Lee Junghwan Embarks on New Challenge at DP World Tour: "Excited and Looking Forward"

Secures Two-Year Exemption with Genesis Championship Victory
Set to Compete in Nedbank Golf Challenge Starting December 4
Knee Surgery and Recovery: "I Will Achieve the Results I Want"

All preparations are complete. A new challenge begins on the big stage.

Lee Junghwan will compete on the DP World Tour. Starting December 4 (local time), he will participate in the DP World Tour Nedbank Golf Challenge, which will be held for four days at the Gary Player Country Club (par 72, 7,819 yards) in Sun City, South Africa. The total prize money for the event is 6 million dollars. On December 2, Lee Junghwan stated through the Korea Professional Golfers' Association (KPGA), "As this is the first tournament of the 2026 season, I am both excited and looking forward to it. I will do my best in every round to achieve the results I want."

Lee Junghwan will participate in the DP World Tour Nedbank Golf Challenge. Photo by KPGA

Lee Junghwan won the Genesis Championship in October, a tournament co-hosted by the KPGA Tour and the DP World Tour. This victory marked his third career win and his first since the Golfzon DYB Education Tour Championship in November 2018, ending a seven-year drought. By winning this event, he secured a two-year exemption on the DP World Tour.

After the season ended, he underwent knee surgery. He suffered a torn cartilage injury in his right knee and received surgical treatment. Lee Junghwan explained, "I had chronic issues with my right knee, and I twisted it slightly. When I learned the cartilage was torn, I had surgery. Since then, I have focused on recovery. I took time to rest and regroup, and there are no major issues affecting my play."

On November 30, Lee Junghwan departed for South Africa to participate in the Nedbank Golf Challenge. He said, "My biggest goal is to qualify for the PGA Tour as a top-ranked player in the Race to Dubai. This is my first season. Just as you can't be satisfied after your first attempt, I want to perform consistently throughout the new season. If an opportunity arises, I will never let it slip away."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.