KPGA Srixon Tour "Playing on Foot with a Caddie?"

Koo Jae-young is walking along the fairway of the 5th hole at the 10th KPGA Srixon Tour tournament with his caddie. Photo by Srixon Tour

[Yeongam (Jeonnam) = Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] It looks just like the regular tour.

At the 10th tournament of the Korea Professional Golf Association (KPGA) Srixon (2nd division) Tour held on the 24th at South Links Golf Course in Yeongam, Jeonnam (par 72, 6,880 yards), participating players walked without riding carts and were accompanied by personal caddies. The event was conducted under the same conditions as a Korean Tour major, including the operation of a driving range to improve performance. The 10th tournament, the last of the first half, was played in a 3-round, 54-hole stroke play format.

A total of 1,205 players participated in the qualifiers, with 142 advancing to the finals. The total prize money was 130 million KRW, with the winner's prize at 26 million KRW. The 1st to 9th tournaments were 2 rounds, 36 holes, with total prize money of 80 million KRW and a winner's prize of 16 million KRW. The second half will resume with the 11th tournament on the 19th of next month. The 20th tournament, the season finale, will have the same format and scale as the 10th tournament. According to the integrated points of the Srixon Tour, the top 10 players will receive the right to advance to the Korean Tour.

Dunlop Sports Korea has been the title sponsor of the Srixon Tour since 2020. They are dedicated to nurturing stars who will lead the future of Korean men's golf. Through the Srixon Tour Van service, which is always operated at the tournament venue, they help players improve their performance. Players visit directly to receive precise analysis and fitting using TrackMan and other tools. Players who have passed through the Srixon Tour, such as Jeong Tae-yang, Bae Yong-jun (both 22), and Jeong Chan-min (23), are active on the 1st division tour this year.

Jeong Tae-yang is a representative example. As an amateur, he swept several tournaments and even served as a national team standby player. Last year, he secured a Korean Tour ticket without going through Qualifying (Q) School by ranking 6th in the integrated points. At the Hana Bank Invitational of the Korean Tour, which ended on the 19th, he led through the 3rd round and achieved his personal best, finishing 3rd. Jeong Tae-yang expressed his gratitude, saying, "The Srixon Tour helped me a lot," and "I receive a lot of support, including equipment sponsorship."