Personal Titles, Final Battle Decided in the Last Match

KPGA Tour Championship Final Round Opens on 7th in Jeju
Early Order of Merit Winner Confirmed, Jang Yubin to Achieve Grand Slam if Victorious
Kim Mingyu Aims for Two Crowns in Wins and Earnings with Victory
Kim Baekjun and Song Minhyeok in Fierce Rookie of the Year Race

The owner of the individual title will be decided in the final match.

Jang Yubin aims to achieve a clean sweep at the final round of the KPGA Tour Championship. Photo by KPGA

The Korea Professional Golfers' Association (KPGA) Tour concludes its grand journey this year with the KPGA Tour Championship (total prize money of 1.1 billion KRW), held over four days starting from the 7th at Cypress Golf & Resort in Seogwipo, Jeju Island (Par 71, 7,078 yards). The top 68 players, selected based on Genesis Points, will participate. The winner will be determined through 72-hole stroke play without a cut. The winner's prize money is 220 million KRW.

Interest centers on Jang Yu-bin's challenge for the grand slam. He secured the Genesis Grand Prize last week. Currently, he ranks first in prize money (1,041,050,000 KRW) and average score (69.54 strokes) for the Deokchun Award, and shares first place in wins (2 wins) with Kim Min-gyu. If Jang Yu-bin wins the Tour Championship, he will easily claim the prize money king, wins king, and Deokchun Award titles. Even if he does not win, a top-tier finish could keep his lead secure. Since 2009, when Bae Sang-moon achieved this feat, no player has won the Grand Prize, prize money king, Deokchun Award, and wins king all in the same season for 14 years.

Kim Min-gyu challenges for the most wins and the prize money title at the final KPGA Tour Championship. Photo by KPGA

Kim Min-gyu is a variable. He shares first place in wins and ranks second in prize money (983,950,000 KRW), trailing Jang Yu-bin by 57 million KRW. If he wins this tournament, he can become the prize money king and wins king (with 3 wins). Kim Min-gyu will surpass 1 billion KRW in season prize money for the second time in history if he finishes within the top 15. Among this year's winners?Yoon Sang-pil, Go Gun-taek, Kim Hong-taek, Kim Chan-woo, Han Seung-soo, Jeon Ga-ram, Heo In-hoe, Lee Seung-taek, Ham Jung-woo, Lee Soo-min, Jo Woo-young, and Lee Dong-min?if any wins, they will join as co-winners of the wins king title.

The rookie of the year (Myungchul Award) competition, which can only be won once in a lifetime, is also fierce. Kim Baek-jun leads with 1,085.88 points. Song Min-hyuk is closing in aggressively, having added 322.50 rookie points at last week's Dong-A Membership Group Open. The point gap between Kim Baek-jun and Song Min-hyuk has narrowed to 54.44 points. Not only these two but also 5th place Lee Dong-hwan and 6th place Yeoseong-jin (New Zealand) could win the rookie award depending on their performance and that of other players if they secure a victory.