Kim Min-sol, born in 2006, has dominated the 2026 season of the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour, ushering in the 'Kim Min-sol Era' by sweeping the Player of the Year, prize money leader, and Rookie of the Year awards.
On November 8, Kim finished the KLPGA Tour's final event, the Daebo House D Championship, at the Seowon Hills Course in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, with a score of 8-under 208, tying for sixth place.
With this performance, Kim added 42 points to her Player of the Year total, bringing her season total to 567 points. Heading into the final event, she trailed Seo Kyo-rim by 38 points but managed to overcome the deficit. Seo finished the final round with a score of 4-over 220, tying for 52nd place and ending the season with 563 points.
Earlier, on October 4, Kim secured the Rookie of the Year title at the 26th Hite Jinro Championship. In the prize money category, she accumulated 1.628 billion won, surpassing Seo Kyo-rim's 1.420 billion won to claim the top prize. Kim is the first player in KLPGA history to exceed 1.6 billion won in a single season.
It has been 20 years since a rookie has claimed both the Player of the Year and prize money leader titles in the same season, a feat last achieved by Shin Ji-ae in 2006, who also won the lowest stroke average and most titles that year.
After the tournament, when asked which award brought her more joy, Kim said, "I tried not to think about the Player of the Year, but I did some calculations yesterday. So today, I valued every stroke. I don't know how it will turn out, but I have no regrets. If I win the Player of the Year, it will be more meaningful because it was harder to achieve."
Standing at 178 cm, Kim is known for her long drives and was nicknamed 'Giant Baby' since her amateur days. In 2023, she contributed to the national team's victory at the World Amateur Team Championships and won a silver medal in the women's team event at the Hangzhou Asian Games. She joined the Doosan Construction We've Golf Team as a founding member that year.
Her professional debut was not smooth. After becoming a KLPGA member in July 2024, Kim finished 83rd in the regular tour seed ranking event that year, leading her to start in the second-tier Dream Tour last year.
However, her resurgence came quickly. Kim won four times on the Dream Tour last year, honing her skills. She then secured her regular tour seed by winning the KLPGA Tour BC Card & Han Kyung Ladies Cup in August, where she led wire-to-wire. She added her second victory at the Dongbu Construction & Korea Land Trust Championship in October.
Kim's participation in 15 regular tour events last year did not meet the required number, allowing her to retain her rookie status into this season. Her impressive performance led her peers to name her a strong candidate for Player of the Year during the season-opening media day.
With high expectations, Kim started the season strong, winning all three of her titles in the first half of the year. She claimed her first major victory at the 40th Korean Women's Open in June and triumphed at the McCall & Mona Yongpyong Open later that month after a second playoff hole. Although she did not win in the second half of the season, she remained competitive in major tournaments, finishing as runner-up at the BC Card & Han Kyung 48th KLPGA Championship after a playoff against Seo Kyo-rim and tying for second at the Hite Jinro Championship, where she secured her Rookie of the Year title.
This season, Kim's most notable achievement has been her consistent performance. She made the cut in all 25 tournaments she entered, finishing in the top 10 11 times, including three victories.
Regarding her consistent cuts, Kim stated, "I believed that making the cut was the most important. There were moments when I almost missed the cut, but I tried not to give up and do my best. There were times I made the cut by just one stroke. I focused a lot on the process. When I thought about the results, things often didn't go well."
Her long drives and precise iron shots have also drawn attention. Kim ranked second in driving distance with an average of 259.50 yards and led the tour with 11 eagles, surpassing the previous single-season record of nine set by Jang Hana in 2013. She also ranked third in average strokes (70.76) and average birdies per round (3.60), proving her elite status on the tour.
Doosan Construction has seen success with Kim's rise, having supported her from her professional transition through her time on the second-tier tour to securing her spot on the regular tour. After signing a sub-sponsorship deal with Shin Ji-ae last year, Kim had the opportunity to learn from the veteran. Last month, she met with Shin to gain insights and advice from her experiences.
Kim expressed her gratitude, saying, "This season will be unforgettable for me. I am truly happy and honored to have won my first major title, along with the Player of the Year, prize money leader, and Rookie of the Year awards. I believe this achievement is thanks to Doosan Construction, my teammates, and the fans who supported me at every tournament, known as 'Weber.'"
Having made her debut on the international stage at the US Women's Open and AIG Women's Open this year, Kim plans to participate in more overseas tour events next year. She said, "I want to participate in as many major tournaments as possible. This year, my goal was to gain experience and make the cut, but next year, I want to grow and compete at a higher level."
However, the KLPGA Tour this season was not solely Kim's domain. Other players also showcased impressive performances in the title race.
Seo Kyo-rim, last year's Rookie of the Year, began her season with her first career win at the Celltrion Queens Masters and followed it up with victories at the MediHeal & Korea Ilbo Championship and the major 48th KLPGA Championship, securing four wins and the title of most victories. Despite battling rib pain in the second half of the season, she finished second in Player of the Year points (563) and second in prize money.
The lowest stroke average award went to Yoo Hyun-jo, who won the final Daebo House D Championship with a total score of 14-under 202, achieving her third victory of the season. Yoo managed to lower her average score to 70.68 in the final tournament, overtaking Seo Kyo-rim.
This season, a record five players surpassed 1 billion won in prize money, including Kim Min-sol, Seo Kyo-rim, and Yoo Hyun-jo (1.185 billion won), along with Lee Ye-won (1.049 billion won) and Kim Min-sun 7 (1.045 billion won), breaking the previous record of four players.
Additionally, Park Min-ji set a record for the most career wins (20) with her victory at the Sh Bank MBN Women's Open in May and became the first player to surpass 7 billion won (7.085 billion won) in total prize money at the Hana Financial Group Championship.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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