The LPGA season kicks off next week with the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, and World No. 1 Lilia Vu headlines the field. It marks the first time that Vu has been eligible for the field given that she won her first career title last February at the Honda LPGA Thailand and went on to win three more times, including two majors.
The season-opener takes place Jan. 18-21 at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando, Florida. LPGA winners from the past two seasons are invited to compete for a $1.5 million purse while a field of celebrities vie for $500,000.
Once again, Lake Nona resident Annika Sorenstam will compete in the celebrity field along with NBC’s Dylan Dreyer, U.S. Soccer Hall of Famer Landon Donovan, eight-time NBA All-Star Vince Carter, country music star Chris Lane and World Series Champion John Smoltz.
While Vu and No. 2 Ruoning Yin begin their 2024 seasons next week, six players inside the top 10 of the Rolex Rankings are skipping the first event. For many international players, the lure of a longer offseason outweighs the perks of the TOC.
While there are two events in Florida to start the season in 2024, with the LPGA Drive On event in Bradenton the following week, the tour then has three weeks off before beginning the spring Asian swing in Thailand.
Here’s a look at which top players are in the field for this year’s TOC and which ones are sitting out: