The Aramco Korea Championship will run for four days starting Oct. 8 at New Korea Country Club in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. Held as part of the PIF Global Series, the tournament is co-sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour and will feature 120 players competing for a purse of $2 million.
The event, which drew attention last year after Kim Hyo-joo's victory, will switch this year to a 72-hole stroke-play format from its previous setup. The tournament will also award Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings points based on results. Last year's edition combined both team and individual competition.
Among the notable players confirmed for this year are Korean American golfers Danielle Kang and Alison Lee, both of the United States. Kang has six career LPGA Tour victories, while Lee, whose mother is Korean, has two career LET wins. Both players serve as Golf Saudi ambassadors.
"Playing in front of Korean fans is always special," Kang said. "Korean fans have a deep understanding of golf and cheer passionately on every hole. Since the tournament will now be a 72-hole individual stroke-play event, I think the competition among players will be even more intense this year. I am excited to compete for the title again with the support of Korean fans."
"Playing in Korea means a great deal to me personally," Lee said. "I'm even more excited to compete in the four-day individual stroke-play format at New Korea Country Club. Beyond the competition itself, I hope this tournament can help young female golfers and junior players in Korea build their dreams in the sport."
Alongside the golf competition, the tournament period will include programs aimed at fostering sports and business exchange between South Korea and Saudi Arabia. Together with host partner Kolon Group, organizers will hold a Korea-Saudi business panel as well as panel discussions on women's sports and tourism. Officials from Korean companies, Golf Saudi and Saudi golf tourism organizations are expected to attend and discuss cooperation on sports investment, strategic partnerships and tourism between the two countries.
Over the four days of competition, New Korea Country Club will also expand its tournament village, offering activities for families, junior golfers and general spectators alike. The village will feature a golf experience zone, golf simulators and a nearest-to-the-pin event offering official tournament merchandise and prizes.
A junior golf clinic featuring LET players will also be held. Alongside this, a K-food market, lifestyle pop-ups and a coffee experience zone will operate, along with an outdoor gallery space for watching play on the tournament's final hole. General admission tickets start at 15,000 won ($11), with free entry for teenagers age 16 and under accompanied by an adult holding a paid ticket.
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