A special tournament created directly by professionals and fan clubs was held. The 3rd iBridge.com KPGA Fan Club Championship took place at Gunsan Country Club in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, on Wednesday.
This tournament is a golf festival created by 10 fan clubs who love the Korea Professional Golfers' Association (KPGA) Tour. It is a rare "fan club-driven" event in Korea's golf scene. The 10 KPGA fan clubs participated in the entire process from planning to preparation.
Among KPGA players, Heo In-hoe, Kim Hong-taek, Kim Bi-o, Choi Seung-bin, Bae Yong-jun, Shin Yong-gu, Kim Bong-seop, Hwang Jae-min, Na Byeong-gwan, and Kong Tae-hyun competed. Each team consisted of one professional and three amateur fans.
The tournament was played in a two-person scramble format, where each player plays their own ball, selects the better positioned ball, then both play from that spot with the better score counting as the team score. The Kim Bong-seop fan club won with a combined two-group total of 13-under-par 131.
After the tournament, a trick shot competition called "Black and White Chef Shot" was held featuring the professional players' technical skills. Players delighted fans by showcasing various shots including stingers, low fades, draws, and high balls. Heo In-hoe won the trick shot competition.
The spirit of giving was not forgotten either. Following the first and second tournaments, 5 million won in scholarships was donated to aspiring young golfers. The initiative aims to demonstrate the positive influence of fandom.
"The Fan Club Championship is not just a game but a special stage where professionals and fans truly become one," said Park Soon-hwa, CEO of iBridge.com. "I hope this becomes an opportunity for healthy fandom culture to spread further on the KPGA Tour."
An official from Minplay, which organized the tournament, said, "Our goal is to expand the Fan Club Championship and develop it into a regular tour event like the PGA Tour's AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in the future."