YONGIN — Lee Seung-min, a professional golfer with a developmental disability who has won all three major adaptive golf championships, has thrown down a challenge to win a Paralympic gold medal.
Lee, who is sponsored by Hana Financial Group, spoke to reporters at the SK Telecom Adaptive Open 2026 with SK Hynix, held at 88CC in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, on the 24th. "I still have dreams I have not yet fulfilled," Lee said. "If golf is adopted as an official event at the Paralympics, I want to compete as a member of the Korean national team and win a gold medal."
In May this year, Lee won the G4D Open, co-organized by Britain's R&A and the DP World Tour, completing a career grand slam by capturing all three of the world's major adaptive golf championships. The G4D Open is regarded as one of the three majors representing global adaptive golf, alongside the U.S. Adaptive Open and the ISPS Handa Australian All Abilities Championship.
Lee made history with a victory at the inaugural U.S. Adaptive Open, launched by the United States Golf Association (USGA) in 2022, and also claimed the title at the Australian All Abilities Championship in 2025.
"Winning the G4D was a dream I had long wanted to achieve," Lee said, looking back. "By winning this event after the U.S. Adaptive Open and the Australian All Abilities Championship, I fulfilled one of my great dreams."
Lee's next goal is a Paralympic gold medal. Golf has not yet been adopted as an official Paralympic event, but Lee is determined to keep working until that day comes and to seize the chance when it arrives. "When I first started golf, I thought a professional debut would be difficult, but that dream came true, and I even won at world events," Lee said. "That is why I will keep setting new goals and keep challenging myself in the future."
On the day, Lee took part in the event alongside two junior players who also have developmental disabilities. Now in its fifth year, the event was created to give golfers with developmental disabilities opportunities for growth and healing, and to put into practice the social value of living together. This year, SK Hynix is taking part as a co-title sponsor. On the meaning of the event, Lee said, "This is not simply a competition to enter, but a special event I want to be part of. When I first took up golf, there were not many competitions or opportunities for players with developmental disabilities, but through this event, my juniors can play alongside good professional golfers, and if they win, they even earn the chance to compete in a world-class adaptive golf tournament, the U.S. Adaptive Open."
SK Telecom, the host, provides the singles champion and runner-up with support for competition expenses to enter the 2027 U.S. Adaptive Open or the G4D Open.
"SK Telecom is a company that has sponsored me for a very long time, so no matter how busy my overseas schedule is, I always try to take part in this event," Lee said, expressing his gratitude to the sponsor. "It is both an occasion to thank our sponsor and a place to share dreams with my juniors."
