DEFENDING CHAMPION: South Korean Sei Young Kim reached 18-under-par 270 here last year, defeating Englishwoman Charley Hull by one shot.

COURSE: The Gold Course at Tiburon Golf Club, located in Naples, opened in 1998 and was designed by our own Greg Norman. The par-72 stretches to 6,750 metres – but it will play to 5,995 metres this week. It has hosted this event since 2013.

PRIZEMONEY: US$3,000,000.

RELATED: So-called expert golf tips for this week

PLAYERS TO WATCH …

Former World No.1 Lydia Ko won this event back in 2014 and has played fairly well at Tiburon ever since, finishing T7 (2015), T10 (’16), T16 (’17), T5 (’18) and T53 (’19).

The South Korean-born New Zealander has been in terrific form, too, since returning from the Tour’s coronavirus shutdown in July, bagging eight top-20s – including her runner-up performance at the Marathon Classic in August – and making every cut from her 11 starts.

Ko has always been deadly with the flatstick and is currently ranked fifth on Tour for her putting average. She arrives in 11th position in the Race to the CME Globe.

RIGHT: Sei Young Kim won her 10th (of 12) LPGA Tour title at Tiburon GC last year. PHOTO: Sam Greenwood/Getty Images.

South Korean Inbee Park currently leads the Race to the CME Globe, which should come as no surprise given her incredible consistency.

Park has amassed eight top-10 finishes this season – including her Women’s Australian Open victory at Royal Adelaide back in February – and finds herself in scintillating form, finishing T6 (Women’s US Open), T2 and 2nd from her three most recent starts.

The 32-year-old owns 20 career titles on the LPGA Tour and 107 top-10s. Nobody would be shocked if she adds to those impressive numbers in Naples this week.

72-HOLE RECORD: Charley Hull shot 19-under-par 269 in 2016, defeating South Korean So Yeon Ryu by two shots.

PAST AUSSIE WINNERS: No previous Australian winners.

AUSTRALIANS IN THE FIELD: Hannah Green, Sarah Kemp, Katherine Kirk and Minjee Lee.

TV TIMES*
Round 1: Friday (Fox Sports 503 LIVE 5am – 8am)
Round 2: Saturday (Fox Sports 503 LIVE 5am – 8am)
Round 3: Sunday (Fox Sports 503 LIVE 5am – 8am)
Round 4: Monday (Fox Sports 503 LIVE 4am – 7am)
*AEDT, check local guides