Kim Min-sol chases title defense and season's fourth win after KLPGA prize record
In short
Kim Min-sol, 20, of Doosan Engineering & Construction will play the HJ Heavy Industries·Dongbu Construction Championship in Yangsan from Oct 8 to 11, seeking her first career title defense and a fourth win this season. Dong-A Ilbo reported her season earnings reached 1,529,979,428 won, a new KLPGA Tour single-season record, after she finished tied second at the Hite Jinro Championship. Seoul Shinmun said she is also targeting more than 1.6 billion won in season prize money.
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Kim Min-sol, 20, who plays for Doosan Engineering & Construction, will compete in the 2026 HJ Heavy Industries·Dongbu Construction Championship at A1 Country Club (par 72) in Yangsan, Gyeongnam, from Oct 8 to 11, Dong-A Ilbo reported. The tournament carries 1 billion won in total prize money. Kukmin Ilbo reported she enters as defending champion, and all three outlets said she is chasing her first career title defense and a fourth win this season. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Dong-A Ilbo reported that Kim finished tied second at the Hite Jinro Championship, the last major of the KLPGA Tour season, which ended on Oct 5, at even-par 288, four strokes behind winner Yoo Hae-ran, who finished at 4-under 284. She led through two rounds but lost five strokes in the third round, then cut one stroke in the final round to take runner-up, postponing the fourth win to a later event. [ 3 ]
That runner-up finish took her season earnings to 1,529,979,428 won, a new KLPGA Tour record for a single season, according to Dong-A Ilbo. Seoul Shinmun reported she is also aiming to pass 1.6 billion won in season prize money, describing her as the “Eagle Queen” and pointing to her attacking play, while Kukmin Ilbo framed the coming week as a chance at two targets at once. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The week is a chance for Kim to convert a record-setting season into a title defense on the KLPGA Tour, a domestic circuit whose leaders draw most attention inside South Korea. The outlets frame it as a milestone chase rather than a broader story, so its impact is limited to the tour and its season-ending records.
Key facts
- Kim Min-sol, 20, plays for Doosan Engineering & Construction on the KLPGA Tour. [ 3 ]
- She will compete in the 2026 HJ Heavy Industries·Dongbu Construction Championship at A1 Country Club (par 72) in Yangsan, Gyeongnam, from Oct 8 to 11. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The tournament has total prize money of 1 billion won. [ 3 ]
- She is going for her first career title defense and a fourth win this season. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- She finished tied second at the Hite Jinro Championship, the season's last major, which ended Oct 5, at even-par 288, four strokes behind winner Yoo Hae-ran. [ 3 ]
- Her season cumulative prize money of 1,529,979,428 won set a new KLPGA Tour single-season record. [ 3 ]
- Seoul Shinmun reported she is also aiming to pass 1.6 billion won in season prize money. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- The target of surpassing 1.6 billion won in season prize money appears only in Seoul Shinmun's headline; Dong-A Ilbo reported her cumulative total at 1,529,979,428 won. Single-source claim that is not reconciled with the other outlets' figures.
- Yoo Hae-ran's win at the Hite Jinro Championship and Kim's tied-second finish are reported only by Dong-A Ilbo. Single-source detail; other documents carry no article text on the majors result.
- The result of the HJ Heavy Industries·Dongbu Construction Championship is not yet known. The tournament is scheduled for Oct 8 to 11, after the documents were published.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Kukmin Ilbo reports that defending champion Kim Min-sol will target a title defense and a fourth win at the HJ Heavy Industries·Dongbu Construction Championship. [ 1 ]
- Seoul Shinmun reports Kim is also chasing season prize money past 1.6 billion won. [ 2 ]
- Dong-A Ilbo reports Kim set a KLPGA single-season prize money record and will now challenge for her first title defense and a fourth win. [ 3 ]