest total as of Monday grabbing the top seed.

This year's event will also feature a brand new Team World, to be made up of one player each from the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania. Its lineup, as well as those for the seven countries, will be determined based on the rankings on Aug. 4, following the conclusion of the AIG Women's Open.

The U.S. team, led by world No. 1 Nelly Korda, took the top seed with 34 points, followed by Korea at 53 points, Japan at 74 points, Thailand at 88 points, Sweden at 115 points, Australia at 128 points and China at 256 points.

Nelly Korda hits a tee shot on the second hole during the third round of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship 2025 at Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco on June 21 in Frisco, Texas, United States. [AFP/YONHAP]

Korea's top four players currently are: No. 5 Ryu Hae-ran, No. 9 Kim Hyo-joo. No. 15 Ko Jin-young and No. 24 Choi Hye-jin. Kim, Ko and Choi were teammates on the 2023 team that tied for fifth, while Ryu has never played at an International Crown.

Kim, who has won back-to-back Ladies European Tour titles at New Korea Country Club, said she couldn't wait to represent the country at one of her favorite courses.

"Last time we played the International Crown, it was in America. This time, it's in Korea and it's at a golf course that I personally like. I'm really looking forward to it and I think it will be a lot of fun," she said in a statement released by the LPGA. "Representing your country, whether that is at the Olympics or at the International Crown, means I'm playing with Korea's flag instead of a sponsor logo. That's a very proud moment and I think it will be very exciting."

Kim Hyo-joo hits a tee shot on the 14th hole during the first round of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship at Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco on June 19 in Frisco, Texas, United States. [AFP/YONHAP]

Teams seeded 1, 4, 5 and 8 will be in Pool A, and seeds 2, 3, 6 and 7 will compete in Pool B.

After four-ball matches from Oct. 23 to 25, the top two teams from each pool will move on to the semifinals scheduled for the morning of Oct. 26, with the two pool winners each playing the runners-up from the opposing pool in two singles matches and one foursome match. The final is set for the afternoon of the same day, taking the same format as the semifinals.

The four editions of the International Crown so far have produced four different champions — Spain in 2014, the United States in 2016, Korea as the host nation in 2018 and Thailand in 2023. The 2020 event was wiped out due to Covid-19.

Yonhap