DEFENDING CHAMPION: Gabi Ruffels – who was born in Florida, raised in Melbourne and now resides in Southern California – birdied four of her last five holes to defeat Switzerland’s Albane Valenzuela at Old Waverly Golf Club last year.

COURSE: The North Course at Woodmont Country Club, located in suburban Washington D.C., opened for play in 1950 and was originally designed by Alfred Tull. However, significant renovations were completed by Arthur Hills (1999 & 2007) and more recently by Joel Weiman. The par-72 layout will be set up at 5,999 metres (6,561 yards) for the championship.

PLAYERS TO WATCH …

Defending champ Gabi Ruffles should arrive at Woodmont Country Club feeling fairly confident about her game, having claimed the Rebel Beach Intercollegiate in her last start back in February.

Currently ranked ninth in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, Ruffels will be looking to become the first player since Danielle Kang (2010/11) to win back-to-back US Women’s Amateur titles.

The 20-year-old has already claimed four victories in her amateur career – and she has everything it takes to successfully defend the Robert Cox Trophy in Washington D.C.

RIGHT: Ruffels became the first Australian to win the US Women’s Amateur last year. PHOTO: Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images.

American Emilia Migliaccio will be the highest-ranked player in the field, with Frenchwoman Pauline Roussin-Bouchard and Yu-Chiang Hou unable to travel to Maryland due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Migliaccio, currently third in the WAGR, has been on fire this year, winning the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate in March and finishing third, fifth and seventh in her other three starts.

The 21-year-old, who won two gold medals at the Pan American Games last year, will be making her first appearance at the US Women’s Amateur, despite having played at the US Women’s Open in 2018.

AUSTRALIANS IN THE FIELD: Kirsty Hodgkins, Emily Maher and Gabi Ruffels.