Lizette Salas, Jessica Korda, Georgia Hall
9:35 a.m. – 1st Tee
Lizette Salas arrives at the final event of the year well rested after skipping last week’s Blue Bay LPGA. Salas finished T24 in her last start at the TOTO Japan Classic and will look to record her first top 10 finish in Naples this weekend. She will play the opening round alongside fellow American Jessica Korda, and England’s Georgia Hall. Korda is coming back from injury as she missed the last several events due to a wrist and arm injury and finished T52 in her last start at the LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship. Korda will have fond memories this week in Naples as she finished in a share of runner-up last season with rounds of 69-68-70-67. Hall, a rookie this season, is making her debut in Naples, and like Korda is making her first start in several weeks. Hall last competed at the Evian Championship in September and finished T16.
Danielle Kang, Brittany Lincicome, Nelly Korda
9:57 a.m. – 1st Tee
The American trio of Danielle Kang, Brittany Lincicome and Nelly Korda will be grouped together during the opening round in Naples. Kang arrives at the season’s final event riding a tide of momentum as she’s twice finished inside the top 5 and won in her last five starts. She will look to pick up her first top 20 finish in this event. Lincicome has contended throughout the season with five top 10s and a victory and will try to put herself in the mix again this week in Naples where she finished T10 in 2016. Korda, a first time winner last month at the Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan, is making her second appearance in Naples where she finished T8 as a rookie in 2017.
Jin Young Ko, So Yeon Ryu, Moriya Jutanugarn
10:19 a.m. – 1st Tee
Jin Young Ko, the 2018 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year, has a lot to play for this week in Naples. Ko is coming off a top 10 finish in her last two start and if she can keep that momentum rolling, she could take home the $1 million dollar Race to the CME Globe. Ko is ranked No. 7 in the standings following the points reset and will need to finish fourth or better on Sunday to have a chance. She’s playing the opening round alongside two other players who also have a chance to win the season-long race. So Yeon Ryu is No. 8 in the point standings and Moriya Jutanugarn is No. 9. Ryu will need to finish third or better to win and Jutanugarn would have to win, and get some help from several other players, in order to have a shot at taking home the million dollars. Ryu finished runner-up in Naples in 2016 while Jutanugarn is looking to record her first top 10.
Ariya Jutanugarn, Minjee Lee, Brooke Henderson
10:41 a.m. – 1st Tee
World No. 1 and defending champion Ariya Jutanugarn has a lot to play for this weekend. She is in position to win the Vare Trophy for the lowest scoring average on Tour in 2018, and with a successful title defense on Sunday could also take home the million dollar Race to the CME Globe. She could finish as low as 40th on Sunday and still have a chance to win the season long race. But Jutanugarn’s playing partners on Thursday have a chance to win, too. Minjee Lee is No. 2 in the point standings and Brooke Henderson is No. 3. Either could win the Race to the CME Globe if they win the Tournament on Sunday. If Lee doesn’t win, she needs to at least finish 30th or better to have a mathematical chance. Henderson would need to finish 12th or better to have an opportunity. Lee and Henderson both recorded their best finish in Naples in 2015 when Lee was T7 and Henderson 13th.
)
)
)
)
