The LPGA Tour plays its first of two tournaments in New Jersey this week at the Mizuho Americas Open in West Caldwell, New Jersey. The tournament will be held at Mountain Ridge Country Club, a Donald Ross design .
This is the fourth playing of the tournament and the first at Mountain Ridge Country Club. The most recent tournament held here was the 2021 Fortinet Founders Cup, won by Jin Young Ko. Last year’s winner, Jeeno Thitikul, will look to defend her title after her win at Liberty National Golf Club.
What’s unique about this tournament is that the top 24 female junior golfers in the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) rankings will be competing alongside the professionals. While the LPGA Tour players have a cut after 36 holes, the juniors will be playing a Modified Stableford format all four days; the two divisions will be paired together in the third and fourth rounds – two LPGA Tour players to one junior player.
Last year’s junior winner, Aphrodite Deng, is ranked second and will be in the field this week looking to defend her title. You may recognize her from the 2026 Augusta National Women’s Amateur, where she placed T19 this year. Some of Deng’s other accomplishments in 2025 include becoming the first Canadian to win the U.S. Girls’ Junior, being named the AJGA Girls’ Junior Player of the Year and winning low amateur at the CPKC Women’s Open after placing T20.
Mountain Ridge Country Club is a par 72 playing 6,735 yards. The tournament’s purse has increased by $250,000 to $3.25 million in 2026.
Who to Watch at the 2026 Mizuho Americas Open
World number two, Jeeno Thitikul, will look for her second win of the season. After Nelly Korda’s otherworldly play to start this season, she is taking a break, giving Thitikul an opportunity to reclaim her title as world number one. Although expectations are still high for her, Thitikul isn’t bothered heading into this week.
“I think I don’t really have that pressure even before, now, or whatever, other players do. Nelly had done a very good job for the past few months, from starting the season she won it, and obviously she won it in Chevron and last week in Mexico, where she plays insane golf. She deserves to be back,” she said.
Other big names playing this week include two-time winner this season, Hannah Green, and Charley Hull, who won on the Ladies European Tour earlier this year.
Michelle Wie West is making her first competitive start since the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open. Wie West committed to the WTGL in February, and she will also play in the U.S. Women’s Open in June. Wie West is competing in the field this week as a player but also as the tournament’s host.
“I feel like, as a tournament host, it’s actually super helpful for me to be on the player side of things and to experience that,” she said. “I can use this experience to hopefully become a better tournament host in the future and give feedback to the sponsors, like, hey, this is where we need to keep elevating, and this is where we’re doing really well.
“It’s almost like I’m an undercover employee, so to speak this week, so I’m really enjoying it.”
How to Watch the 2026 Mizuho Americas Open
You can watch the Mizuho Americas Open on a variety of platforms this week, including Golf Channel. All times below are in ET.
Thursday, May 7: 11:00am-12:00pm ET on NBC Digital and 12:00-2:00pm ET on Golf Channel
Friday, May 8: 3:00-6:00pm ET on Golf Channel and NBC Digital
Saturday, May 9: 4:30-5:00pm ET on NBC Digital and 5:00-7:30 ET on Golf Channel
Sunday, May 10: 12:00-1:00pm ET on NBC Digital and 1:00-3:00pm ET on CBS/Paramount+
