01스타 플레이어들의 맞대결과 관전 포인트
미국여자프로골프(LPGA) 투어 '2026 롯데 챔피언십 프레젠티드 바이 호아카레이(2026 LOTTE Championship presented by Hoakalei)'의 주요 조(Featured Groups) 편성이 공개됐다.
이번 대회는 세계 정상급 골퍼들이 대거 출전해 치열한 우승 경쟁을 펼칠 예정으로, 대회 측은 골프 팬들의 관심이 집중될 주요 조 편성을 통해 대회 열기를 더하고 있다.
주요 조에 배치된 스타 플레이어들은 대회 초반부터 흥미진진한 샷 대결을 선보일 것으로 기대를 모으며, 중계방송과 공식 채널을 통해 집중 조명될 예정이다.
02Original (English) — LPGA
Hyo Joo Kim (L), Youmin Hwang (C), Jeeno Thitikul (R)
Amy Rogers is an award winning multimedia journalist and freelance writer who has covered professional golf since 2007. She is a contributor to LPGA.com in addition to the Golf Channel and BBC's coverage of the LPGA Tour.
This week, the LPGA Tour returns to Hawaii for the 14th playing of the LOTTE Championship presented by Hoakalei Country Club where 120 of the top-ranked players in the world will compete for a $4 mil purse. This year’s tournament will feature a change in schedule as it moves to a Thursday - Sunday schedule after being played for several years earlier in the week. As the Tour winds into the closing stretch of the season, here’s a closer look at some of the groups to keep an eye on during the first two rounds of the LOTTE Championship.
Thursday, 7:22 a.m., 19th tee; Friday, 11:52 a.m., 1st tee - Jeeno Thitikul, Youmin Hwang, Hyo Joo Kim
Thitikul makes a rare return to Hawaii as she is making just her second appearance since 2022 when she was tied for sixth. Thitikul has been on a hot streak in recent weeks with four top 10s in her last five starts. Hwang returns to the site of her first LPGA Tour victory and where she won as a sponsor exemption in 2025 with a one-stroke victory ahead of Hyo Joo Kim. Hwang will look to recapture the magic she found last year in Hawaii as she returns for her title defense with six missed cuts in her last 11 starts. Kim, who finished runner-up to Hwang, is making her 14th appearance at the LOTTE Championship. Kim won the tournament in 2022 and has six top 10s in addition to having never missed the cut.
Thursday, 7:33 a.m., 10th tee; Friday, 12:03 p.m., 1st tee - Hannah Green, Chizzy Iwai, Andrea Lee
Green is coming off a tie for 57th in her last start at the FM Championship. Although the Aussie had a hot start to the year with four worldwide wins, her last top 10 finish came in April at the Chevron Championship. Green’s best finish in Hawaii came in 2021 when she was tied for 12th. Iwai was tied for 34th on Sunday at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G and was tied for 14th at the LOTTE Championship in 2025. Lee is making her fourth appearance in Hawaii where she was tied for 12th in 2022 and 2025. Lee was tied for 34th in her last start at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.
Thursday, 11:52 a.m., 10th tee; Friday, 7:22 a.m., 10th tee - Lydia Ko, Grace Kim, Linn Grant
Ko returns to Hawaii where she won in 2021 and was also runner-up in 2017. The Hall of Famer is coming off a missed cut in her last start at the FM Championship. Kim earned her maiden LPGA Tour title at the LOTTE Championship in a playoff victory in 2023. Kim missed the cut in her last LPGA Tour start at the FM Championship. Grant is making her tournament debut this week at the LOTTE Championship after finishing tied for 51st on Sunday in Arkansas.
Thursday, 12:03 p.m., 10th tee; Friday, 7:33 a.m., 1st tee - Yana Wilson, Chanettee Wannasaen, Ingrid Lindblad
Wilson is already a winner in her first season on Tour, but she has struggled in recent weeks with three missed cuts in her last four starts. Wilson is making her debut at the LOTTE Championship. Wannasaen has had an up and down few weeks with two runner-up finishes offset by two missed cuts in her last four starts. Wannasaen is making just her second appearance at the LOTTE Championship where she missed the cut in 2023.
For a complete list of tee times for the opening round of the LOTTE Championship presented by Hoakalei,
Thursday, October 1: 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. live on Golf Channel
Friday, October 2: 6:00 - 9:00 p.m live on Golf Channel
Saturday, October 3: 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. live on Golf Channel
Sunday, October 4: 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. live on Golf Channel