Defending champ Kim Su-ji returns to KLPGA major Hanwha Classic

A victory at this year’s Hanwha Classic will mark Kim’s sixth KLPGA trophy and her first time defending a title. The title at the tournament last year remains her most recent win on the KLPGA Tour.

Kim Su-ji hits a shot during the Hanwha Classic at Jade Palace Golf Club in Chuncheon, Gangwon on Aug. 26, 2023. [KLPGA]

The Hanwha Classic, the third major of the 2024 KLPGA season, tees off Thursday at Jade Palace Golf Club in Chuncheon, Gangwon with defending champion Kim Su-ji joining a competitive 120-field that includes multiple JLPGA champions.

Five-time JLPGA winner Erika Hara and strong Japanese competitors like Sora Kamiya and Shina Kanazawa will be in action alongside KLPGA golfers with a total prize of 1.7 billion won ($1.2 million) on the line — a 3 million won increase from last year. The winner will earn 306 million won from the total purse.

A victory at this year’s Hanwha Classic will mark Kim’s sixth KLPGA trophy and her first time defending a title. The title at the tournament last year remains her most recent win on the Tour.

“I am very happy and honored to be competing at a major as a defending champion,” Kim said in a press release Tuesday. “The Jade Palace course is a difficult course, but I like it. I know how I should play and make a good score there. My stamina, shots and putts are all ready. I will lift the trophy here once again.”

The reigning champion will see some other strong contenders from the LPGA, like Sung Yu-jin and Ji Eun-hee, who both belong to Team Hanwha Qcells.

Sung’s best finish on the Tour this season was a joint eighth-place finish at the Dow Championship in June, while the highest Ji managed was tying for 19th at the Portland Classic earlier this month.

Bae So-hyun, meanwhile, will join the field after becoming the inaugural champion at the Heaven Masters last week.

“The two majors in the first half of the year didn’t go well for me, but I will focus and do my best at the major with the biggest total prize money during the 2024 season,” Bae said Tuesday. “I feel a little tired stamina-wise, but I am looking forward to the tournament. I’ve taken a good rest and looked after my fitness.”

Lee Ye-won will also be in the field on the back of three wins on the KLPGA Tour this season. A win this week will mark her second major victory in her career after the Hite Jinro Championship in October 2023.

Alongside Kim, 2022 Hanwha Classic champion Hong Ji-won and 2021 winner Lee Da-yeon each have an opportunity to become the second golfer to win the tournament multiple times.

Korean golf legend and LPGA Hall of Famer Pak Se-ri remains the only golfer to do so, having won the title three straight times from 1995 to 1997. The competition first started as the Seoul Women’s Open in 1990 and became a major in 2017.

Lee Da-yeon will tee off on the 10th hole with Lee Gi-ppuem and Cho A-yean at 11:41 a.m. followed by defending champion Kim on the first hole alongside Bae and Park Hyun-kyung at 12:14 p.m.

Rain is expected through Thursday evening in Chuncheon, with a short period of rainfall expected on Friday and no rain predicted on Saturday and Sunday.

The tournament will be broadcast on SBS Golf.

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