The third major of the year for the LPGA Tour kicks off Thursday at Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco. This is the first time Texas will host the Women’s PGA Championship.
Last year’s champion, Amy Yang, will look to defend her title after her win at Sahalee Country Club last year. She has eight made cuts in ten starts on tour this season, with her best result (T11) coming at the Honda LPGA Thailand tournament in February. It has been a difficult stretch lately, as the two cuts have come in her last three tournaments.
Mao Saigo, the winner of the first major of the year, has continued her excellent play with two top-10s in the last two weeks. She currently sits in third place in the race to CME Globe and will be a player to watch on Sunday after her fourth-place finish in the U.S. Women’s Open.
World number one, Nelly Korda, comes into the week having not missed a cut the entire season. She is in fourth place in the Race to CME Globe and has two runner-up finishes, including the U.S. Women’s Open in May.
A name to watch this week is Mimi Rhodes from the Ladies European Tour. She is currently in first place on the tour’s Order of Merit, and has three wins in just nine starts. Rhodes is in the championship due to a sponsor’s invitation, and it should be interesting to see how she plays against the world’s best players in a major championship. She tees off on Thursday at 7:55 a.m. CT.
Groups to follow:
(All times in local Central time.)
8:22 a.m. Haeran Ryu, Hyo Joo Kim, Chanettee Wannasaen
8:28 a.m.- Nelly Korda, Jeeno Thitikul, Lydia Ko
8:39 a.m.- Brooke M. Henderson, Maja Stark, Mao Saigo
2:06 p.m.- Amy Yang, Ruoning Yin, In Gee Chung
