The first major of the year is upon us and the world’s best are ready to collide. Of the top 35 players in the world according to the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, 33 will tee it up in Rancho Mirage. In fact, the top 24 players in the world are all in the field. In addition to claiming the season’s first major, the No. 1 ranking is again up for grabs. It is likely that a win by Lexi Thompson or So Yeon Ryu will move them in front of Shanshan Feng, who has held the No. 1 ranking for 20 consecutive weeks, the longest stretch since Lydia Ko’s 85-week run.
11 Past Champions in the Field
There are 11 past Kraft Nabisco/ANA Inspiration champions in the field this week: Donna Andrews (1994), Juli Inkster (1984, 1989), Lydia Ko (2016), Stacy Lewis (2011), Brittany Lincicome (2009, 2015), Inbee Park (2013), Morgan Pressel (2007), So Yeon Ryu (2017), Lexi Thompson (2014), Yani Tseng (2010) and Sun Young Yoo (2012). Lincicome and Inkster have a chance to join Annika Sorenstam and Amy Alcott as the only three-time winners at the Dinah Shore course. Sorenstam won in 2001, 2002 and 2005 while Alcott won in 1983, 1988 and 1991.
While Lincicome won in 2015 and is considered a favorite this week – in part because of her strong start to 2018 and distance off the tee – she surprisingly hasn’t performed great at ANA over the last two years. She missed the cut in 2017 and finished T36 in 2016.
Meanwhile, Thompson is someone that has fared extremely well in Rancho Mirage over the last four years. She won in 2014 and has finished inside the top 10 each of the last four years. She has just two over-par rounds in her last 16 at the Dinah Shore course and is 43-under over the last four years at the ANA Inspiration.
Stacy Lewis Returns to Competition
Stacy Lewis is down to No. 23 in the world and flying a bit under the radar this week, but beware. She is returning to competition after missing about six weeks due to strained ribs. Remember, she withdrew from the Honda LPGA Thailand after flying over to Asia.
Lewis has only played in the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic this season where she finished in a tie for 66th.
The 12-time LPGA winner has a strong track record at the ANA. She finished T27 in 2017, T18 in 2016 and second in 2015.
Two Straight Top 10s for So Yeon at ANA
So Yeon Ryu won the ANA last year with rounds of 68-69-69-68 and a playoff birdie and finished T10 two years ago with rounds of 72-69-71-69. She is a total of 21-under in her last eight rounds at the major.
Ryu has performed pretty well at the start of the year with two top 15s, but has yet to truly contend. She finished T33 last week at the Kia Classic.
“To be honest, I'm not really satisfied with all the results, but I'm working on it,” said an honest Ryu at her Tuesday press conference. “I learned a lot of things through the five events. I know some of the things I need to work on to play well at the major events. So, this week I'll have my coach with me. Hopefully, I can bring out my A-game this week. If I can defend my title, it's going to be really awesome.”
Michelle Wie Hunting Second Major
Michelle Wie has one major title, the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open. She’d love to put her arms around a second this week and her game has been impressive this year. She has three top 15s including a win at the HSBC Women’s World Championship. Wie ranks second in the Race to the CME Globe standings and third on the LPGA money list. She also ranks ninth in putting average, 11th in greens in regulation, sixth in scoring average and fourth in rounds in the 60s.
Wie has performed well at the ANA in the past. She finished sixth last year with rounds of 68-69-71-69. She also finished second to Lexi in 2014 with scores of 67-71-68-71.
Wie, who is turning the corner on the health issues that at times have derailed her, said in her Tuesday press conference that she is closely watching Tiger Woods and is taking a lot of inspiration from his recent success.
“Just seeing what he's gone through with his injuries, and then just seeing what his club-head speed is right now and everything, seeing how he's hitting the ball and how he was coming back, it's truly inspiring and motivating. It's really cool to watch.”
Imagine if Wie wins ANA and Tiger wins the following week in Augusta?
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