Korea-Japan Golf Showdown: Hana Bank Invitational to Be Held

Held at The Heaven Country Club for Four Days Starting June 12
Exciting Korea-Japan Rivalry Expected: From 300-Yard Long Drive Showdowns to Multiple-Winner and Points Leader Clashes
Promoting Coexistence with the Local Community Through the ESG Challenge

▲Players from Korea and Japan, including Kazuki Higa, Sanghyun Park, Takashi Ogiso, Jungwoo Ham (Hana Financial Group), Tatsunori Shogenji, and Doyeop Moon, are posing for a commemorative photo pledging to win at the Hana Bank Invitational. Provided by Hana Bank.

The Hana Bank Invitational, featuring top-tier players from both Korea and abroad, will be held for four days starting June 12, 2025, at The Heaven Country Club in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province. As the only Korea-Japan co-hosted tournament in the country, it is expected to showcase a fierce battle for national pride between the leading players of both countries.

Representing Korea are players such as "Korean Hulk" Jung Chanmin, as well as Moon Jiweon and Park Baejong of Hana Financial Group, both of whom are recording a driving distance of 305 yards this season. Notably, Moon Jiweon is a rookie who joined the Hana Financial Group golf team this year and made his debut on the KPGA Tour, highlighting his driving distance as his strength. The powerful long drives from these two players, both aiming to win the title at their sponsor's tournament, are expected to be a highlight of the event.

From the JGTO, long hitters such as Yuki Moriyama and last year's JGTO multiple-winner Takahiro Hataji will also compete. Yuki Moriyama boasts a driving distance of 314 yards, while Takahiro Hataji records 312 yards, setting the stage for an exciting showdown of long drives against Korean players like Jung Chanmin and Moon Jiweon.

Kim Minkyu, who claimed two victories on the KPGA Tour last year and is currently active on the DP World Tour this season, has also declared his participation in the Hana Bank Invitational. Hiroshi Itawa of the JGTO and long hitter Takahiro Hataji are both multiple-winners on the JGTO Tour, each with two wins. In addition to the battle between multiple-winners, the fierce competition among Kim Baekjun, Lee Taehun, Moon Doyeop, Bae Yongjun, and Kim Hongtaek?all of whom have already secured one win this year and are vying for a second title?will be worth watching.

Kim Baekjun (Team Sokcho-i), the winner of the 2025 season opener, has continued to lead the Genesis Points rankings since the start of the season, delivering strong performances at the 2025 Woori Financial Championship and the 44th GS Caltex Maekyung Open. Tatsunori Shogenji of the JGTO currently ranks first in nearly all JGTO Tour categories, including points, prize money, and average strokes. The showdown between the points leaders of both tours?Kim Baekjun and Tatsunori Shogenji?is also highly anticipated.

On June 11, 2025, Hana Financial Group held an enjoyable charity challenge with participating players on the 18th hole fairway. The "Seonggong Hana No Bound Challenge," a unique video call program exclusive to the Hana Bank Invitational, allows players to take on a challenge, and if successful, a donation is made in their names. This is Hana Financial Group's signature donation campaign.

As in the previous year, the No Bound Challenge was successfully completed, resulting in a total donation of 10 million KRW. Hana Financial Group plans to deliver the accumulated donations to vulnerable communities in Ansan, using the tournament as an opportunity to promote ESG values and foster coexistence with the local community alongside participating players.

Now in its seventh year, the Hana Bank Invitational is the only golf tournament in Korea co-hosted by the golf associations of both Korea and Japan. This year's event features nine members of the Hana Financial Group golf team (Jungwoo Ham, Seungsu Han, Eunshin Park, Baejong Park, Seungmin Lee, Sanghyun Park, Jiweon Moon, Sungho Lee, and Sunghyun Ahn), as well as many top-ranked star players from both Korea and Japan.