Oahu gets another week of professional women’s golf when the LOTTE Championship presented by Hoakalei returns to Hoakalei Country Club in Ewa Beach. The competition is set for October 1–4, 2026, while the wider tournament week runs from September 28 through October 4.
The setting is part of the attraction, but the golf should carry plenty of its own interest. The field currently includes Jeeno Thitikul, Miyu Yamashita, Rio Takeda, Hyo Joo Kim, Hye Jin Choi, Nasa Hataoka, A Lim Kim, Mao Saigo and Akie Iwai. Major champions Yuka Saso and In Gee Chun are also on the entry list, along with 2025 champion Youmin Hwang.
The LOTTE Championship will feature 120 players over 72 holes of stroke play. The purse is $3 million, with $450,000 going to the champion and 500 Race to CME Globe points attached to the victory.
The 2026 LOTTE Championship also has a practical side for spectators. General admission starts at $25 for a single day, and a weekly pass costs $75. Parking, transportation rules and phone policies matter at Hoakalei, so a little preparation can make tournament day much easier.
2026 LOTTE Championship at a glance
| Detail | Information |
| Event | LOTTE Championship presented by Hoakalei |
| Competition dates | October 1–4, 2026 |
| Tournament week | September 28–October 4, 2026 |
| Venue | Hoakalei Country Club |
| Location | Ewa Beach, Oahu, Hawaii |
| Field | 120 LPGA players |
| Format | 72-hole stroke play |
| Purse | $3 million |
| Winner’s share | $450,000 |
| Broadcast partners | Golf Channel and JTBC Golf |
A small LOTTE Championship date detail is easy to miss. The official LOTTE site uses September 28–October 4 for the event week, while the LPGA tournament page lists October 1–4 as the competition dates. That means the LOTTE Championship itself begins Thursday, with the surrounding activities starting earlier in the week.
Hoakalei brings a different backdrop to the LPGA schedule
The LOTTE Championship has been part of the LPGA schedule since 2012. The LOTTE Championship began at Ko Olina Golf Club, moved to Kapolei Golf Club for the 2021 edition, and then settled at Hoakalei from 2022 onward. The 2020 tournament was canceled.
Hoakalei Country Club is in Ewa Beach on the western side of Oahu, at 91-1620 Keoneula Blvd. The tournament’s official directions place it about 25 miles from Honolulu and roughly 18 miles from Honolulu International Airport.
The course was designed by Ernie Els and opened in 2009. It has become familiar territory for the event, but that does not make every round predictable. Wind, positioning and the way players attack scoring holes can change the look of a leaderboard quickly.
One hole that receives particular attention is the fifth, a par 5 listed by the LPGA at 532 yards for the Aon Risk Reward Challenge. It offers a chance to pick up a shot, but aggressive decisions can carry consequences. The final tournament setup and yardages can still change, so the published course information should not be treated as a guarantee of the exact competition layout.
The LOTTE Championship field has plenty of recognizable names
The current LPGA entry list gives the 2026 LOTTE Championship a strong international mix. Thitikul is joined by Yamashita, Takeda, Hyo Joo Kim, Hye Jin Choi, Hataoka, Somi Lee, A Lim Kim, Saigo and Iwai. Saso and Chun add major-championship experience.
Thitikul naturally draws attention because of her position in the women’s game. On the September 14, 2026 Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings snapshot used for this guide, she was No. 2 behind Nelly Korda. Hyo Joo Kim was fourth and Yamashita fifth. Rankings are updated regularly, so those positions should be treated as a dated snapshot rather than a permanent description.
Hwang has a different reason to stand out. She arrives as the 2025 champion after a breakthrough week that turned into her first LPGA Tour victory. She finished at 17-under 271, one stroke ahead of Hyo Joo Kim.
There is one confusing detail on the tournament website. The official LOTTE event page still labels A Lim Kim as the defending champion, but LPGA historical records list Hwang as the 2025 winner. A Lim Kim won the 2024 tournament. For the 2026 article, Hwang is therefore the relevant reigning champion based on the LPGA record.
Is Jeeno Thitikul playing today?
Thitikul is currently entered in the 2026 LOTTE Championship. That confirms her place in the tournament field, but it does not confirm a particular day’s tee time. The official tournament site has not yet published the 2026 daily pairings, so same-day playing information should be checked once those pairings are released.
