Eight Players Challenge the Dream Stage of LIV Golf: Can They Hit the 'Oil Jackpot' Through a Narrow Gate?

[Financial News] The leading figures of Korean men's golf have set out for Florida, the promised land flowing with 'oil money.' The odds are slim, but if they make it through, it could truly change their lives.
From December 9 to 12, eight Korean players will compete in the 'LIV Golf Promotions' held at Black Diamond Ranch in Florida. This event serves as a de facto qualifying test for a spot on the 2026 LIV Golf regular tour. A total of 83 seasoned players from 24 countries will battle for just three coveted tickets in this survival game.
Champions who once dominated the Korea Professional Golfers' Association (KPGA) tour have thrown their hats into the ring. Kim Hong-taek, the Baeksong Holdings-Asiad CC Busan Open champion from June, is making his second consecutive attempt. Joining him are Park Sung-kook, who tasted victory at the Golfzon Open after seven years, Garam Jeon, winner of the Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance KJ Choi Invitational, and Jaeho Kim, who ended an 18-year drought at the LEXUS MASTERS. Yeongsu Kim will also compete from the first round as an invited player.
Wang Jeung-hun, Lee Soo-min, and Doyeon Hwang, who qualified through top rankings on the Asian Tour International Series, have secured an advantage by advancing directly to the second round. However, the competition is fierce. Only the top 20 from the first round will move on to the second round, and from there, another 20 will survive to battle it out over 36 holes in the final third and fourth rounds, where the last three standing will earn their spots.
The reason these players are taking on such a daunting challenge is clear: the overwhelming rewards. Securing a regular tour card by finishing in the top three brings both wealth and fame. This year, each LIV Golf event offers a total prize pool of $30 million (approximately 43 billion KRW).
There is less pressure regarding performance. The case of Jang Yu Bin, who played in LIV Golf last year, proves this point. Even though he never finished in the top 20, he earned about $1.7 million (roughly 2.46 billion KRW). This amount is more than double what Ok Tae-hoon, last season's KPGA prize money leader, earned (about 1.07 billion KRW). Simply qualifying for the event is practically a guarantee of success.
This promotion also features Anthony Kim, a Korean-American golfer seeking a comeback after losing his tour card last year. With 83 competitors vying for just three spots, the golf world is watching to see which Korean player will survive this intense competition and become the 'jackpot' winner in 2026.

jsi@fnnews.com Jeon Sang-il Reporter