ANA Inspiration Preview and TV Schedule (Video)
Apr 6, 2014; Rancho Mirage, CA, USA; Lexi Thompson and Michelle Wie walk toward the eighteenth hole in the final round of the Kraft Nabisco Championship golf tournament at Mission Hills Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Rancho Mirage is the place to be this week, watching the action at the first Major of the LPGA season, the ANA Inspiration. It’s been the Dinah Shore Classic, the Kraft Nabisco Championship and now it’s the ANA Inspiration, name changes that reflect an ever-expanding fan and sponsorship base and the transformation of the LPGA from a uniquely American to an authentically global women’s professional athletic association. But the bottom line is that this is the first Big Week in the women’s golf season and there isn’t a pro golfer in the world who wouldn’t like to be teeing it up on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California. If this video doesn’t capture the energy and get you in the mood, then you probably need to take two steps back and watch the Shell Houston Open.
Last year Lexi Thompson out-dueled Michelle Wie in a Sunday afternoon round of golf that was as exciting an athletic contest as I’ve witnessed in some time. Given the way the 2015 season’s unfolded, I’m looking for an even higher level of competition this year.
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World number 1 Lydia Ko is at the cusp of breaking another record. If she maintains her current pace she’ll pass Annika Sorenstam’s record of 29 consecutive sub-par rounds on Friday; and Ko could easily break another record on Sunday by winning the ANA Inspiration.
But for Ko to win she’ll have to outplay a full field of tested veterans who know what it takes, both mentally and physically, with withstand the intense pressure and endure the grueling strain of 72 holes of Major tournament competition. Inbee Park, Stacy Lewis, Suzann Pettersen, Karrie Webb, Se Ri Pak, and Cristie Kerr all know how to do it. They’ve done it before. They want to do it again and they’re all in the field.
Competition within the Tour this year has demonstrated that despite Ko’s amazing athletic talent, she can and has been outplayed. Na Yeon Choi, Sei Young Kim, Hyo Joo Kim and Amy Yang, all 2015 champions, are teeing it up in the $2.5 million event. Every one of them has outplayed Ko this year.
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A slew of recent past champions are also competing, including Park (2013), Sun Young Yoo (2012), Lewis (2011), Yani Tseng (2010), Brittany Lincicome (2009), Morgan Pressel (2007) all know the sweet taste of victory on this track. They have the game in their bag that could win this one.
Then there are the rookies and near-rookies. Katie Burnett played her way into the ANA Inspiration field last weekend at the Kia Classic. Has Burnett found the game that could take her to the top of the leaderboard? Is that so far-fetched?
What about Alison Lee, Hyo Joo Kim, Ha Na Jang, and Minjee Lee? They’re all incredibly talented young athletes. Could the fire and energy of this moment ignite a game they’ve been waiting to reveal?
So much of golf is serendipitous — the preparation, the practice, the technical mastery, the unrelenting mental focus can all be undone by moment of hesitation, a flicker of self-doubt, an extraordinarily fortunate putt, an unexpected bounce off a sprinkler head. All this makes the win so much sweeter.
I’ll take a closer look at the field later in the week and will, of course, provide a wrap-up of each day’s round.
Media Coverage
You can follow the ANA Inspiration live on the LPGA electronic leaderboard and Golf Channel will provide comprehensive coverage of the ANA Inspiration as well. (All times are ET.)
Thursday, April 02: 12:00 – 3:00 p.m. & 6:00-9:00pm
Friday, April 03: 12:00-3:00pm & 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 04: 5:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 05: 5:00 – 9:00 p.m.
ProGolfNow will provide daily coverage and commentary. Follow me on Twitter @bethbethel and I’ll notify you when I publish my post-round wrap-ups.