2026 Lexus Masters: Two Past Champions Won Their First KPGA Titles — Can Kim Jae-ho Defend?

The third Lexus Masters arrives in Incheon on 29 October, with 1 billion Korean won in total prize money and a first-place cheque of 200 million won. The 2026 KPGA Tour event runs through 1 November on the Ocean Course at Club72, Yeongjong Island. Four rounds of stroke play will decide the title over 72 holes. The striking storyline is not merely the purse: both previous Lexus Masters champions collected their first career KPGA Tour victories at this event.

Two editions, two breakthrough winners

Lee Seung-taek lifted the inaugural trophy in 2024 after making his tour debut in 2015 and spending close to a decade pursuing a maiden win. Kim Jae-ho followed in 2025 with an even longer journey. His breakthrough came on his 210th tour appearance after a professional debut in 2008, and Korean coverage described him as the oldest first-time KPGA winner. Kim now returns as defending champion, aiming to become the first player to win this young event twice.

The players to watch

The organisers' tournament announcement listed a planned field of 102 golfers. It named defending champion Kim Jae-ho alongside Park Sang-hyun and Ham Jeong-woo of Team Lexus. Entry lists can change as the opening tee times approach; the current KPGA field should therefore take precedence over an earlier announcement. None of those names makes a result inevitable: this tournament's history has been defined by players converting a rare chance into a long-awaited first victory.

A change of stage in 2026

The 2025 tournament took place at Ferrum Club. This year the Lexus Masters switches to Club72's Ocean Course, a seaside layout on Yeongjong Island near Incheon. The venue change is relevant when comparing performances or assessing potential strategies. Scores achieved on a different course in previous years do not translate into a reliable target for 2026. The basic competition remains a four-round, 72-hole stroke-play tournament, with the lowest aggregate score determining the winner.

Why it matters late in the season

A 200-million-won winner's share offers an immediate financial reward. In the closing weeks of the KPGA calendar, a strong finish may also reshape the season-long money standings. The precise effect on any individual player's ranking will depend on the confirmed pre-tournament table and final distribution of prize money; forecasts without those inputs would be misleading.

What the leaderboard says before Thursday

The 2026 event has not started. The first round is scheduled for Thursday, 29 October, and the final round for Sunday, 1 November. There is no legitimate 2026 leader or player score to report yet. Once play begins, the KPGA's official leaderboard should be treated as the source of truth for positions and scores. For now, the verified facts are the dates, location, format, purse and the announced participants.

Sources: official Lexus Masters event page — https://www.lexus.co.kr/2026-lexus-masters/about/; KPGA calendar — https://www.kpga.co.kr/; Lexus's 2025 tournament retrospective — https://www.lexus.co.kr/contents/2025-lexus-masters/story/.