Lee Dong-eun (KLPGA) The major tournaments in women's golf will continue in Korea this week.The Korea Women's Open Golf Championship, a national title event co-hosted by the Korea Golf Association and Mercedes-Benz Korea, will be held for four days starting Thursday at Lakewood Country Club in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province (par 71, 6,663 yards).Marking its 40th edition this year, the tournament offers a total prize fund of 1.5 billion won ($990,000) and a winner's prize of 400 million won, attracting top Korean players competing domestically and abroad. Last year's total purse was 1.2 billion won, with 300 million won awarded to the winner.Starting this year, the winner of the Korea Women's Open will receive entry into two major events: the AIG Women's Open, one of the LPGA majors, and the Japan Women's Open Championship, Japan's national title event.Following the US Women's Open that concluded Monday, this tournament has 132 players competing for the title, including defending champion Lee Dong-eun, who plays on the LPGA Tour, and Shin Ji-ae, active on the JLPGA Tour.Lee Dong-eun did not compete in the US Women's Open and instead played in last week's domestic Celltrion Queens Masters to fine-tune her form.Shin Ji-ae is returning to the event for the first time in 18 years, since winning the Korea Women's Open in 2008.On the KLPGA Tour, a strong field includes Park Hyun-kyung, who has eight career wins, as well as season winners Seo Gyo-rim, Park Min-ji, Bang Shin-sil, Yoo Hyeon-jo, Lee Ye-won, Kim Min-seon, Kim Min-sol, Ko Ji-won and Im Jin-young.As this week's event carries the largest prize purse among the remaining first-half tournaments, it is expected to be a turning point in rankings, including the money list race.In the prize money standings, Seo Gyo-rim leads with 535 million won, but from second place Kim Min-seon (424.24 million won) to fifth place Bang Shin-sil (371.21 million won), the gaps are not large.The race for the Player of the Year points is similarly tight, with Seo Gyo-rim in first place on 187 points and Kim Min-seon in fifth on 142 points."Super rookie" Kim Min-sol is also considered one of the strong contenders. She already had two wins before joining the main tour, and this year added another victory at the iM Financial Open, maintaining her lead in the Rookie of the Year race.Park Min-ji's pursuit of the all-time KLPGA win record remains alive. After reaching 20 career wins with a victory at the Shinhyup Bank MBN Women's Open, she briefly took a break with a tied-25th finish at the Celltrion Queens Masters.Winner of the 2021 edition Park Min-ji will aim for her 21st career KLPGA win, as she attempts to reclaim the title after five years.Last year's KLPGA Player of the Year Yoo Hyeon-jo will also continue her demanding schedule, competing in the Korea Women's Open immediately after finishing the US Women's Open alongside Shin Ji-ae.(This article was produced with the assistance of AI. — Ed.)