Her inclusion is still significant. Thitikul has already won the Honda LPGA Thailand and The Standard Portland Classic in 2026, according to the tournament material reviewed for this guide. Her presence gives the Hawaii field another player with recent LPGA success.
What the tournament week looks like
The competitive portion is simple: four rounds from Thursday through Sunday. Thursday is the opening round, Friday is the second, Saturday is the third, and Sunday is the final round.
After 36 holes, the field is cut for the weekend. The winner is the player with the lowest 72-hole score.
Exact tee times and side events were not yet posted on the official schedule page when this guide was prepared. That matters for anyone planning a specific day at the course. A broad tournament schedule can be useful for planning, but it should not be mistaken for confirmed pairing information.
The 2025 LOTTE Championship showed how quickly the final standings can move. Hwang shot 62 in the second round, matching the tournament’s 18-hole scoring record, and later closed with a 5-under 67. She birdied the final four holes and five of her last six, finishing one shot clear of Hyo Joo Kim.
Going to the course
For the LOTTE Championship, general admission is fairly straightforward. A daily ticket is currently listed at $25 per person, while a weekly general-admission pass is $75. Children 16 and under can enter free with an adult ticket holder. Military members and dependents can also receive free admission with official military identification.
Champions Club packages are available for spectators looking for a premium experience, and group tickets are offered for larger parties. Parking is handled through the tournament’s official ticket system.
Getting there deserves attention because Hoakalei sits within a residential area. Tournament organizers ask visitors to drive carefully and respect local residents. Parking is not permitted on Keoneula Boulevard or in surrounding neighborhoods. Rideshare services and carpooling are encouraged.
ADA parking is available on a limited basis for vehicles displaying the required placard or license plate. Visitors using event parking should have the parking QR code ready.
The phone policy is also specific. Devices must remain silent, flash photography is not permitted, and calls are restricted to designated areas. Personal photographs, audio and video are allowed under the stated spectator rules, but live streaming and real-time shot-by-shot coverage are prohibited. Large bags, coolers, golf clubs, drones and certain oversized chairs or recording equipment are also restricted.
Anyone attending should check the latest ticket and spectator information before leaving for the course because event policies can be updated.
Watching the LOTTE Championship from home
Golf Channel and JTBC Golf are listed as broadcast partners for the 2026 event. The exact LOTTE Championship broadcast windows can change as tournament week approaches, particularly for viewers in different time zones.
The LPGA tournament page provides the official results interface, while the tournament’s own site is expected to carry the 2026 leaderboard once competition begins. Pairings, scores and other live details are more useful closer to the event than they are months in advance.
For viewers following from outside Hawaii, the local start times are especially important. A published broadcast window may not match the local tee-time schedule, so checking the latest LPGA coverage listing is the safest way to avoid relying on an old timetable.
What is the prize payout for the LOTTE Championship?
The 2026 LOTTE Championship has a $3 million purse. The champion is set to receive $450,000, along with 500 Race to CME Globe points.
The first-place amount is consistent with the 2025 result, when Hwang collected $450,000 after her 17-under finish. A complete 2026 distribution for every finishing position should be confirmed from the official payout information once it is published.
Prize money is only one part of the financial picture. The winner also adds a major LPGA result to the season record, while Race to CME Globe points can affect the standings heading toward the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship.
A tournament with more than a decade of history
The first LOTTE Championship took place in 2012, and Ai Miyazato won the inaugural edition. Suzann Pettersen followed in 2013, Michelle Wie won in 2014, and Sei Young Kim took the title in 2015.
Minjee Lee won in 2016, followed by Cristie Kerr in 2017. Brooke Henderson then became the first two-time champion by winning in 2018 and 2019. After the 2020 cancellation, Lydia Ko won in 2021 at Kapolei.
