The Korea Professional Golf Association (KPGA) Tour finally awakens from its long winter hiatus. This season features a highly anticipated showdown between Ok Tae-hoon (Keumkang Housing), who dominated the 2025 season, and Jang Yu-bin (Shinhan Financial Group), a six-time winner in 2024 returning from LIV Golf.
According to the KPGA on January 13, this season's tour will feature a total of 20 events with prize money of 24.4 billion won ($17.9 million) or more.
The DB Insurance Promi Open (total prize money 1 billion won), held from January 16 to 19 at Laviebelle Golf & Resort in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, marks the season opener. A seven-month journey awaits, culminating in the season-ending KPGA Tour Championship in Jeju in early November.
The 2026 KPGA Tour maintains the same 20 events as the 2025 season. Last year saw two fewer events than the previous year. However, total prize money is expected to decrease slightly from last year.
The KPGA Tour, which featured approximately 26.9 billion won in prize money last year, will offer 24.4 billion won or more this year. The prize money for the Kolon 68th Korea Open remains undetermined. Last year's Korea Open had a purse of 1.4 billion won.
This season opens with the DB Insurance Promi Open. After the Gunsan CC Open (total prize money 700 million won or more), the first half of the season concludes, with the remaining schedule resuming from the SBS Open (tentative name) in the last week of August.
Among events solely organized by the KPGA Tour, the KPGA Championship offers the largest purse at 1.6 billion won. Including events co-organized with overseas tours, the Genesis Championship with $4 million (approximately 5.9 billion won) offers the largest prize money.
The "Big 6" players are expected to compete fiercely for victories on the KPGA Tour this year. Ok Tae-hoon, who showed dominant form last season, is the strongest contender. He recorded three wins in 2025 and finished in the top 10 a remarkable 10 times. He is expected to continue that momentum this season.
Jang Yu-bin, returning from LIV Golf, is considered the top challenger to Ok Tae-hoon. Jang competed in Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf in 2025. Struggling to finish high in the standings due to a wrist injury, he ultimately lost his spot and chose to "U-turn" back to the Korean circuit. Despite last season's struggles, few doubt Jang's abilities. Although he tasted failure in LIV Golf, Jang gained valuable experience competing on the bigger stage and dreams of another breakthrough on the domestic tour this season.
Kim Baek-jun, who debuted on the regular tour in 2024, also deserves attention. He claimed his first tour victory at the season-opening DB Insurance Promi Open last year, followed by runner-up finishes at the GS Caltex MK Open and Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance K.J. Choi Invitational, establishing himself as a top-ranked player on the tour.
Moon Do-yeop, who won twice at the GS Caltex MK Open in May and the Founders Cup in September for his first multi-win season since his debut; Kim Hong-taek, returning after overcoming a back injury; and Heo In-hoe, who endured a difficult period due to a doping suspension last season and returns with renewed determination, are all players eyeing tour dominance this season.
