3 Korean players earn LPGA cards for 2026
In this Getty Images photo, Joo Soo-bin of Korea plays her shot from the fifth tee during the first round of The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican 2025 at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida, Nov. 13. AFP-Yonhap
Three Korean golfers have earned their LPGA membership for the 2026 season through the annual qualifying tournament, with two returning to the top women's golf circuit and one set for her debut.
Joo Soo-bin finished solo second as the top Korean at the LPGA Q-Series at Magnolia Grove in Mobile, Alabama, on Tuesday (local time), with the final stage having been cut from 90 holes to 72 holes due to inclement weather conditions over the past several days.
With the top 25 and ties earning their LPGA cards, Joo, 21, secured her return to the tour with plenty of room to spare, after finishing at 12-under 274. She started out 73-71 and finished with 64-66, going bogey-free in the final round.
Joo, 21, first joined the LPGA Tour in 2023. She has yet to win there, with a sixth-place finish at the 2023 ShopRite LPGA Classic remaining her career-best performance.
Juniper Jang and Lee Dong-eun tied for seventh to join Joo on the LPGA Tour. Jang shot a 67 in the final round while Lee carded a 72, as they finished at 10-under 276.
Jang, 22, has made 44 starts on the LPGA Tour since 2023 and has three career top-10s with no victory.
Lee, 21, has been on the Korea LPGA (KLPGA) Tour since turning pro in May 2023. She claimed a major title, the Korea Women's Open Golf Championship, as her maiden KLPGA title, in June this year.
With eight players tying for 24th, the cut line was five-under.
Among Korean players, Bang Shin-sil, a three-time KLPGA winner, came the closest after finishing at two-under. Lee Jeong-eun, the 2019 LPGA Rookie of the Year, was tied for 19th place at four-under but finished in a tie for 45th after carding a 76 — her worst round at the final stage.