With the AIG Women’s Open just barely in the rearview mirror, the LPGA Tour pivots to another major on the calendar – the ANA Inspiration.
The ANA has been the longtime opening major on the calendar, but due to COVID-19 and its impact through 2020 it will be played second this year. The Women’s Open at Royal Troon wrapped up with world No. 304 Sophia Popov taking the title in Cinderella-story fashion.
“There’s something really special about playing the ANA,” says Brooke Henderson. “It’s just amazing to walk in there Monday for a practice round and play that course.”
RICH TRADITION
Indeed, the ANA Inspiration is one of the oldest and most prominent tournaments on the LPGA Tour. This will mark the 38th year for the ANA as a major championship, and its 48th year as part of the LPGA Tour’s schedule.
It’s played at the respected Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif.
Brooke Henderson says over the last couple of seasons she’s learned to play the course better and better.
“You go back there every year and you get a little more confident and you understand how to play it,” she says.
LAST YEAR
A year ago it was Jin-Young Ko who captured her first of two majors (and second of four victories on the season, including the CP Women’s Open) and made the big leap into Poppies Pond.
The tradition for the winner at the ANA Inspiration is to take a big leap with their family and supporting team into the pond adjacent to the 18th green, so dubbed ‘Poppies Pond.’ Named after Terry Wilcox, the former tournament director (he had seven grandchildren, hence the nickname, ‘Poppie’), it’s part of Champions Lake, which surrounds the 18th hole.
The first champion to jump into the pond was Amy Alcott in 1988, and it’s become a tradition at the event ever since.
Ko won by three shots over Mi Hyang Lee. Lexi Thompson finished third.
Brooke Henderson finished T17 alongside fellow Canadian Alena Sharp.
Brooke will come into the ANA Inspiration having missed her first cut at a major championship after not finding the weekend at the AIG Women’s Open. It was her first tournament back on the LPGA Tour since the COVID-19 break, and her first event since mid-January.
Earlier in the year she notched a T4 and a T15 at the first two events on the calendar in Florida. Despite the missed cut at the Women’s Open, she is still ranked inside the top-10 in the world.
Her results at the ANA Inspiration, historically, have been very good.
She finished T26 as an amateur in 2014 (winning Low Amateur honours). She has finished outside the top-20 only once since turning professional, and her best finish was T10 in 2016.
While the LPGA Tour’s schedule has been altered due to COVID-19 – with plenty of cancellations – the good news is that we’re getting some big tournaments still on the table, including the ANA Inspiration.
“Going in, I’m really excited, but everyone always is,” says Brooke. “Hopefully I’ll have four solid rounds, but you know, Poppies Pond looks really nice!”