Defending champion Sei Young Kim will return to familiar territory when the 2026 BMW Ladies Championship begins Thursday, October 22, at Pine Beach Golf Links in Haenam, South Korea.
The Korean star will attempt to win the tournament for a second consecutive year, with Haeran Ryu, Hyo Joo Kim, Lottie Woad and Minjee Lee among the leading players confirmed for the four-day LPGA Tour event.
The championship, running through Sunday, October 25, offers a $2.35 million prize fund, including $352,500 for the winner.
The tournament also provides an opportunity for leading players from the Korea LPGA Tour to compete against established international stars during the LPGA’s Asian swing.
Sei Young Kim Returns to Defend Her BMW Ladies Championship Title
Kim enjoyed one of the most emotional victories of the 2025 LPGA season when she won the BMW Ladies Championship at Pine Beach Golf Links.
Playing near her hometown of Yeongam, she finished at 24-under-par 264, defeating Japan’s Nasa Hataoka by four strokes.
Her performance included an opening-round 62 and a closing 67.
The victory ended a five-year LPGA Tour title drought and gave Kim her 13th career title on the circuit.
Now, she has an opportunity to achieve something no player has accomplished since the tournament began in 2019: successfully defend the BMW Ladies Championship.
The 33-year-old enters this year’s event after another competitive season, recording seven top-10 finishes in 17 LPGA starts, according to Yonhap News Agency’s October 20 report.
Her familiarity with Pine Beach and the support of South Korean spectators provide an appealing storyline, although she faces strong competition from several highly ranked players.
Haeran Ryu and Hyo Joo Kim Lead the Challengers
Two of Kim’s most significant challengers are fellow South Koreans Haeran Ryu and Hyo Joo Kim.
Ryu enters the tournament as the highest-ranked player in the field.
The 25-year-old has enjoyed a breakthrough 2026 campaign, winning two major championships and recording numerous additional top-10 finishes.
Her strong form makes her one of the prominent players to watch as the competition returns to South Korea.
Hyo Joo Kim also arrives with considerable momentum.
A two-time winner on the LPGA Tour this season, she will be looking to secure another victory in front of a home audience.
England’s Lottie Woad adds further international strength to the lineup.
The rising star was among the world’s top 10 players when BMW announced the field, giving the championship another leading contender.
Former winner Minjee Lee is also scheduled to compete.
The Australian won the BMW Ladies Championship in 2023 and will be seeking a second title at the event.
Hye-Jin Choi Chases First LPGA Victory After Shanghai Near Miss
Another compelling storyline concerns Hye-Jin Choi, who arrives in South Korea after narrowly missing out on her first LPGA Tour victory.
Choi finished runner-up at the Buick LPGA Shanghai on October 18, one stroke behind China’s Ruoning Yin.
She had led through each of the first three rounds but closed with a 71 to finish at 10-under-par 278.
A birdie on the final hole reduced the deficit to one shot, although Yin successfully protected her lead.
The result was Choi’s second runner-up finish of the 2026 season.
Despite numerous high finishes throughout her professional career, she remains in search of her maiden LPGA Tour title.
Returning to South Korea offers Choi another opportunity to turn consistent performances into a breakthrough victory.
With confidence from Shanghai and familiar playing conditions, she will be an interesting name to follow through the opening rounds.
BMW Ladies Championship 2026 Field: Confirmed Players
The official LPGA entry information and BMW’s tournament announcement confirm several leading international and Korean competitors.
Notable Players in the Field
| Player | Country |
|---|---|
| Sei Young Kim | South Korea |
| Haeran Ryu | South Korea |
| Hyo Joo Kim | South Korea |
| Lottie Woad | England |
| Minjee Lee | Australia |
| Hye-Jin Choi | South Korea |
| Ina Yoon | South Korea |
| Esther Henseleit | Germany |
| Aki Iwai | Japan |
| Celine Boutier | France |
The competition also includes 15 players from the Korea LPGA Tour.
Among the notable domestic entrants are Minsol Kim and Kyorim Seo, two of the strongest performers on the Korean circuit in 2026.
Minsol Kim has won three KLPGA titles this season, while Seo has claimed four.
For the domestic players, the BMW Ladies Championship represents an opportunity to test their games against LPGA competitors.
The event has no halfway cut, meaning participating golfers can contest all four scheduled rounds, subject to withdrawals or disqualifications.
Pine Beach Golf Links Offers a Coastal Challenge
Pine Beach Golf Links will host the championship for the second consecutive year.
Located in Haenam in southwestern South Korea, the venue provides a scenic coastal setting with several holes overlooking the water.
The championship layout combines the front nine of the Pine Course with the back nine of the Beach Course.
For the LPGA event, the course is listed as a par-72 layout measuring 6,785 yards.
Players must manage a combination of strategic bunkering, coastal conditions and demanding approach shots.
One hole that could play a significant role is the par-5 17th.
Measuring 536 yards, it features a winding fairway that opens toward the green.
Long hitters may consider attacking the green in two, but the risk of an inaccurate approach creates an important decision late in the round.
As the championship demonstrated in 2025, players capable of controlling their ball flight and maintaining scoring consistency can produce low totals at Pine Beach.
BMW Ladies Championship 2026: Schedule, Prize Money and Format
The 2026 tournament will be contested over four days, with 18 holes scheduled each day.
Official Tournament Schedule
| Round | Date |
|---|---|
| First round | Thursday, October 22 |
| Second round | Friday, October 23 |
| Third round | Saturday, October 24 |
| Final round | Sunday, October 25 |
The tournament carries a total prize fund of $2,350,000, with $352,500 allocated to the champion.
It also offers 500 Race to the CME Globe points to the winner, making it relevant to players seeking to improve their season-long standing ahead of November’s CME Group Tour Championship.
Golf Channel is scheduled to provide live coverage in the United States, with overnight broadcasts beginning on Wednesday, October 21, U.S. time.
Viewers outside the United States should consult the LPGA’s international broadcast listings for regional coverage.
Official tournament information, entries and updated scores are available through the LPGA BMW Ladies Championship page.
Who Will Win the 2026 BMW Ladies Championship?
The field contains several golfers with strong credentials, but four storylines stand out.
Sei Young Kim is attempting to become the tournament’s first back-to-back winner.
Haeran Ryu will look to extend an outstanding season that already includes two major victories.
Hyo Joo Kim has an opportunity to add another title to her successful 2026 campaign.
Meanwhile, Hye-Jin Choi arrives determined to respond after narrowly missing out in Shanghai.
The presence of leading KLPGA players also adds a competitive dimension to the event, particularly for domestic golfers seeking greater international recognition.
The championship is the second of four consecutive LPGA Tour events in Asia, preceding tournaments in Malaysia and Japan.
With a strong Korean contingent, several leading international players and an established coastal venue, the tournament is positioned to deliver another competitive week.
The immediate question is whether Sei Young Kim can repeat her emotional home victory—or whether one of her challengers will claim the $352,500 first prize on Sunday.
Reporting sources: LPGA Tour tournament information, BMW Group’s official October 16 preview, the official 2026 event page, LPGA player reporting and Yonhap News Agency’s October 20 tournament preview.