Jeju Samdasoo Masters goes beyond golf to become a festival for all

As participatory sports events that feel more like festivals than competitions grow in popularity, the Jeju Samdasoo Masters is reinventing itself to match.

The 13th Jeju Samdasoo Masters, held Thursday through Sunday at Teddy Valley Golf & Resort in Seogwipo, Jeju Island, is the first full-field KLPGA Tour event of the second half of the season, carrying a purse of 1 billion won ($705,000). Defending champion Ko Ji-won headlines the field alongside Ko Ji-woo, Hyun Se-rin and Lim Jin-young — all Jeju-born players competing for the first title of the second half.

This year's tournament adopted the slogan "It's a festival, so enjoy it" and broadened its identity into a participatory sports festival for players, fans and local residents alike. Organizers transformed the entire venue into a single festival space, adding programs for direct player interaction, experience zones, performances, food offerings and community-linked events alongside the golf competition itself.

Before the tournament opened, 14 young golfers from Jeju elementary schools took part in a one-point lesson clinic. Seven KLPGA professionals — Park In-bee, Ko Ji-won, Ko Ji-woo, Hyun Se-rin, Lim Jin-young, Yang Hyo-jin and Ji Han-sol — each worked with two students in the two-on-one session.

On-site programs for spectators were also expanded. Organizers ran a stamp tour around the course, a putting event, a gallery par-3 contest, food trucks and busking performances.

A brand experience area was set up as well. At Gallery Plaza, visitors can try out the Jeju Samdasoo home-delivery app, which recently launched service on Jeju Island. An exhibition introducing the water source and quality-control process behind Jeju Samdasoo is also on display.

Community outreach programs were expanded further. Visitors who bring a receipt from a purchase made on Jeju Island receive a commemorative gift, encouraging support for local businesses, while free shuttle buses running between Jeju and Seogwipo improve access to the venue.

Five designs selected through an AI caddie bib design competition held ahead of the tournament were applied to the caddie bibs worn during the event.

Since its inaugural edition in 2014, the Jeju Samdasoo Masters has grown into Jeju Island's premier women's golf tournament. In recent years it has expanded its scope beyond elite competition to encompass the spread of golf culture, the development of local players and the promotion of sports tourism — evolving into a festival where sport and community grow together.

Kang Seong-hun, acting president of Jeju Free International City Development Center, said organizers had prepared a wide range of programs "so that the Jeju Samdasoo Masters can be the finest competitive stage for players and, at the same time, a festival that spectators and Jeju residents can all enjoy together." He added that the tournament would continue to develop "into an event that grows alongside the community through sport and spreads the value of Jeju far and wide."