Oct. 8–11 at A1 Country Club in Yangsan; event marks Busan debut

Golf clinics for young players, charity zone among highlights

Tournament poster for the 2026 HJ Shipbuilding & Construction-Dongbu Championship on the KLPGA Tour [HJ Shipbuilding & Construction]
Tournament poster for the 2026 HJ Shipbuilding & Construction-Dongbu Championship on the KLPGA Tour [HJ Shipbuilding & Construction]

HJ Shipbuilding & Construction announced Thursday that the 2026 HJ Shipbuilding & Construction-Dongbu Championship, a Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour event co-hosted with Dongbu Construction, will be held Oct. 8–11 at A1 Country Club in Yangsan. A field of 108 players will compete for a total purse of 1 billion won ($738,000), with the winner taking home 180 million won.

The tournament was previously held in Iksan, North Jeolla Province. HJ Shipbuilding & Construction, a leading Busan-based company, is relocating it to the Busan area for the first time. The company launched a women's professional golf team in July and is joining as a co-host for this edition.

The field features the top players on the KLPGA Tour, including three HJ Shipbuilding & Construction team members: Jo A-yeon, Hong Jeong-min and Kim Min-seo 3. Attention centers on the title race between Jo, the 2019 KLPGA Rookie of the Year, and Hong, last year's KLPGA Tour money leader. Kim — currently competing on the Dream Tour — will also look to test her game against her more experienced teammates.

HJ Shipbuilding & Construction has also organized a community outreach program to make the event a local festival combining sport and giving. During the tournament, the company will partner with the Busan Golf Association to invite young golfers from Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang Province for one-on-one lessons from professional players.

A Charity Zone will link on-course performance to charitable giving. Donations will be accumulated based on players' results — birdies, eagles and the like — and the funds raised will be distributed to individuals and organizations in need.

Busan Golf Association Chairman Choi Gwang-sik said pro golfer Choi Hye-jin, a graduate of Busan's Haksan Girls' High School, "is raising the profile of South Korea on the LPGA Tour," adding that "systematic support and development are needed so that the region's promising young golfers can grow into the next Choi Hye-jin."


kaf2002@heraldcorp.com