May, known as the "queen of seasons," is a special month for golf fans. Under the warm sunshine, fans can fully enjoy golf. But there is something else that excites golf fans even more: the birth of a new "NH Queen," which fits perfectly with the fresh greenery, vitality and festive atmosphere. The most popular tournament on the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour, which sets new attendance records every year, takes place at this time.
The 2026 NH Queen will be crowned at the KLPGA Tour's NH Investment & Securities Ladies Championship, held over three days starting May 8. As always, the competition will unfold at Suwon CC (par 72) in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province.
Meeting KLPGA Stars by Subway… The Driving Force Behind the Tour's Most Popular Event
Launched in 2008 and now in its 18th edition, the NH Investment & Securities Ladies Championship is considered one of the most attractive tournaments on the KLPGA Tour. The reason is its "insane accessibility" via public transportation. Suwon CC, where the tournament is held, is just 550 meters from Giheung Station, where the Yongin Light Rail and Suin-Bundang Line meet. Metropolitan buses that reach the venue from Seoul's Gangnam district in about 40 minutes also pass right in front of the course. A short walk along the access road from the main gate leads straight to the clubhouse and course.
Galleries driving their own vehicles can also visit with ease. The main gallery parking lot for the tournament will be set up at Gangnam University, 1.2 kilometers from Suwon CC. From there, a gallery shuttle reaches the venue in just seven minutes. It is an advantage that cannot be compared with other tournaments that take more than an hour to reach even by car.
However, as part of efforts to address the energy crisis caused by the Middle East conflict, this year's tournament will implement an odd-even license plate system. Galleries visiting by public transportation instead of private vehicles will receive a 10,000 won discount on tickets as part of a promotional event.
The excellent accessibility is reflected directly in gallery numbers. Around 30,000 spectators gather during the tournament period, with 31,552 attending last year. This year, with the tournament falling during the "golden holiday" stretch that includes Children's Day on May 5 and Parents' Day on May 8, attendance is expected to exceed last year's figures.
When the thunderous cheers of the many galleries echo across the course, the players' adrenaline naturally surges. This is why memorable matches repeatedly unfold at the NH Investment & Securities Ladies Championship every year.
A Premier 'Star Gateway' Where Golf Legends Have Passed Through
Held 17 times, excluding 2020 when it could not take place due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NH Investment & Securities Ladies Championship is also famous as a tournament that has produced "legends" representing Korean women's golf.
Shin Ji-yai, who won the inaugural tournament in 2008, went on to become a top player with a career total of 67 professional wins (including one amateur victory). Ryu So-yeon, the 2009 champion, and Kim Sei-young, the 2014 champion, advanced to the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour and won six and 13 titles respectively, elevating the status of Korean women's golf. Kim Sei-young in particular demonstrated she remains a force by lifting a trophy for the first time in a while at the BMW Championship held last October at Pine Beach CC in Haenam, South Jeolla Province.
Im Jin-hee, the 2023 champion, also ended her title drought last June in her second year on the LPGA Tour, lifting the trophy alongside Lee So-mi at the Dow Championship, a two-player team event.
The strong performance of NH Investment & Securities Golf Team players is also one of the key viewing points of this tournament. Since its founding in 2011, the NH Investment & Securities Golf Team has built a reputation as a "golf powerhouse" with 43 career wins. Star player Park Min-ji captured the triple crown of Player of the Year, Prize Money Queen and Most Wins with six victories in 2021, then took home the Prize Money Queen and Most Wins titles again in 2022 with another six victories.
Lee Ga-young debuted on the KLPGA Tour in 2018 as a member of NH Investment & Securities. After winning the Dongbu Construction Korea Land Trust Championship in 2022 and the Lotte Open in 2024, Lee firmly established herself as a top-ranked player on tour by winning the Celltrion Queens Masters in June 2025.
Jung Yun-ji won her first career title at the 2022 E1 Charity Open after a five-hole playoff and more than seven hours of play. Jung, who drew attention as a prospect after winning a team silver medal at the 2018 Asian Games, has been posting strong results on the KLPGA Tour every year. Last June, she won her second career title at the Sh Suhyup Bank MBN Women's Open.
"The NH Investment & Securities Ladies Championship is a truly special tournament for me personally. It is a tournament that makes me proud to be a member of the NH Investment & Securities Golf Team, and naturally fills me with pride. That is why I want to show an even better performance," Park said of her determination.
A retirement ceremony will also be held for Lee Mi-rim, an NH Investment & Securities Golf Team member who has won four times on the LPGA Tour and three times on the KLPGA Tour. Lee Mi-rim's retirement ceremony will take place before the awards ceremony following the final round. Watching the farewell of a player who represents the NH Investment & Securities Golf Team as she leaves the field is another reason to attend this tournament.
'First-Ever Three-Peat Bid' Lee Ye-won VS 'All-Time Most Wins Target' Park Min-ji
The biggest attraction of this tournament is whether Lee Ye-won, who claimed the "NH Queen" title in both 2024 and 2025, can achieve a "three-peat." Lee won her first title at the tournament in 2024 with a 13-under 203, finishing three strokes ahead of runner-up Yoon Yi-na. Last year, she defeated Prize Money Queen Hong Jung-min by two strokes to claim back-to-back titles. Both victories were wire-to-wire wins in which she overwhelmed her competitors with dominant play.
Should Lee win this year's tournament as well, she would surpass Park Min-ji — currently tied with her at two consecutive and two total wins — to become the record holder.
Lee's strong form since the start of the season boosts her chances of achieving the milestone. After finishing runner-up at the season-opening Rejuran Championship in March, Lee slumped to a tie for 18th at the domestic opener The Siena Open but showed her sharpening form by entering her second top-10 of the season (tied for 6th) at the iM Financial Open, which concluded on the 12th.
At the Deokshin EPC Championship, which ended on the 26th, she captured her first victory of the season and the 10th of her career, once again proving her nickname "Queen of Spring."
There is also a strong chance that a new record will be set in the history of the KLPGA Tour at this year's NH Investment & Securities Ladies Championship. The contender is Park Min-ji of the NH Investment & Securities Golf Team, who is aiming to tie the KLPGA all-time wins record.
Park added a victory at the 2024 Celltrion Queens Masters to reach 19 career wins. She now needs just one more win to tie the KLPGA Tour all-time wins record of 20. At age 27, she stands on the verge of joining KLPGA Hall of Famers the late Ku Ok-hee and Shin Ji-yai.
The fond memories Park holds from her sponsor's tournament also fuel expectations for her record-setting achievement. In the final round of the 2021 NH Investment & Securities Ladies Championship, Park held off Ahn Na-rin, who was chasing by one stroke, to win her first title at this tournament at 14-under par. In 2022, Park remained dominant. She moved into a tie for the lead by shaving four strokes off her score in the second round, then edged out three players tied for second place by one stroke in the final round to lift her second trophy.
Park, who has not won this tournament for about three years since her last victory, aims to use a win at her sponsor's event as the starting point for a new leap forward.
