Duplicate Hosting and Sponsor Controversy... KH Group IHQ Kanbae Women's Open Canceled

Kang Chun-ja KLPGT CEO "Trying to Replace with Another Tournament"

KLPGA Tour CI [Image source=KLPGA]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Taewon] The KH Group IHQ Kanbae Women's Open of the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour, which had been controversial due to overlapping scheduling with the U.S. Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour domestic event, has ultimately been canceled. This tournament, with a total prize money of 1.5 billion KRW, was scheduled to be held from the 20th to the 23rd at Alpensia CC in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province.

On the 5th, Kang Choon-ja, CEO of KLPGT (Korea Ladies Professional Golf Tour), who appeared as a witness at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s national audit, responded to a question from Lee Yong-ho, a member of the People Power Party, asking whether the KH Group IHQ Kanbae Women's Open would proceed as planned, stating, “KH Group is not currently doing it, but we are trying to replace it with another tournament.”

Although the exact details of the tournament cancellation were not disclosed, the industry believes it is related to the prosecution’s search and seizure of the sponsor KH Group. A group official was also booked by the police on suspicion of bid rigging during KH Group’s acquisition process of the tournament venue, Alpensia Resort.

The fact that this tournament overlaps with the BMW Ladies Championship, the only LPGA Tour event held domestically, also seems to have been a burden. The BMW Ladies Championship is scheduled to take place at Oak Valley CC in Wonju, Gangwon Province during the same period. Initially, the KLPGA had announced disciplinary measures against association-affiliated players who participated in this tournament, excluding LPGA cardholders.

The KLPGA is reportedly considering holding a tournament with a different sponsor during the same period. However, with less than three weeks remaining until the tournament’s opening, the consensus is that hosting another tournament is practically difficult.