What to know ahead of the start of the LPGA’s 75th season

The GIST: Happy LPGA season-start eve to all who celebrate. The fairways are trimmed and the greens are rolled, but there’s still plenty of polishing to do before the star-studded Hilton Grand Vacations (HGV) Tournament of Champions — the first tourney of the season — tees off from Florida tomorrow. Fore!

The details: This year marks the LPGA’s 75th season, and the celebration will begin and end in the Sunshine State with the final event of the year, the Grant Thornton Invitational, slated for Naples in mid-December.

• The main events to mark on your cal? The five majors: April’s Chevron Championship, May’s U.S. Women’s Open (featuring a whopping $12M purse), June’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, and July’s Amundi Evian Championship and AIG Women’s Open (aka the Women’s British Open). Talk about a par-tee.

• Off the links, the association is notably currently without an official commissioner. Mollie Marcoux Samaan stepped down from the role earlier this month, leaving chief legal and technology officer Liz Moore in charge until the position is permanently filled. The search is on.

The golfers to know: After winning seven tournaments (including five straight) in 2024, all eyes are on world No. 1 Nelly Korda’s encore performance. The 26-year-old rightfully earned Rolex Player of the Year honors, and if she can stay healthy, expect the American to only add to her trophy case.

• Korda’s biggest competition? World No. 2 and reigning Olympic gold medalist Lydia Ko. The Kiwi entered the LPGA Hall of Fame last year and is hoping to start the year strong by defending her HGV Tournament of Champions title this weekend.

• And don’t count out these golfers on the score card: World No. 3 Ruoning Yin, who picked up three wins last season, world No. 10 Charley “what, like it’s hard?” Hull, and world No. 24 Canadian darling Brooke Henderson.