(Orlando) At the Tournament of Champions, there will be no less than 11 new faces out of 35, in the competition reserved for winners of LPGA tournaments over the previous two years.
It’s Thursday that the 74 will begine tour campaign, with a tournament sponsored by Hilton Grand Vacations.
At the start of 2023, Californians Lilia Vu and Allisen Corpuz had not yet enjoyed a victory among the pros.
Same thing for the Chinese Ruoning Yin or the French Céline Boutier.
The 26-year-old Vu won the Chevron Championship and the British Open, among four titles in total last year.
We will have to see if players like Nelly Korda or Lydia Ko will bounce back, after seasons which did not really meet their expectations.
“As a competitor, I think it’s a good thing to not be sure if the winner will be the number 1 in the world or a lesser-known golfer,” said Ko, once at the top, now 12e in the ranking.
PHOTO KELVIN KUO, USA TODAY SPORTS ARCHIVES
Lydia Ko
“It’s part of the nature of golf, you never know what’s going to happen. That said, there is certainly a wider variety of players who can shine. »
Seen is the no 1, she was named Player of the Year in 2023.
The Lake Nona Club hosted the very first Solheim Cup in 1990.
Canada’s Brooke Henderson prevailed last year – it ended up being her only title in 2023. The Ontarian is 13e in the world.
“This tournament is a great way to start the calendar,” said Henderson. The atmosphere is fabulous, with concerts throughout the week, among other things. »
PHOTO STEVE NESIUS, ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES
Brooke Henderson
REO Speedwagon and Styx will perform on Thursday while Saturday, it will be Pitbull’s turn.
The total purse for the 33 tournaments scheduled in 2024 will be 118 million, a record.
The CPKC Canadian Open will take place at the Earl Gray Club in Calgary from July 25 to 28.