Fox to battle Im Sung-jae, Kim Si-woo for title at $4 million event

Ryan Fox, who has confirmed his entry in the 2026 Genesis Championship. [Tournament organizing committee]
Ryan Fox, who has confirmed his entry in the 2026 Genesis Championship. [Tournament organizing committee]

Ryan Fox of New Zealand, this year's Open champion, will return to the Korean golf circuit for the first time in 11 years.

The Genesis Championship organizing committee said Tuesday that Fox has confirmed his entry in the tournament, which runs from Oct. 22 to 25 at Woojung Hills Country Club in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province. Fox will compete for the title against Im Sung-jae and Kim Si-woo, his teammates from the Presidents Cup.

Fox claimed his first major title at the 154th Open Championship, held at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in the United Kingdom in July, finishing at 10-under-par 270 to edge Cameron Young of the United States by one stroke in a come-from-behind victory.

Fox built his career through the Australian Tour, Asian Tour and DP World Tour before securing a full PGA Tour card in 2024. He is no stranger to Korean golf, having finished tied for second at the 34th GS Caltex MK Open in 2015 with a total score of 2-under-par 286. Moon Gyeong-jun won that event at 4-under-par 284. The Genesis Championship marks Fox's first return to Korea in 11 years.

"I still vividly remember the passionate support from Korean fans and the electric atmosphere at the tournament during my 2015 visit," Fox said through the organizing committee. "It feels even more special to be coming back to Korea as a major champion after 11 years."

The Genesis Championship, marking its 10th anniversary this year, is co-sanctioned by the KPGA Tour and the DP World Tour and carries a total purse of $4 million. A field of 126 players from Korea and abroad will compete, including the top 36 in the Genesis Points standings.

The tournament also serves as the final event of the "Back 9" stretch of the DP World Tour's Race to Dubai. The winner receives $680,000 in prize money, a Genesis vehicle, and playing rights on both the KPGA Tour and DP World Tour for the 2027-2028 season, along with 1,300 Genesis Points and 835 Race to Dubai ranking points.

The highest-finishing KPGA Tour player in the field will earn an exemption into the Genesis Scottish Open, co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour and DP World Tour in 2027.

The Genesis Championship drew more than 20,000 spectators over four days last year, and organizers plan to expand fan services for the 10th-anniversary edition. A fan village spanning approximately 13,200 square meters will be set up on site, and a Kakao T shuttle service will offer direct routes between the venue and major hubs in Seoul, Gyeonggi Province, Gwangju, Daejeon and Busan.


yjc@heraldcorp.com