Goyang: The International Crown, an LPGA match-play competition, will feature a new team of global stars for this year’s edition in South Korea, organizers said Thursday. Team World, composed of one player each from the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa and Oceania, will compete against seven national teams when the 2025 International Crown is held from October 23 to 26 at the New Korea Country Club in Goyang, just northwest of Seoul in Gyeonggi Province.
According to Yonhap News Agency, this event will offer players who have not previously competed in the International Crown, first held in 2014, a chance to test their skills against their rivals. National teams will be represented by their top four players in the world rankings. The team’s ranking points will be determined by the combined number of the players’ ranking positions, with the country having the lowest total earning the top seed. The top seven countries in points as of June 23 will qualify for the International Crown, and the final field of 32 players, including four for Team World, will be selected based on the rankings on August 4.
The United States, with four players inside the top 15, currently leads with 35 points, followed by South Korea with 53 points. Ryu Hae-ran, a two-time winner, is the top South Korean player, ranked No. 7.
Eligible for the world team, Lydia Ko of New Zealand, ranked No. 3 globally and a 2024 Olympic gold medalist, is likely to qualify for her first International Crown. Ko, originally from South Korea, has been a long-time fan favorite in her birth country. Brooke Henderson of Canada, a 13-time LPGA winner with two major titles, could also debut at the International Crown this fall. Other potential first-time participants include Celine Boutier of France and Chien Peiyun of Chinese Taipei.
The eight teams will be divided into two pools, with the first three days featuring fourball matches where players each play their own balls. The top two teams from each pool will advance to the final stage on October 26. Semifinal matches, scheduled for the morning, will consist of two singles matches and one foursomes match, where golfers take turns playing one ball per team. The third-place match and the final will take place in the afternoon, following the same format as the semifinals.
The four editions of the International Crown have seen four different champions: Spain in 2014, the United States in 2016, South Korea in 2018, and Thailand in 2023. After the first two events were held in the United States, South Korea hosted the 2018 edition in Incheon, just west of Seoul. The event was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and returned in 2023 in Thailand.
The International Crown is sponsored by Lifeplus, a joint brand of financial affiliates for the South Korean conglomerate Hanwha Group, including Hanwha Life and Hanwha Investment and Securities.