Korean Minkyu Kim [main picture centre left] has owned the Kolon Korea Open presented by ELORD for the past three years: he won in 2022, tied for fourth the following year, and savoured victory again last year.

This week he will attempt to become only the fourth player to lift the famous trophy, considered to be the most sought after title in Korean golf, more than twice when the tournament tees-off on Thursday on the Dunes Course at La Vie Est Belle golf club – in Gangwon province, a few hours drive north-east of Seoul.

In English La Vie Est Belle means life is beautiful and that has certainly been the case for Kim in this event. And he revealed this week that his success has in part been helped by watching Northern Ireland’s Rory Mcllroy play in the tournament over a decade ago.

“When I was a kid,” said the 24-year-old, “I remember following Rory Mcllroy, in the gallery, when he played the Korea Open. I was jumping up and down with excitement. It didn’t mean quite so much at the time, but now that I’ve won two titles, those memories are special to me. It’s connected. If I can win a third, I think I’ll be a true ‘Man of the Open’.”

Mcllroy, who won the Masters last month to become only the sixth player to claim the career Grand Slam, finished second in Korea’s National Open in 2011 and 2013.

Minkyu Kim is all smiles after winning last year. Picture courtesy of the KGA Tournament Committee.

Two years ago Kim ended eight shots behind runaway winner Seungsu Han from the United States. He says he was disappointed not to successfully defend his title – something six players have done – but has a greater belief in his ability this time around.

Said Kim: “I tried to win the title two years ago but was unsuccessful. However, having won the Korea Open twice, I’ll be playing with more confidence this time.”

This year marks the first time the tournament has been played La Vie Est Belle. The past 21 editions have been staged at Woo Jeong Hills Country Club, where Kim enjoyed his two victories. The greens are being redone at Woo Jeong Hills, so a change of venue was required.

On this week’s course, Kim said: “The course is generally wide, but there are a few holes that are trickier than I expected. I’m definitely going to play those holes carefully – you can’t afford to make mistakes there.”

Since its launch in 1958, seven other players have won the event twice, while Changsang Han has triumphed a record seven times – remarkably, four successive times from 1964, and three on-the-trot from 1970. Daesub Kim from Korea, Chinese-Taipei’s Hsieh Yung-yo, and American Orville Moody are the only other players to have claimed the title more than twice. Kim won twice and as an amateur, while Moody, the 1969 US Open champion, won the first three editions.

A brilliant field has assembled for the 67^th staging of the tournament – which is the seventh event of the season on the Asian Tour, and the circuit’s second visit of the year to the Land of Morning Calm.

Rory McIlroy in action at 56th Kolon Korea Open. Picture by Han Myung-Gu/Getty Images.

LIV Golf star Danny Lee from New Zealand, Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond – the winner of this event in 2019 – and Korean Doyeob Mun, who claimed the GS Caltex Maekyung Open last month and is third on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, the highest ranked player in the field, are competing.

Australian lefthander Ryan Peake, who won the New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport, and Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent are playing.

Vincent arrives here on the crest of a wave after qualifying for the US Open on Monday at a qualifier in Japan. Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho and David Boriboonsub from Thailand, who both lost in a play-off for the third and final spot in that qualifier, are also here.

Richard T. Lee of Canada is another in-from player who will start. He finished second at last week’s SK Telecom Open on the Korean PGA Tour after coming up short in a play-off against Korea’s Jaewoong Eom, who is also here. Lee, who finished a career-best third on last year’s Asian Tour Order of Merit, won the Woori Bank Finance Championship on the same tour in late April after a three-way play-off and is presently second on the money list in Korea.

Korean Sangmoon Bae will also tee it up. He is the only other multiple winner of this tournament in the field, having won back-to-back titles in 2008 and 2009.

The prestigious tournament is part of the Open Qualifying Series, with the leading player not otherwise exempt making it through to The Open at Royal Portrush in July.