Kim Seo-a, 14, a rising prospect in Korean women's golf, is set to make her debut on the Japan Ladies Professional Golf Association (JLPGA) Tour.
Kim, an eighth-grade amateur, has been named to the field for the Miyazato Ai Suntory Ladies Golf Tournament (total prize money of 150 million yen), which runs for four days from Sunday at Rokko International Golf Club (par 72) in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan.
Kim has drawn attention for her height (171 cm) and her long drives that reach up to 290 yards. In April, she made her mark as a next-generation star by finishing tied for fourth at The Sienna Open, the domestic season opener of the 2026 Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour. At the NH Investment & Securities Ladies Championship held last month at Suwon CC, she launched a 311.2-yard driver shot on the 17th hole (par 5) in the second round. The following day, in the final third round, she also set a new KLPGA Tour record as the youngest hole-in-one player (14 years, 3 months and 23 days).
Expectations are building over whether the "long-hitting girl" Kim Seo-a, competing as an invited amateur, will capture the attention of the Japanese golf scene after making her name at home.
The Suntory Ladies boasts a total prize purse on par with the JLPGA Tour's major events. The tournament began in 1990, and since 2018, Miyazato Ai has served as ambassador. She recorded 24 combined victories on the Japan and U.S. tours and became the first Japanese player to reach world No. 1 in women's golf. Notably, since 2021, the winner and runner-up of this event receive entry to the AIG Women's Open, a women's golf major.
Korean players including Won Jae-sook, Lee Ji-hee, Ahn Sun-ju, Kang Soo-yeon and Kim Ha-neul have won the title. In particular, Kim Hyo-joo competed as an amateur in 2012 and lifted the trophy.
