PGA Tour Makes Inroads in Korea Amid Ongoing Battle With LIV Golf

In the face of LIV Golf’s threat, the PGA Tour is continuing its effort to increase options for international golfers. This time, the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour are jointly strengthening their relationship with the Korea Professional Golfers’ Association (KPGA). Just last week, the two tours announced a similar partnership with the Japan Golf Tour Organization. 

Beginning in 2023, the KPGA’s season-long Genesis Point Award Winner will earn membership onto the DP World Tour. Since the top 10 players on the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai Rankings will now earn their PGA Tour cards, this program gives Korean golfers a direct path to the PGA Tour. 

“Sungjae Im, K.H. Lee, Si Woo Kim and Joo-hyung ‘Tom’ Kim are all becoming household names in the United States thanks in large part to the contributions they made this past September for the International Team at the 2022 Presidents Cup,” said PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan. “What each of those young stars has in common is that they all honed their craft at the KPGA, which continues a proud tradition of producing world-class talent each and every year.”

Additionally, it was announced that there will be a new DP World Tour and KPGA co-sanctioned tournament in South Korea. Hosted at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in Incheon, the event will have a $2 million purse. 

The recent changes brought to the Japanese and Korean tours may be incremental, but together, they are significant. The increased mobility available for players will boost professional golf around the world and incentivize up-and-coming players to remain on the path to the PGA Tour, while LIV Golf continues to try to recruit defectors.