American Bubba Watson and Abraham Ancer from Mexico will headline next week’s Kolon Korea Open – bringing a touch of LIV Golf star power to one of the region’s most prestigious National Opens.

The tournament is returning to Woo Jeong Hills Country Club after a two-year gap due to renovations and will be played from 21-24 May.

In addition to their participation, the tournament has also been given a boost in terms of prize money. It has been raised to KRW2,000,000,000 (approximately US$1,335,000), an increase of US$400,000 from last year.

The two star players are taking time out from their busy LIV Golf schedules, although their trip is timely as LIV Golf Korea will be played the following week.

Watson is the captain of RangeGoats GC, while Ancer plays for Torque GC. The former is a two-time winner of the Masters, in 2012 and 2014, and has triumphed 12 times on the PGA Tour.

Abraham Ancer.

Ancer has an impressive record of claiming titles on many of the major tours, having tasted victory once on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, the PGA Tour of Australasia, Web.com Tour and the LIV Golf League. He has also enjoyed success on the Asian Tour, winning the PIF Saudi International in 2023.

As is traditionally the case with the Kolon Korea Open are formidable field has entered the tournament.

Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana, the defending champion, will compete, attempting to become the seventh player to win back-to-back titles in the 68-year history of the event.

Other former champions competing are Minkyu Kim from Korea (2022 and 2024), Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond (2019), and Koreans Seungsu Han (2023), Junseok Lee (2021), Minchel Choi (2018), Yikeun Chang (2017) and Sangmoon Bae (2008 and 2009).

South African Ian Snyman, winner of last week’s Taiwan Glass Taifong Open will also line up with other winners from the Asian Tour this year: Koreans Minhyuk Song (GS Caltex Maekyung Open), Jeongwoo Ham (Singapore Open) and Wooyoung Cho (Philippine Golf Championship).

Sadom Kaewkanjana pictured winning last year.

Canada’s Richard T, Lee, also competing on the LIV Golf League, Kiwi Danny Lee and Australian Cameron John are some of the other big name players who have entered.

The event was staged at La Vie Est Belle (Dunes Course) last year – the only time it has not been played at Woo Jeong Hills in the last 22 years.