The total prize money is 25 billion won. In fact, it can be said to be the first major tournament of the season.
Kim Joo-hyeong (21) and Lim Seong-jae (25), who are the signs of Korean men’s golf, will compete against world top players such as Rory McIlroy (1st place), Scotty Scheffler (2nd place), and Jon Lam (3rd place). The US Professional Golf (PGA) Tour WM Phoenix Open, worth 4.5 billion won in Korean money, opens on the 9th (Korean time) at TPC Scottsdale (par 71, 7261 yards) in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.
18 of the top 20 players in the world rankings will participate in the event. Therefore, it is a tournament that can accurately grasp the current state of Korean men’s golf, which is currently on the rise.
Unlike other golf tournaments, the Phoenix Open is famous as a “golf liberation zone” because drinking, cheering, and booing are allowed during the game. Mental strength to maintain composure is emphasized more than any other competition.
Last year’s total prize money was 8.2 million dollars, but this year’s total prize money more than doubled to 20 million dollars (approximately 25.09 billion won). If you win, you will receive 3.6 million dollars (about 4.5 billion won). The reason the prize money has increased so much is because the PGA Tour has designated 17 tournaments in the 2022-2023 메이저놀이터season as “special events.” Top rankers are obliged to appear in the special tournament. It is part of the carrot book issued to players to prevent top rankers from leaving the LIV series, which was launched last year with the support of Saudi Arabian capital.
The 17 tournaments consisted of four major tournaments, the Players Championship, called the ‘fifth major’, three FedEx Cup playoff tournaments on the PGA Tour, and nine general tournaments. Players who ranked in the top 20 of the PGA Tour’s ‘Player Impact Index’ last season can only miss one out of 17 tournaments.
In addition to Kim Joo-hyung and Lim Seong-jae, Korean players include Kim Si-woo (28) and Lee Gyeong-hun (32). In particular, Lee Kyung-hoon has a history of winning runner-up in this competition in 2021. Im Seong-jae tied for 4th at the last Farmers Insurance Open, and Kim Joo-hyung continues his steady skills by entering the top 10 twice in the new year.
On the 12th, the final day of this year’s tournament, the NFL Super Bowl is held in Glendale, Arizona, and the festive atmosphere at the venue is expected to be even more heated.