KLPGA, LPGA reach deal on BMW Ladies Championship player allocations

Korean women's golf fans will once again be able to watch players from the KLPGA Tour compete at the LPGA Tour's BMW Ladies Championship, which will take place in Korea this October.

The KLPGA and the LPGA announced Wednesday that they had agreed to allocate 15 spots to KLPGA Tour players for this year's tournament and 30 spots beginning next year. The two organizations also announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding in a joint statement, ending negotiations over how many places should be reserved for KLPGA players in the tournament.

Under the agreement, this year's BMW Ladies Championship will feature an 84-player field consisting of 68 LPGA Tour players, 15 KLPGA Tour players and one sponsor's exemption, with no cut after 36 holes.

Beginning in 2027, the tournament will expand to a full field of 108 players, including 74 LPGA Tour players, 30 KLPGA Tour players and four sponsor's exemptions.

KLPGA Chairman Kim Sang-yeol pledged when he took office in March last year that he would allow KLPGA Tour players to compete in LPGA events held in Korea.

However, the two tours had been locked in a prolonged dispute over the number of places allocated to KLPGA players at the event, with negotiations failing to bridge their differences until recently. This cast doubt over the participation of many of the tour's top players.

The two sides ultimately reached an agreement after each made concessions to ensure the successful staging of the BMW Ladies Championship.

BY KO BONG-JUN [[email protected]]