[Jeong Ui-cheol's Golf Encyclopedia] "Which was the first Korean Tour event to have a place name attached?"

Kang Young-il (left) is receiving the trophy from Chairman Choi Cheol-rak immediately after winning the 1981 Busan Open.

'Busan Open.'

This is the first Korean Professional Golf Association (KPGA) Korean Tour event to include a regional name. The Busan Open was established in August 1979 with the purpose of "revitalizing local golf and contributing to the improvement of regional golfers' skills." It was held alternately at Busan CC and Dongnae CC. In 1982, the tournament was canceled due to golf course circumstances, and it was held a total of four times, concluding in 1983. Kim Seung-hak was the inaugural champion, achieving a winning score of 9-under-par 279.

The second tournament in 1980 saw Choi Yoon-soo lift the winner's cup. The total prize money was 7 million won, with the winner's share being 1.4 million won. By the third tournament in 1981, the total prize money increased by 3 million won to 10 million won, and the winner's prize rose to 2 million won, slightly expanding the scale. Kang Young-il, the current KPGA advisor, claimed the top spot. The winner of the fourth tournament in 1983 was the 'living legend' Choi Sang-ho. From 1984, Dong Sung Chemical Industry became the title sponsor, and the event was renamed the Dong Sung Chemical Busan Open.

This tournament is the predecessor of the Phantom Open, which ran from 1984 to 1997. In 1985, the event was held twice in Seoul and Busan, splitting the tournament names into Phantom Busan Open and Phantom Seoul Open, and in 1987, it was unified again into a single event called the Phantom Open. The Busan Open briefly revived under the titles Kaido Series Dong-A Membership Group Dynamic Busan Open in 2017 and Dong-A Membership Group Busan Open in 2018.

Following the Busan Open, several regional opens were established consecutively: Yeongnam Open (1992, 1995?1996), Bukyung Open representing Busan and Gyeongsang provinces (1999?2000, 2002?2003), Honam Open (2000?2003), Chungcheong Open (2000?2001, 2003), Daegyeong Open in the Daegu-Gyeongbuk region (2000), Gyeongbuk Open (2001), and Gangwon Open (2001). Some tournaments included the names of local golf courses. Yeoju CC, which opened in October 1975, hosted the Yeoju Open in 1978 and 1979.

This tournament holds the significance of being the first professional golf event hosted by a golf course in Korea. Suwon CC established the Suwon Open (1980, 1982, and 1983), and Iksan CC held the Iksan Open (2000?2002). Recently, Gunsan CC has been consistently hosting tournaments since 2009. This year, the Woosung Construction Aramir CC Busan Gyeongnam Open, which began its two-day journey on the 2nd, is the only Korean Tour event featuring a regional name in the 2020 season opener.

KPGA Media Team Leader zec9@kpga.co.kr