Competitive field gathers as DP World Tour returns to Korea

The Korea Championship Presented by Genesis tees off at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in Incheon on Thursday as the European DP World Tour returns to Korea for the first time in more than a decade in partnership with the KPGA.

The Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in Incheon [JACK NICKLAUS GOLF CLUB KOREA]

The Korea Championship Presented by Genesis tees off at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in Incheon on Thursday as the European DP World Tour returns to Korea for the first time in more than a decade in partnership with the KPGA.

The DP World Tour is the current name of the European golf tour. The Tour previously swung through Korea with the Ballantine’s Championship, but that tournament has not been held since 2013.

A total of 156 golfers are competing in the Korea Championship for the $2 million purse, including 60 Korean golfers from both the European Tour and KPGA. Wang Jeung-hun, who has won three DP World Tour titles, is one of the local favorites.

“This is the tournament that I used to watch on TV when I was a child and I dreamt of playing in,” Wang said during a pre-tournament press conference at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club on Tuesday. “I am thrilled to show my swing to Korean fans on such a big stage.

“Given my form at the moment, I am sure I can get good results. Since I am playing in Korea, I think I will be able to gain strength from the fans cheering me and show a good performance.”

Wang Jeung-hun in action during the DP World Tour Singapore Classic at the Laguna National Golf Resort Club in Singapore on Feb. 12, 2023. [YONHAP]

KPGA golfer Kim Yeong-su also joins the field having won the Genesis Championship on the same course last October — the first title in his career.

“I always feel good when I come to this golf course because I won the Genesis Championship here,” Kim said. “It will be fun to play alongside prominent golfers and I will work to win the event.”

Kim is especially wary about the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea, although he has a good memories on the course.

“Every hole here is hard,” Kim said. “I think I have a good chance if I maintain a good form on the last three holes.”

Kim Yeong-su plays a shot during the Genesis Championship at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in Incheon on Oct. 9, 2022. [YONHAP]

Kim will compete to redeem himself after the DP World Tour ISPS Handa Championship in Japan last week, which he qualified for after winning the Genesis Championship, where he failed to make the cut despite being a frontrunner in the first round.

KPGA golfer Moon Kyung-jun also appears to be on the same page as Kim about the course’s difficulty.

“The 16th, 17th and 18th holes are not easy,” Moon said. “I think I can get a good score if I can do well there.

“One out of four days always has bad weather, but I think I can still get a good score as long as I maintain my composure on that day.”

European golfers may have an advantage at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club, Moon says, as it is the course in Korea that plays most like one in Europe.

“I think this is the most difficult and yet the best course in Korea,” Moon said. “Korean golfers have competed here a lot and some of them managed good results, so I think the Korean players can play well. I think European golfers will play well too as this is the most foreign golf course in Korea.

Moon Kyung-jun speaks during a pregame press conference at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in Incheon on Tuesday. [YONHAP]

Outside of the Korean contingent, notable figures heading to Incheon this week include Danish twins Nicolai and Rasmus Hojgaard, who have five DP Tour wins between them, two-time Tour winner and top Scotsman Robert MacIntyre, and two-time Tour winner Adrian Meronk of Poland.

The winner of the Korea Championship will qualify for the DP World Tour as well as KPGA Tour for two years and earn $340,000 in prize money.

Kim Hong-taek will be the first Korean to tee off at 7 a.m. on the first hole with Joshua Lee of the United States and Daniel Brown of England.

Moon will then start at 7:20 a.m. on the 10th hole alongside Paul Waring and Fabrizio Zanotti, followed by Wang on the same hole at 8 a.m. with Kim Yeong-su and Adrian Meronk.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]