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Lone 2026 LPGA Tour event in Korea to return to Pine Beach, South Jeolla

Published: 20 Nov. 2025, 14:34 Updated: 20 Nov. 2025, 15:57

Kim Sei-young poses with the trophy after winning the BMW Ladies Championship at Pine Beach Golf Links in Haenam, South Jeolla Province, on Oct. 19, in this file photo provided by the tournament organizing committee. [YONHAP]

The LPGA Tour will return to the southern coast of Korea for its only tournament in the country next fall.

The LPGA released its 2026 schedule on Wednesday, with 33 tournaments offering a record purse of $132 million.

For the second consecutive year, the BMW Ladies Championship will be played at Pine Beach Golf Links in Haenam, South Jeolla, from Oct. 22 to 25. It will have a purse of $2.35 million, up from $2.3 million this year.

Kim Sei-young won this year's tournament to become the first Korean champion of the event since Ko Jin-young in 2021.

The LPGA and BMW Korea have been rotating the tournament around the country since the southeastern city of Busan hosted the first two editions in 2019 and 2021 — with the 2020 event canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2022 tournament took place in the eastern town of Wonju, and the city of Paju in Gyeonggi, hosted the next two editions.

Designed by Gary Roger Baird and Davie Dale, Pine Beach Golf Links features several greens and tee boxes sitting along the beach and atop seaside cliffs. It has long been regarded as one of the best courses in Korea thanks to its scenic backdrop and the challenges it presents with sloping fairways and intimidating bunkers.

Earlier this year, BMW Korea extended its partnership with the LPGA to host its namesake tournament in Korea through 2029.

Yonhap