This week, the LPGA tour is making its annual stop in Hawaii as the 13th edition of the LOTTE Championship presented by Hoakalei tees off in Ewa Beach, Oahu, from October 1st to 4th. With just seven events left until the season ends, every week is progressively becoming more important for players chasing coveted points in the season-long awards races or trying to secure a last-minute spot in one of the final two events of the year.

A $3 million purse, 120-player field, and 21 of the world’s top 50 guarantee that the stakes and the competition will be sky-high. While the World No.1 Jeeno Thitikul will be skipping this event, all eyes are on three headline acts — Nelly Korda, Brooke Henderson, and Charley Hull, among many other top names. Each arrives in Hawaii with something to prove — a title to chase, a streak to defend, or a statement to make. Here’s a closer look at each one of them:

Nelly Korda

Nelly Korda might not have lifted a single trophy this season, but don’t let that fool you. Nelly Korda enters this week with a form just as incredible as last year’s, when she bagged seven titles in the season. The former World No. 1 returns to the LOTTE Championship for the first time since 2021, when she lit up the course with a third-round 63 and finished tied for second. This week, she’s eyeing redemption, and maybe, finally, that elusive 2025 win.

Currently No. 2 in the world and second on Tour in scoring average (69.78), Korda has been consistent all season, even if the win column doesn’t show it. Her most recent outing was a tied 5th at the Kroger Queen City Championship, and she opened strong in Arkansas before the weather canceled the rest of the event. Now, with Jeeno Thitikul, the Tour’s leading scorer, absent from the field, Korda has a chance to close the gap in more ways than one.

Her game is clearly peaking, even if her schedule is feeling like a marathon. Nelly Korda has been in the field for most of the events this season and has played nearly 14 events in 6 months. That kind of grind takes a toll, and Korda hasn’t been shy about it. “I would say since kind of the summer it’s been go, go, go, go, go…” she said recently, emphasizing that rest and recovery are now top priorities. But not just yet, as she gears up for Hawaii.

Brooke Henderson

Brooke Henderson, the Canadian superstar, captured back-to-back LOTTE titles in 2018 and 2019, and returns this week with the confidence of a former champion and of a recent one. Her 2025 season got a massive boost with a win at the CPKC Women’s Open in front of her home crowd. The victory broke a long drought for Henderson, as her last win was nearly 2 years ago at the 2023 Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.

Currently ranked 28th in the CME standings, she’s looking to build late-season momentum, and where better than a course where she once went 16-under to claim the title? Her last start, a tied 15th at the 2025 FM Championship, shows her game is in solid shape, and hopefully, from all her past experiences on this course, she could be chasing a third LOTTE title this week.

Charley Hull

Like Henderson, Charley Hull arrives in Hawaii fresh off a victory at the 2025 Kroger Queen City Championship, but her path has been anything but smooth. This season, the 29-year-old has battled through a string of injuries, including a back muscle tear suffered while lifting a box into her car and lingering ankle issues. Her struggles began at the Amundi Evian Championship, where she collapsed mid-round and had to withdraw. That injury forced her out of the PIF London Championship as well, though she still showed up to support the event on home soil.

Despite constant rehab and ongoing pain, Hull’s fiery spirit never faded. “Pain is only a bloody weakness of the mind, so I’ll be all right,” she quipped before her Kroger Queen City win. She skipped Arkansas to rest and recover and now returns to the LOTTE Championship for the first time since 2019.

She enters this week in solid form, with all six of her last rounds — since a tied-2nd finish at the AIG Women’s Open — coming in the 60s. That kind of consistency, paired with her fearless playing style, makes Hull a serious contender and a threat to the likes of Henderson and Nelly Korda.

With the season nearing its dramatic finish, the LOTTE Championship isn’t just another event; it’s a launchpad for many. For Korda, a chance to finally convert consistency into a win. For Henderson, an opportunity to reclaim the title, and for Hull, a shot to claim a second title of the season.