The Genesis Championship, South Korea's largest international golf tournament co-sanctioned by the KPGA Tour and the DP World Tour, will be held over four days from Oct. 22 to Oct. 25 at Woojeong Hills Country Club in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, with a purse of $4 million.
Defending champion Lee Jeong-hwan will bid to become the first player in the tournament's history to win back-to-back titles, having claimed his maiden DP World Tour victory last year by three strokes over Nacho Elvira of Spain and Laurie Canter of England amid a roaring home crowd.
Speaking after competing in last week's DP World Tour Genesis Scottish Open, which carried a purse of $9 million, Lee reflected on his 2025 win. "Winning my first DP World Tour title at a tournament held in Korea — it was a truly special moment, something I had always dreamed of," he said. He added that he would spend the remaining time before the Genesis Championship getting into the best possible form. "I will definitely defend my title in front of the home fans," he said.
Now in its 10th edition since launching in 2017, the Genesis Championship has grown into a global event after becoming a co-sanctioned KPGA Tour and DP World Tour tournament in 2024. The event holds a particularly competitive place on the calendar as the final tournament in the DP World Tour's "Back 9" series — played just before the playoffs — and no player has ever successfully defended the title or won it more than once.
The tournament also serves as a key stepping stone for Korean players onto the global stage, reflecting the strategic partnership between the KPGA Tour and the DP World Tour. A field of 126 players will compete for the title — 36 from the KPGA Tour and 90 from the DP World Tour.
In addition, the event offers DP World Tour players a final chance to secure their place in the 2027 Race to Dubai. Players who finish inside the top 100 of the Race to Dubai rankings at the conclusion of the tournament will earn their DP World Tour card for the following season.
A spokesperson for title sponsor Genesis said the company was pleased to bring the championship's 10th edition back to Woojeong Hills CC, one of Korea's premier golf venues. "We look forward to another thrilling tournament this year, just as exciting as last year's, and we will work closely with the organizers and the club in the months ahead to ensure the best possible experience for the players and fans," the spokesperson said.
Lee Jeong-yun, chief executive of Woojeong Hills CC, also expressed enthusiasm for hosting the milestone edition. "It was deeply meaningful to see the inaugural Genesis Championship at Woojeong Hills CC conclude so successfully last year," Lee said. "We are even more honored to host the 10th edition and will do our utmost to deliver an even more polished tournament."
Genesis, also the first official automotive partner of the PGA Tour, serves as title sponsor of the Genesis Championship (2017–), the Genesis Invitational (2017–) and the Genesis Scottish Open (2022–) as part of its global golf marketing strategy, and is the official vehicle partner of the Presidents Cup and the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
yjc@heraldcorp.com
