The women’s professional golf league in Japan will likely begin the season without many top competitors due to the country’s entry restriction measures on South Korea. 

According to the Japanese daily Nikkei on Tuesday, the 2020 Ladies Professional Golfers’ Association of Japan(JLPGA) tour will kick off with the Earth Mondahmin Cup in Chiba Prefecture on June 25. 

However, many South Korean golfers are expected to miss the season-opener as Tokyo keeps in place entry restrictions on South Korea since April amid the COVID-19 outbreak. 

Among the league’s 50 seeded golfers for the upcoming season, 10 are South Koreans, including Lee Bo-mee, who led the JLPGA money list in 2015 and 2016, and Bae Seon-woo, who was No. 4 last year. 

Only one of the 10 Koreans resides in Japan while others such as Lee, Bae and defending champion Shin Ji-yai are in South Korea. 

The Earth Mondahmin Cup has the biggest prize money in the league at 240 million yen. 

The league says the entry restriction is a government policy they must follow but is said to be considering incorporating this season into next season to help resolve a possible fairness issue.