Herald-KYJ golf tournament to kick off on Jejudo Island

The Herald-KYJ Tour Championship golf tournament will take place at the Lotte Skyhill Jeju Country Club on Jejudo Island from Oct. 30 to Nov. 2.

The event is organized by the Korea Professional Golfers’ Association, cosponsored by golf wear company KYJ and The Herald Business, and aired by golf cable channel J Golf. The tournament was launched last year to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Herald Corp.

About 100 players will compete for the championship title and $60,000, with total prize money reaching $300,000. The results will have an impact on the Korean Tour’s money rankings, lowest score record of the season and players’ seeds for the next season. The game will be based on a four-round, 72-hole stroke play. 

Last year’s event was won by then-26-year-old Jeju native Hur In-hoi. In the final round, the Korean shot a 1-under 71 to finish with a 12-under 276. Hur told reporters that he was familiar with the terrain of the course as he had won the Lotte Skyhill Open as an amateur in 2006.

Eyes at the tournament are on whether Hur can defend his title. His rebounding record this season with his championship at Japan Golf Tour Open saw him break Japan’s maximum under-par record at 28-under 260. But Hur failed to make the cut at the Japan Open and Korea Open.

Hur, the once-undisputed top dog on Korea’s amateur circuit, made the national amateur team in 2005 and 2006, but was eliminated from the team for the 2006 Doha Asian Games after a string of poor performances in tryouts. He debuted on the professional tour in 2008 and won the Philos Open in the same year.

Herald Corp. has devoted its capacity to nurture Koreans’ passion for the sport, hosting an international golf tournament for middle and high school students from 1990-1992, a mid-amateur championship from 1993-2002, the Farmax Open in 1990 and Lyle & Scott Ladies’ Open from 1989-1995.

By Joel Lee (joel@heraldcorp.com)