Lake Merced Country Club in Los Angeles has hosted the MEDIHEAL Championship since 2018 with the Swinging Skirts tournament making Lake Merced home for four years before that.

The opportunity to see the game’s best tackle one of America’s most respected and interesting layouts was always a highlight and it will be missed.

However, while it is disappointing to be moving on there is something to look forward to with the tournament moving to what looks an intriguing venue, the Saticoy Club in Ventura, California.

Billy Bell, of Riviera Country Club fame (among others), was responsible for the layout here and it was overhauled recently by Thad Layton of Arnold Palmer Designs.

All indications are it should provide a compelling challenge for the assembled field and that means we should be treated to some terrific golf.

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Matilda Castren became Finland’s first – and to date only – LPGA winner with an impressive performance in 2021.

RIGHT: Matilda Castren shares a laugh with the unique trophy last year. PHOTO: Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images.

A blistering final round of seven-under 65 saw the 27-year-old leapfrog overnight leader Min Lee to take the title by two shots with Hannah Green a distant third six shots adrift.

COURSE: Saticoy Country Club has been around for a little over 100 years (opening in 1921) and is regarded by many as one of California’s better layouts.

Now owned by a consortium of five members from the upmarket Brentwood Country Club in Los Angeles, the course should prove a fascinating test for this week’s field.

Boasting some severe elevation changes and pockets of wicked bunkering, players will need to be on their game to score well here.

With little in the way of flat lies expect the better ball strikers to come to the fore, particularly as the greens can be severe in places and difficult to hold.

That will also make for some interesting short game shots as players who find themselves on the wrong side of the hole will face some diabolical recovery shots.

As a first-time venue it is always difficult to predict scoring, particularly when so much is dictated by set up and weather.

However, a field of this quality should find the challenge to their liking and it should be a good arm wrestle between players and playing field.

PRIZEMONEY: US$1,800,000

PLAYERS TO WATCH: As competitive as the LPGA is week in and week out it’s difficult to pick who might play well on any given week.

At a first-time venue with no form to go on the task gets incrementally harder hence lots of players to watch this week.

Recent Epson Tour graduate Lucy Li is a player to keep an eye on this week. PHOTO: Steve Dykes/Getty Images.

From a little left field is the Epson Tour graduate Lucy Li who has shown already she is unafraid of the big moment.

She has two wins on the secondary Tour this year and led through 36 holes on the big stage at the Dana Open recently making it seem more a question of if, not when, she will be an LPGA winner.

She clearly has the game and there seems no good reason this won’t be her week.

A more established name though having a less productive 2022 is Sei Young Kim. A 12-time winner on the Tour, Kim has been far from poor this year though also far from her best.

This course should play to her strengths and after missing the cut last week in Texas she will be motivated to turn things around.

Last week’s runner-up, Xi Yu Lin, is another talented young player who continues knocking on the door of a maiden LPGA title.

Last week’s second place finish was the third time this year she has finished second. It was also her fourth top five result.

With her form from last week fresh in her mind, she could be a threat this week.

72-HOLE RECORD: 274 (Matilda Castren, 2021)

PAST AUSSIE WINNERS: No Australian has won this tournament.

AUSTRALIANS IN THE FIELD: Su Oh, Karis Davidson, Sarah Kemp and Sarah Jane Smith.

TV TIMES*

Round 1: Friday (Fox Sports 506 8.30am – 11.30am)
Round 2: No listed coverage.
Round 3: Sunday (Fox Sports 506 12pm – 3pm)
Round 4: Monday (Fox Sports 506 8.30am – 11.30am)
*AEDT, check local guides