Rory McIlroy likes to play among palm trees, but not those found on the paradisiacal islands that make up the Hawaii archipelago, but those in the Middle East, in the Persian Gulf, in Dubai… The world’s number 2 sets aside the beginning of the year in the Sentry, the tournament that brings together the winners of the previous year, and prefers to start after New Year’s Eve in the DP World Tour. Something similar happens with some of the best players on the planet…
This week the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions is being held in Lake Nona (Orlando, Florida), where all who are there are not all who are. There are six members of the world top ten who have decided not to compete from Thursday to Sunday in the event that kicks off the LPGA Tour; to tell the truth, five, because in the event the winners of the American Circuit can play the last two campaigns and Xiyu Lin (tenth in the ranking) has not yet opened her victory box.
But also the French Celine Boutier (third and who will be in eight days at the LPGA Drive On Championship at the Bradeton Country Club), the Australian Minjee Lee (fourth), the South Koreans Jin Young Ko (sixth) and Hyo Joo Kim (seventh) and the Thai Atthaya Thitikul (ninth), who have chosen to continue with the rest, as the calendar, after two consecutive tournaments in Florida, will take a three-week break before the golfers embark on the Asian tour in February. The American Angel Yin, who captured her first victory on the Circuit after being close for many years (Buick LPGA Shanghai), will also not be present due to an injury.
In any case, this event offers an interesting field led by the two best players on the planet: Lilia Vu and Ruoning Yin. The American, who debuts in the tournament after winning two Majors (Chevron and AIG Women’s Open) and two other events (Honda LPGA Thailand and The Annika), had a year to frame. The Chinese lifted two trophies: the DIO Implant LA Open and the Women’s PGA Championship, the first Major of her career.
Nelly Korda will be another wheel to follow in this sixth edition of the Tournament of Champions. The world’s fifth is looking to return to the winners’ circle for the first time since 2022, as she did not win on the LPGA Tour last season, but has consistently competed in Lake Nona, where she will once again be one of the favourites to win the first tournament of the course. Korda has obtained two third places in the Orlando course and has never finished outside the top 10.
In a similar situation arrives Danielle Kang, who has not lifted a cup since the Hilton Grand Vacations of 2022. The American gets up in this type of festive and fun environments that involves competing in Florida alongside celebrities, and that energy led her not only to victory in 2022 but also to a second place in 2021. In addition, there will be interest in observing Rose Zhang, who triumphed in her first outing as a professional (Mizuho Americas Open) after her heavenly amateur stage. Fans will barely see the Asian-origin player in this first stretch of the course, as her intention is to return to Stanford during the first quarter to obtain her academic degree. The Canadian Brooke Henderson, defending champion and who did not win again during the year after her victory in Orlando, will also be part of the game along with 34 other rivals, including the former world number one Lydia Ko. Spain will not have representation in Florida as Carlota Ciganda has not won any tournament of the American tour in the last two years.
Therefore, the LPGA Tour raises the curtain on a new campaign (the 74th of the Circuit), which marks the beginning of a record calendar that includes 33 official tournaments (in addition to the Solheim Cup and the Paris Olympics) and more than 118 million dollars in prizes.
