Who are the top players competing in the 2026 BMW Ladies Championship?

Ryu Hae-ran, Kim Sei-young and Kim Hyo-joo are the leading Korean players in the field, ranked No. 3, No. 9 and No. 5, respectively. England’s Lottie Woad, ranked No. 7, is the only other top-10 player named.

When and where will the 2026 BMW Ladies Championship be played?

The four-day BMW Ladies Championship begins Oct. 22 at Pine Beach Golf Links in Haenam, South Jeolla Province. The course is approximately 330 kilometers south of Seoul.

Can a non-LPGA member qualify for LPGA membership by winning the BMW Ladies Championship?

Yes. A non-LPGA member who wins an LPGA tournament becomes eligible for LPGA membership and may accept an LPGA card immediately or defer it until the beginning of the following season.

2-time major champion Ryu Hae-ran headlines field at LPGA Tour event in Korea

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Summary

Ryu Hae-ran will headline the field at the BMW Ladies Championship, which begins Oct. 22 at Pine Beach Golf Links in Haenam. The world No. 3 and two-time major champion will be joined by defending champion Kim Sei-young and world No. 5 Kim Hyo-joo. Ryu won two majors this summer and a KLPGA major in early October. Kim Sei-young will seek to become the first player to win consecutive BMW Ladies Championships.

Key Facts

The four-day tournament will feature more than 80 players at Pine Beach Golf Links, about 330 kilometers south of Seoul in South Jeolla Province.
Ryu won the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in June and the Amundi Evian Championship in July.
Kim Hyo-joo has two LPGA victories and four additional top-10 finishes in 16 starts this season.
Lottie Woad, ranked No. 7, is the only other top-10 player in the field besides Ryu, Kim Sei-young and Kim Hyo-joo.
Fifteen KLPGA Tour players will compete, including Kim Min-sol, who leads the Korean tour in money and Rookie of the Year points, and Seo Kyo-rim, who leads the Player of the Year standings.

By Yonhap

Published Oct 14, 2026 3:08 pm KST

Ryu Hae-ran of Korea tees off on the fifth hole during the final round of the FM Championship at TPC Boston in Norton, Massachusetts, Aug. 30, in this Getty Images photo. Yonhap

World No. 3 and two-time major champion Ryu Hae-ran will headline the field of over 80 players at the upcoming LPGA Tour event in Korea.

Organizers of the BMW Ladies Championship announced Wednesday Ryu will be the highest-ranked player teeing off when the four-day tournament begins Oct. 22 at Pine Beach Golf Links in Haenam, some 330 kilometers south of Seoul in South Jeolla Province.

Ryu will be joined by the defending champion Kim Sei-young, No. 9 in the latest rankings, and world No. 5 Kim Hyo-joo, who has two LPGA wins this season.

Ryu captured back-to-back major titles this summer, the KPMG Women's PGA Championship in June and the Amundi Evian Championship in July, to crack the top three in the world rankings. Ryu also won a Korea LPGA (KLPGA) major tournament at the start of October.

At last year's BMW tournament, Kim Sei-young ended her five-year LPGA title drought with her wire-to-wire victory and did so in front of her family and friends. She is from Yeongam, a town about a 30-minute drive from Haenam. The 33-year-old will try to become the first player to win consecutive BMW Ladies Championships.

Kim Hyo-joo is having a strong season, too, with two victories and four other top-10 finishes in 16 starts.

Aside from this trio of Koreans, English star Lottie Woad, at No. 7, is the only other top-10 player in the field.

The tournament will also feature 15 players from the KLPGA Tour, including Kim Min-sol and Seo Kyo-rim.

Kim, a 20-year-old rookie, is currently leading the Korean tour in money and the Rookie of the Year points. Seo is the leader in the Player of the Year points and sits second behind Kim in money.

Seo has won four tournaments this year to Kim's three, but Kim is currently the top KLPGA player in the world rankings at No. 13, 19 spots ahead of Seo.

A non-LPGA member who wins an LPGA tournament becomes eligible for LPGA membership. That player can either accept LPGA card immediately or defer it to the start of the following season.

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