Click here for the complete field at the Blue Bay LPGA.
Top Ranked
World No.2 Ariya Jutanugarn is the top-ranked player in the field at this week’s Blue Bay LPGA. Jutanugarn is joined by No.5 Brooke Henderson as well as defending champion Sei Young Kim, who is currently No.6 in the Rolex Rankings.
Jutanugarn finished in a share of eighth in this event last year and could likely pick up another top-10 here this week as she’s continued to play consistent golf for the better half of three months. Since finishing in a share of second at the Marathon LPGA Classic in July, Jutanugarn won back-to-back followed by finishes of T-5, T-9, sixth and T-13.
Former Champs
Sei Young Kim captured her third victory on the LPGA Tour at the 2015 Blue Bay LPGA, which helped her lock up the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year award. Each of Kim’s victories in her rookie season came on islands, so look for Kim to contend again this week in the windy island conditions as she looks to pick-up her third win of the year. Lee-Anne Pace is also in the field as the winner of the inaugural playing of this event in 2014, when the event was shortened to 54-holes due to Mother Nature.
Thanks For The Invite
Four players received a sponsor invite at this week’s Blue Bay LPGA including two-members of the LPGA, Yani Tseng and Michelle Wie. Tseng has played in this event since it’s start but has yet to crack the top-20. Wie is making her first start of the 2016 Asia Swing this week, having not qualified to compete this year based on her position on the money list. Although she has struggled throughout much of this season, this week could provide a jumpstart for Wie who finished T-3 in this event in 2014 followed by a T-14 finish last season. Amateurs Jingwen Zhang and Yifan Ji also received a sponsor invite to compete this week.
Already Winning
Seven winners of 2016 are in the field this week including last week’s first-time champion Carlota Ciganda, who defeated Alison Lee in a playoff at the LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship. Ciganda is making her third start in this event this week where she’s looking to crack the top-30 for the first time. Also in the field are 2016 major champions Brooke Henderson and Brittany Lang, Minjee Lee, Caroline Masson, Sei Young Kim and Ariya Jutanugarn, who has the most wins so far this season at five.
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