KLPGA Tour Qualifying Tournament "The Gates of Hell Open"

From the 10th, 3 Group Qualifiers, 128 Players Main Race on the 17th, 'Top 25' Secure Full Seed for Next Year, Big Names Including Baek Gyu-jeong and Seong Eun-jeong Compete

The KLPGA Tour will hold the regular tour qualifying tournament, known as the "Gateway to Hell," at Jeonnam Muan Golf Course starting from the 10th.

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] 'Gate of Hell.'

This is about the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) regular tour qualifying tournament. Passing through this gateway is necessary to compete on the dream stage for a year. Although the Dream (2nd tier) Tour and Jump (3rd tier) Tour have grown in scale, they are still a different 'class' from the 1st tier tour. If players fail to secure a tour card, they must endure harsh times. This is why domestic female players put all their effort into the qualifying tournament. We have examined everything about the upcoming KLPGA Tour qualifying tournament, which is just eight days away.

▲ 'First Gate' = From the 10th for four days, the 2021 season qualifying preliminary round will be held at the Seok Course (Par 72, 6,401 yards) and Nam Course (Par 72, 6,331 yards) of Muan Golf Club in Jeollanam-do. The players are divided into three groups: A, B, and C, playing 18 holes per day for two days, totaling 36 holes of stroke play. The top 33 players from groups A and B, and the top 34 from group C will advance to the final round. In case of ties, rankings are decided by the 'count back' method comparing the back 9 holes of the final round.

Group assignments and tee times for the preliminary round are random. Players start with a shot from every hole. Official golf clubs and balls approved by the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A) and the United States Golf Association (USGA) must be used, and violations result in disqualification. Players must choose one type of ball (One Ball Rule) and use the same brand and model throughout. The golf rules approved by R&A and USGA, KLPGA competition rules, and local rules apply. Practice on the course during the preliminary round is prohibited.

▲ 'Second Gate' = From the 17th, the final round continues at the Dong Course (Par 72, 6,335 yards) of the same golf club. Over four days, 72 holes of stroke play will determine the final rankings. A total of 128 players compete: 100 who passed the preliminary round and 28 exempt players. Exemptions include players ranked 61st to 80th in the regular tour prize money list, 21st to 25th in the Dream Tour prize money list, and the top 1 to 3 players from the International Qualifying Tournament (IQT) exclusively for foreign players.

This year, due to the impact of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the IQT was canceled, so last year's players benefit. The '25th place in the final round' can participate in almost all KLPGA Tour events next year. Players may practice on the course during the final round. However, during the tournament period, players, coaches, and guardians are not allowed to check course conditions. If part of the tournament schedule cannot be completed due to severe weather or natural disasters, KLPGA regulations will apply.

Baek Gyu-jeong will participate in the KLPGA regular tour seed ranking preliminary round.

▲ 'Star Burning with Determination' = This time, there are many 'top stars' waiting for the qualifying tournament. Baek Gyu-jeong (25, SK Networks) is a representative example. She lost her tour card last year and played on the Dream Tour this year. She participated in 20 tournaments and ranked 90th in prize money (5.53 million KRW). After topping the qualifying tournament in 2013, she swept three wins during her rookie year in 2014. In October of the same year, she won the Hana·Woori Bank Championship on the U.S. LPGA Tour held in Korea and went to the U.S. the following year.

However, she failed on the LPGA Tour and returned to Korea after three years, going through difficult times. Yang Je-yoon (28) is also dreaming of a comeback. In her second year in 2012, she won two tournaments and received the Player of the Year award but immediately fell into a slump the following year, losing her tour card in 2015. Other star players entering the qualifying tournament include Sung Eun-jung (21, CJ O Shopping), Jung Jae-eun (31), Park Yoo-na (33), Yoon Seul-ah (34, Ilhwa Makgeolli), and Kim Da-na (31, Moon Young Group).