The Preview: Gainbridge LPGA

Six of the world's top-10 female players will tee it up in the inaugural Gainbridge LPGA in Florida hoping to post an early season victory.

DEFENDING CHAMPION: This is the inaugural staging of the event.

COURSE: The Boca Rio Golf Club, in Boca Raton Florida, was founded in 1967 and designed by Robert von Hagge. It is laid out just six kilometres from the Atlantic Ocean on 200 acres of native Florida wilderness.

PRIZEMONEY: US$2,000,000.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

The inaugural event at Boca Rio GC this week features six players in the top 10 of the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings in Nelly Korda (3), Danielle Kang (4), Nasa Hataoka (5), Sei Young Kim (6), Brooke Henderson (8) and Lexi Thompson (10). 19-time LPGA Tour winner Inbee Park will also tee it up in the event.

Park's quest for her 20th LPGA Tour victory will continue this week after she came up short at the Tournament of Champions, when she was eliminated in a three-way playoff.

“If I shoot under par, I should have won. That's golf," Park said.

Ariya Jutanugarn has not won on the LPGA Tour since claiming the Ladies Scottish Open in July 2018 but the World No.13 isn’t going through a desperate form slump. Since that win, she has finished in the top-5 on 11 occasions, which suggests she’s closer to a win than many think.

AUSTRALIANS IN THE FIELD: Sarah Kemp, Sarah Jane Smith (pictured).

TV TIMES*