Hoakalei became the host course in 2022, when Hyo Joo Kim won at 11-under. Grace Kim followed in 2023 at 12-under, and A Lim Kim posted an 18-under total in 2024. Hwang then won in 2025.
| Year | Champion | Score |
| 2025 | Youmin Hwang | -17 |
| 2024 | A Lim Kim | -18 |
| 2023 | Grace Kim | -12 |
| 2022 | Hyo Joo Kim | -11 |
| 2021 | Lydia Ko | -28 |
| 2019 | Brooke Henderson | -16 |
| 2018 | Brooke Henderson | -12 |
| 2017 | Cristie Kerr | -20 |
| 2016 | Minjee Lee | -16 |
| 2015 | Sei Young Kim | -11 |
| 2014 | Michelle Wie | , |
| 2013 | Suzann Pettersen | , |
| 2012 | Ai Miyazato | , |
The scoring history is unusually varied. Ko’s 28-under total from 2021 remains the tournament’s 72-hole scoring record. Hwang’s 62 in 2025 matched the event’s 18-hole record.
The list of champions also reflects the tournament’s international character. Winners have come from South Korea, Thailand, Japan, Mexico, Canada, Australia, the United States and New Zealand, among other golfing backgrounds represented across the event’s history.
Final Thoughts
The 2026 LOTTE Championship has a few separate threads rather than one headline carrying the entire week.
Hwang returns to the course where she made her breakthrough. Thitikul brings recent wins and a high place in the world rankings. Several Japanese and Korean players add depth to the field, while major champions Saso and Chun bring experience from golf’s biggest stages.
There is also the simple question of how Hoakalei will play. The course has hosted the event since 2022, but conditions can make the same layout feel different from one round to the next. A player who manages the par 5s well may gain ground, while a poorly timed aggressive shot can erase a good stretch of golf.
For spectators, the appeal is less complicated. The LOTTE Championship combines a full LPGA field with four days of competition in a Hawaiian setting, and the current ticket prices make it possible to attend for a single round or the full week.
Key Takeaways
1. The 2026 competition runs from October 1 through October 4 at Hoakalei Country Club.
2. The wider event week begins September 28 and continues through October 4.
3. The field is scheduled to include 120 LPGA players across four rounds.
4. The purse is $3 million, with $450,000 reserved for the champion.
5. Youmin Hwang enters the 2026 week as the 2025 tournament champion.
6. Jeeno Thitikul is currently included on the official 2026 entry list.
7. Hoakalei Country Club is located in Ewa Beach on western Oahu.
8. General admission currently costs $25 daily or $75 for the week.
9. Golf Channel and JTBC Golf are listed as the event’s broadcast partners.
10. Official LPGA and tournament pages should be checked for changing pairings, schedules and results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the top 10 LPGA players?
Yes, using the September 14, 2026 Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings snapshot, the top 10 were Nelly Korda, Jeeno Thitikul, Haeran Ryu, Hyo Joo Kim, Miyu Yamashita, Ruoning Yin, Lottie Woad, Charley Hull, Sei Young Kim and Hannah Green. Because the Rolex rankings change weekly, that list is a dated snapshot rather than a permanent top-10 list.
What is the prize money for women’s golf?
Yes, it varies by tournament. The 2026 LOTTE Championship has a $3 million purse, with $450,000 allocated to the winner. Other LPGA events can carry different purses depending on the tournament and its position on the schedule. Major championships and certain larger events generally operate with different prize structures, so one tournament’s payout should not be treated as a standard for the entire women’s game.
Is Jeeno Thitikul married?
No reliable public source reviewed for this guide establishes that Jeeno Thitikul is married. Her professional career is well documented, including her LPGA victories and world-ranking history, but that does not provide a factual basis for claims about her private relationship status. Unverified social-media posts or entertainment-style reports should not be presented as confirmation of a marriage.
Who is a famous Thai female golfer?
Yes, Jeeno Thitikul is one of the best-known Thai players on the current LPGA Tour, while Ariya Jutanugarn, Moriya Jutanugarn, Pajaree Anannarukarn and Patty Tavatanakit are also established names from Thailand. Thitikul reached No. 1 in the world during her career and has won multiple LPGA events, giving her a prominent place in Thailand’s modern professional golf story.
Who is the youngest female golfer?
Yes, the answer depends on the competition and age category being discussed. Professional golf has no single permanent youngest player because ages and memberships change continually. Yana Wilson was 20 when she joined the LPGA Tour in 2026, while Thitikul became widely known much earlier, winning the Ladies European Thailand Championship as a 14-year-old amateur. Those examples describe different milestones rather than one universal record.