[Field Story] Warm Breeze Blowing on the Korean Tour

Record Expansion with 25 Tournaments This Year
Collaboration with World Tour for Broadcast Rights Operator Selection

A ‘favorable breeze’ is blowing.

This refers to the Korean Professional Golf Association (KPGA) Korean Tour. The Korean Tour, which had been somewhat neglected compared to the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour, is now gaining attention. Another growth spurt is expected in 2023. Last year, the Korean Tour held 21 tournaments with a total prize money of 20.3 billion KRW, marking the largest scale ever. This year, the number of tournaments is expected to increase to 25. KPGA will announce the 2023 Korean Tour schedule on the 21st.

A fresh breeze is blowing through the Korean Professional Golfers' Association (KPGA) Korean Tour, led by Chairman Gu Ja-cheol.
[Photo by KPGA]

The quantitative expansion of the Korean Tour is being welcomed. A KPGA official said, "It seems everyone is pleased," adding, "Players, executives, and sponsors are all highly anticipating it." The domestic golf scene has been centered around women. Unlike the U.S. Professional Golf Association (PGA) Tour and the DP World Tour (formerly the European Tour), where male golfers receive top-tier treatment, the situation was different. The Korean Tour lagged behind the KLPGA Tour in terms of the number of tournaments and prize money. For reference, this year the KLPGA Tour features 32 tournaments with a total prize money of 31.1 billion KRW.

For the domestic golf industry to develop, the simultaneous growth of both men's and women's tours is necessary. A field that leans too heavily to one side cannot function properly. This is why the Korean Tour must take a step forward and achieve comparable success in popularity to the KLPGA Tour.

The atmosphere is not bad. The Korean Tour is focusing on realizing realistic broadcasting rights fees. Currently, the Korean Tour is conducting a bidding process to select a broadcasting rights operator. This is effectively the first time a restricted competitive bidding method is being used. The preferred negotiation partner will be selected by the 28th.

Until now, the Korean Tour has not received proper broadcasting rights fees. After signing the first broadcasting rights agreement with SBS in 2004, the rights were held by JoongAng Broadcasting (now JTBC) from 2010 to 2017, and by JTBC Plus from 2018 to 2022. JTBC Plus, which broadcast the Korean Tour until last year, paid 1.8 billion KRW in broadcasting rights fees over five years. Starting with 1 billion KRW in the first year, then 300 million KRW in 2019, 200 million KRW each in 2020 and 2021, and 100 million KRW last year. Over the past five years, the average broadcasting rights fee for the Korean Tour was only 360 million KRW. Broadcasting rights fees are the foundation for stable tour operations.

The KLPGA Tour’s broadcasting rights fees are exceptional. In August last year, JTBC Golf, which lost the bidding competition to SBS Golf, even filed a lawsuit due to the fierce battle. JTBC Golf publicly stated, "We offered more than 85 billion KRW over five years, including an annual broadcasting rights fee of 15 billion KRW plus over 10 billion KRW in player welfare funds. We cannot understand not being selected as the preferred negotiation partner." This shows how much the KLPGA Tour’s broadcasting rights fees have soared. The KLPGA Tour broadcasting rights went to SBS Golf, which offered 6.4 billion KRW annually.

For the tour to continuously attract attention, the emergence of stars is crucial. Skilled players who advance overseas are essential for survival. The KLPGA Tour benefits from the success of the Taegeuk Ladies dominating the U.S. Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour. The Korean Tour is also accelerating exchanges with overseas tours. In April, the DP World Tour will be held for the first time in 10 years at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club in Songdo, Incheon. The total prize money is 2 million USD. The DP World Tour is expected to serve as a stepping stone for domestic players to advance overseas.

This is not the end. Collaboration with the PGA Tour is also being prepared. At a time when Im Sung-jae, Kim Joo-hyung, Kim Si-woo, and Lee Kyoung-hoon are active on the PGA Tour, the Korean Tour is negotiating conditions that allow top Genesis Points players to participate in the PGA Korn Ferry (second-tier) Tour. A big wave of change is sweeping through the Korean Tour. The time of destiny is approaching to see whether it will return to the old days or grow into a top-tier tour again.