PAJU: The reigning Olympic gold medalist Lydia Ko will headline the field this week at the lone annual LPGA Tour event in South Korea.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Ko, ranked third in the world, is set to compete at the BMW Ladies Championship, which kicks off on Thursday at Seowon Hills located within Seowon Valley Country Club in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. This marks the second consecutive year that the par-72, 6,680-yard course will host the 72-hole tournament.
The South Korean-born New Zealander has had a remarkable season, highlighted by her first Olympic gold medal win in Paris in August, following her previous silver and bronze medals at the last two Olympic Games. She also secured her third major title at the AIG Women’s Open in late August and achieved another victory in September. At 27, Ko has already earned her place in the LPGA Hall of Fame.
The tournament boasts a strong lineup, including eight of the top-10 ranked players. Among them are South Koreans Amy Yang, ranked eighth, and Ryu Hae-r
an, ranked tenth, both of whom have claimed victories on the tour this season. Additionally, former world No. 1 Shin Ji-yai will participate on a sponsor’s invitation after a strong performance last year where she tied for fifth place.
The field was initially set to include top-ranked Nelly Korda, however, she withdrew citing a minor neck injury that occurred during practice, as stated on her Instagram.
Despite Korda’s absence, the tournament will not lack star power, with major champions like Yang, who won the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Yuka Saso of Japan (U.S. Women’s Open), Ayaka Furue (Amundi Evian Championship), and Ko (AIG Women’s Open) all set to compete.
Last year, Ko clinched victory at this event when it was held in Wonju, Gangwon Province. This year, Minjee Lee of Australia aims to make history by becoming the first player to successfully defend the title in the event’s five-year history.
The BMW Ladies Championship represents the second leg of the LPGA Tour’s Asian swing, following last we
ek’s tournament in Shanghai. The tour will continue next week in Malaysia and conclude its Asian stint in Japan in early November.