“Queen of Gumi” Kim Min-ju set for first-ever title defense, aiming to relive last year’s glory

[Financial News] The third event of the 2026 season on the LPGA of Korea Tour (KLPGA Tour), the “iM Finance Open 2026,” will tee off in style on the 9th for a four-day run at Golfzon County Sunsan (par 72, 6,778 yards) in Gumi-si, North Gyeongsang Province. A total of 120 top-tier players will compete fiercely for a total purse of 1 billion won and a winner’s check of 180 million won.
All eyes are on defending champion Kim Min-ju of Samchully. She claimed an emotional first career victory at this tournament last year and now returns for her first-ever title defense.
“It’s my first time playing as a defending champion, so I feel more excitement than pressure,” Kim Min-ju said. “I focused on fitness training and swing adjustments during the offseason, and my shot consistency has improved. I’ll stay composed and move forward with the goal of winning again.” She added, “Because the course has tricky greens, I’ll create birdie chances with precise iron shots and make sure to capitalize whenever an opportunity comes.”

The early-season race for multiple wins is also drawing keen interest from golf fans. Ko Ji-won of Samchully, who earned her first win on the mainland at The Sienna Open 2026 last week, and Lim Jin-young of Daebang Construction, winner of the season-opening Rejuran Championship, will both be chasing a second victory of the year.
Ko Ji-won stated, “I’ll attack the course by making the most of the short game I’ve worked hard on and my feel for long putts.” Current money leader Lim Jin-young vowed, “I’ll aim for a top-10 finish with a strategy that completely avoids risky spots.”
Star players who represent the KLPGA Tour will also be out in force in pursuit of the trophy. The field includes Lee Ye-won of Mediheal, Bang Shinsil of KB Financial Group, and Jung Min Hong of Korea Land Trust, who shared the most-wins title in the 2025 season, as well as last year’s Player of the Year, Hyunju Yoo of Lotte Group. However, these multiple-win contenders struggled somewhat at the domestic season opener, so there is strong interest in when they will regain form and surge up the leaderboard. Recent runner-up Seo Gyo-rim of Samchully and rookie-of-the-year points leader Yang Hyo-jin are also showing sharp ball-striking, hinting at the possible emergence of a new Cinderella story.


Fine-tuned course management is expected to be the decisive factor in this tightly contested event. Overall, Golfzon County Sunsan offers relatively open sight lines and few major surprises, but still demands strategic play. In particular, the left dogleg 16th hole has been set up to use the right-side green this year, unlike last season, turning it into a potential game-changer late in the round. The scenic 17th hole also requires iron shots with impeccable distance control and accuracy to handle winds that constantly shift direction.

As the only regular KLPGA Tour event held in Daegu Metropolitan City and North Gyeongsang Province, this tournament has firmly established itself as the region’s flagship sports festival. A wide range of fan events will also capture spectators’ attention. The “bank transfer ceremony,” which was a big hit last year, will once again add fun to the awards presentation. In addition, if a player records a hole-in-one, fans who participated in an event through the iM Bank app will be entered into a drawing to win a BMW 520i M Sport. Hosted by iM Financial Group and sanctioned by KLPGA, the iM Finance Open 2026 will be broadcast live every round by the official television partner.


jsi@fnnews.com Reporter Jeon Sang-il Reporter