Kim Min-sol seeks title defense as HJ Shipbuilding & Construction-Dongbu championship tees off Thursday

Kim Min-sol will look to defend her title at the HJ Shipbuilding & Construction-Dongbu Championship, the only event on the KLPGA Tour played under a modified Stableford format, which carries a purse of 1 billion won ($744,000).

The four-day tournament, where Kim is chasing back-to-back titles, opens Thursday at A-One Country Club (par 72, 6,504 yards) in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province. HJ Shipbuilding & Construction joined Dongbu as a co-title sponsor for this year's edition.

The tournament's defining feature is its modified Stableford scoring system, which replaces conventional stroke play. Under the format, an albatross earns 8 points, an eagle 5, a birdie 2, a par 0, a bogey minus-1 and a double bogey or worse minus-3. Because the rewards for going low far outweigh the penalties for dropping shots, the format encourages bold, aggressive play from the field.

A-One Country Club, hosting a KLPGA Tour event for the first time this season, set up the course to match that attacking spirit — widening fairways and trimming the rough short to invite big hitters to swing freely. The key battlegrounds are expected to be the four par-5 holes (Nos. 3, 9, 13 and 15), where players can pocket five points in a single swing, and the demanding par-3 17th.

Among the 108 players in the field, defending champion Kim draws the most attention. Kim claimed a come-from-behind victory last year, and last week she finished tied for second at the Hite Jinro Championship, breaking the KLPGA Tour's all-time single-season earnings record with 1.53 billion won.

She also leads the tour outright with 10 eagles this season, making her a strong favorite in a format that rewards firepower. "I will adapt flexibly to the new course and focus on my own game each round as I compete for the title," Kim said.

Her rivals are equally fired up. Seo Gyo-rim, who leads the tour in Player of the Year points, wins and scoring average with four victories this season, ranks tied third in eagles (5) and second in average birdies per round (3.6364). "I need to make a lot of birdies and eagles, so I plan to play far more aggressively than usual," Seo said.

Sponsor players add another layer of intrigue. Moon Jeong-min, who leads the tour in average birdies per round (3.6533), is targeting her first win of the season and second career title at her main sponsor's event. Dongbu's contingent — including "autumn queen" Kim Su-ji, Ji Han-sol and Jang Su-yeon — are looking to bounce back, while HJ Shipbuilding & Construction, which fielded a team for the first time this year, will count on Hong Jeong-min and Jo A-yeon, who shared the wins and earnings titles last year, along with wildcard entry Kim Min-seo 3. Players with one win this season — Bang Sin-sil, Yoo Hyeon-jo and Lee Ye-won — are also chasing a second title.

The tournament also serves as the final qualifier for the LPGA Tour's BMW Ladies Championship, which opens Oct. 22. The top 15 players on the KLPGA money list at the end of this event earn a spot in the field. That puts players clustered around the cutline — currently Yoo Seo-yeon 2 in 14th, Park Hye-jun in 15th, Kim Si-hyeon in 16th and Go Ji-won in 17th — in a fierce battle for the remaining berths.

The event also offers a shot at history and special prizes. Kim Ri-an, Lee So-young and Ahn Song-i each need one hole-in-one to tie the KLPGA all-time career record of five, held by Yang Su-jin. A Jeep Grand Cherokee valued at 120 million won awaits a hole-in-one on the 12th hole, while a golden ball worth 50 million won is on offer at the 17th.

The organizers will host a youth golf clinic for young players from the Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang region, and a charity zone at the 15th hole will generate donations of up to 30 million won for the local community.