DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. and WONJU, GANGWON, South Korea (Aug 8, 2022) – The LPGA Tour and BMW Korea announced today that Oak Valley Country Club in Wonju, Gangwon, South Korea will host the 2022 BMW Ladies Championship. The tournament is set to be played October 20-23 with a field of 78 players competing for a $2 million purse and $300,000 winner’s check.
“I am thrilled to share that the 2022 BMW Ladies Championship will be played at the Oak Valley Country Club, one of the premier golf courses in Korea,” said Sean Pyun, the LPGA’s Chief Business Officer-Asia. “With our partner BMW Korea, we cannot wait to showcase the world’s best players on this dynamic championship stage to the worldwide LPGA audience.”
Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., Oak Valley Country Club opened in 1998 and is one of four golf facilities located at HDC Resort. It’s the first time that Oak Valley will host a major international competition as well as the first time this venue will be exposed to global golf fans. Oak Valley consists of four nine-hole courses – Oak, Maple, Pine and Cherry – and the BMW Ladies Championship will be contested on a combination of the Oak, Maple and Cherry courses this year.
“We are happy to hold the competition on a luxury course that helps to preserve the beautiful natural environment that surrounds it,” said Sangyun Han, Representative Director and President of BMW Group Korea. “We plan to continue to sustain our role as a premium championship with various programs that will contribute to the development of the golf industry as well as the local community.”
Younghwan Cho, CEO of HDC Resort, said, “I am honored to host the BMW Ladies Championship at Oak Valley, which is being transformed into the most prestigious golf resort in Korea with a total of 93 holes, the largest in the country. In order to ensure a successful competition, we will do our best to create a safe and comfortable environment where galleries can immerse themselves in the experience of the championship while providing a perfectly set up golf course for the world’s top athletes to show off their utmost skills.”
The BMW Ladies Championship became an official LPGA Tour event in 2019 and was played at LPGA International Busan in the previous two editions. Ha Na Jang won the inaugural BMW Ladies Championship in a playoff over Danielle Kang, and with her victory in 2021, Rolex Rankings No. 1 Jin Young Ko earned the 200th LPGA Tour win by a Korean-born player.
The 2022 BMW Ladies Championship is open to spectators and all four rounds will be broadcast on Golf Channel.
About The BMW Group
With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. The BMW Group production network comprises over 30 production sites worldwide; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.
In 2021, the BMW Group sold over 2.5 million passenger vehicles and more than 194,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2021 was € 16.1 billion on revenues amounting to € 111.2 billion. As of 31 December 2021, the BMW Group had a workforce of 118,909 employees.
The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company set the course for the future at an early stage and consistently makes sustainability and efficient resource management central to its strategic direction, from the supply chain through production to the end of the use phase of all products.
About HDC Resort
HDC Resort, a top leader in the leisure industry in Korea, presents a prestigious lifestyle destination featuring the finest hospitality and entertainment including wellness, culture, leisure, gourmet food and accommodation, as well as premium golf courses in the midst of beautiful Mother Nature. HDC Resort has some of the largest golf courses within a single facility, including the 36-hole Oak Valley CC designed by world-renowned master Robert Trent Jones Jr., the 18-hole Oak Hills CC designed by Jack Nicklaus and the 9-hole public course Oak Creek GC.
Additionally, Seongmunan Country Club, a luxurious 18-hole public golf course designed by Noh Jun-taek, a well-known expert on course analysis, is having its grand opening in September. Seongmunan boasts spectacular views and a variety of lengths of tee as well as pristine bentgrass fairways. Following the opening of Seongmunan CC, Oak Creek GC will expand, incorporating another 9 holes and 3 practice holes in 2023, setting a new record of being the first and largest golf club in Korea with 93 total holes.
About the LPGA
The LPGA is the world’s leading professional golf organization for women, with a goal to change the face of golf by making the sport more accessible and inclusive.
Created in 1950 by 13 Founders, the Association celebrates a diverse and storied history. The LPGA Tour competes across the globe, reaching television audiences in more than 220 countries. The Epson Tour, the LPGA’s official qualifying tour, consistently produces a pipeline of talent ready for the world stage. The LPGA also holds a joint-venture collaboration with the Ladies European Tour (LET), increasing playing opportunities for female golfers in Europe. Across the three Tours, the LPGA represents players in more than 60 countries.
Additionally, the LPGA Foundation has empowered and supported girls and women since 1991, most notably through LPGA*USGA Girls Golf, the only national program of its kind, which annually engages with nearly 100,000 girls. The LPGA Amateur Golf Association and LPGA Women’s Network provide virtual and in-person connections to female golfers around the world, while LPGA Professionals are educators, business leaders and gamechangers dedicated to growing the game of golf for everyone.
Follow the LPGA on its U.S. television home, Golf Channel, online at www.LPGA.com and on its mobile apps. Join the social conversation on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
COURTESY LPGA TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
