After a spell in Asia, the LPGA Tour returns to the US for the first time since January's opening tournament of the year with the Drive On Championship at Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club in Arizona.
Leona Maguire claimed victory by three shots over Lexi Thompson in 2022 for her maiden win on the Tour, and the World No.12 is back hoping for a similarly comfortable performance this year.
World No.6 Thompson is also in this week's field - her first LPGA Tour appearance of 2023. However, the American shouldn’t be too rusty having played in last month’s Aramco Saudi Ladies International on the LET, where she finished tied for third.
The highest-ranked player in the field is World No.2 Nelly Korda. The 24-year-old seems primed for a memorable year considering her impressive form over recent months.
After finishing fourth in the individual event in the Aramco Team Series New York in October, Korda has followed that up with five successive top-10 finishes spanning two seasons, including victory in the Pelican Women’s Championship in November and runner-up in the HSBC Women’s World Championship earlier this month.
Right behind Korda in the world rankings is Jin Young Ko, who beat the American in the weather-delayed tournament at Sentosa Golf Club as she continues to put last year’s injury frustrations behind her.
Former World No.1 Atthaya Thitikul appears too, and brings some impressive form of her own having completed top-10 finishes in nine of her last 10 starts worldwide, which sees her begin the tournament at World No.4.
Minjee Lee, who recently split with her caddie of five years, completes the list of top five players in the field. She will be hoping to get back on track after indifferent results in her previous two tournaments.
The remaining top-10 players in the field are World No.7 Brooke Henderson, who won the most recent LPGA Tour event in the US, January’s season opener the Hilton Garden Vacations Tournament of Champions. World No.8 In Gee Chun and World No.9 Hyo-Joo Kim also play.
For Chun, the need for a confidence-boosting performance is becoming increasingly apparent after she has failed to breach the top 10 in a tournament since last August’s runner-up finish in the AIG Women’s Open. In contrast, Kim comes into the this week on the back of successive top-10 finishes.
Just outside the top 10, Lilia Vu will have February’s Honda LPGA Thailand win in mind as she goes in search of her second win on the Tour, while other high-profile names in the top 20 appearing include Danielle Kang, who won the tournament three years ago, Charley Hull, Ashleigh Buhai and Jennifer Kupcho.
Players are competing for a share of $1.75m, an increase of $250,000 on last year. The winner will receive $262,500. The runner-up will earn $165,070.
Below is the prize money breakdown and field for the 2023 Drive On Championship.
Drive On Championship Prize Money
Drive On Championship Field
- Brittany Altomare
- Narin An
- Pajaree Anannarukarn
- Aditi Ashok
- Jaravee Boonchant
- Celine Borge
- Celine Boutier
- Ashleigh Buhai
- Matilda Castren
- Jennifer Chang
- Peiyun Chien
- Hye-Jin Choi
- Chella Choi
- In Gee Chun
- Karen Chung
- Carlota Ciganda
- Allisen Corpuz
- Lauren Coughlin
- Paula Creamer
- Daniela Darquea
- Karis Davidson
- Manon De Roey
- Perrine Delacour
- Amanda Doherty
- Gemma Dryburgh
- Jodi Ewart Shadoff
- Ally Ewing
- Dana Fall
- Maria Fassi
- Ayaka Furue
- Isi Gabsa
- Luna Sobron Galmes
- Sofia Garcia
- Hannah Green
- Georgia Hall
- Mina Harigae
- Lauren Hartlage
- Brooke Henderson
- Esther Henseleit
- Daniela Holmqvist
- Yu-Sang Hou
- Wei-Ling Hsu
- Charley Hull
- Caroline Inglis
- Eun Hee Ji
- Moriya Jutanugarn
- Ariya Jutanugarn
- Danielle Kang
- Haeji Kang
- Minami Katsu
- Sarah Kemp
- Cristie Kerr
- Megan Khang
- Sei Young Kim
- A Lim Kim
- Grace Kim
- Gina Kim
- Frida Kinhult
- Cheyenne Knight
- Jin Young Ko
- Nelly Korda
- Jessica Korda
- Aline Krauter
- Jennifer Kupcho
- Stephanie Kyriacou
- Ines Laklalech
- Bronte Law
- Maude-Aimee Leblanc
- Andrea Lee
- Alison Lee
- Minjee Lee
- Jeongeun Lee6
- Stacy Lewis
- Lucy Li
- Brittany Lincicome
- Pernilla Lindberg
- Yan Liu
- Yu Liu
- Ruixin Liu
- Gaby Lopez
- Polly Mack
- Nanna Koerstz Madsen
- Leona Maguire
- Stephanie Meadow
- Wichanee Meechai
- Morgane Metraux
- Azahara Munoz
- Yuna Nishimura
- Yealimi Noh
- Anna Nordqvist
- Ryann O'Toole
- Alexa Pano
- Sung Hyun Park
- Annie Park
- Kum-Kang Park
- Emily Kristine Pedersen
- Pornanong Phatlum
- Valery Plata
- Mel Reid
- Riley Rennell
- Paula Reto
- Kiira Riihijarvi
- Pauline Roussin
- So Yeon Ryu
- Hae Ran Ryu
- Madelene Sagstrom
- Lizette Salas
- Yuka Saso
- Sarah Schmelzel
- Sophia Schubert
- Hinako Shibuno
- Jenny Shin
- Jennifer Song
- Angela Stanford
- Maja Stark
- Lauren Stephenson
- Linnea Strom
- Ellinor Sudow
- Jasmine Suwannapura
- Maddie Szeryk
- Elizabeth Szokol
- Emma Talley
- Kelly Tan
- Bailey Tardy
- Patty Tavatanakit
- Gabriella Then
- Atthaya Thitikul
- Charlotte Thomas
- Lexi Thompson
- Ayako Uehara
- Mariajo Uribe
- Albane Valenzuela
- Lilia Vu
- Samantha Wagner
- Chanettee Wannasaen
- Lindsey Weaver-Wright
- Amy Yang
- Angel Yin
- Xiaowen Yin
- Ruoning Yin
- Pavarisa Yoktuan
Where Is The Drive On Championship Played?
The Drive On Champion is played at Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club in Arizona at the Jack Nicklaus-designed Prospector Golf Course, which is known for its wide fairways and fast greens.
Who Is In The Field For The Drive On Championship?
Last year's champion Leona Maguire is back to defend her title, while many more of the world's best also play, including World No.2 Nelly Korda, World No.3 Jin young Ko, World No.6 Lexi Thompson and World No.7 Brooke Henderson.
