The LPGA Tour will maintain the excitement even after the recent conclusion of the Chevron Championship. Next, the Tour will return to Black Desert Resort in Southern Utah, surrounded by stunning red mountains and black lava rocks. This marks the first time since the 1964 Riverside Ladies Open that the Tour will come back to Utah. To understand this iconic event, let’s take a look at the format of the Black Desert Championship.

According to the updates around the inaugural event, held between May 1-4, this stroke play tournament will feature a field of 144 top players from women’s golf competing for a total purse of $3 million in the Tour’s return to Utah. However, not all of them will have the opportunity to vie for the winner’s share of $450,000, which means the LPGA Black Desert Championship 2025 will include a cut. After the second round concludes, the real competition among the players will begin.

According to the tournament schedule, the cut is expected to occur after the second round, following 36 holes. The cut will take place on Friday, May 2, with the exact timing depending on the last putt. The third round will then tee off on Saturday, May 3, contingent on the cut. Winning this inaugural LPGA event will add a feather to the winner’s cap, especially since this is the only course hosting both an LPGA and a PGA Tour event. You might be surprised to learn how recent this Utah course is.

The Black Desert Resort is a newly opened luxury resort in Southern Utah that debuted last fall. This week, it’s a par-72 course, spanning 6,629 yards, that will challenge the top-ranked players in women’s golf for the upcoming Black Desert Championship. However, the course’s story began with the PGA Tour. In October 2024, the PGA Tour held the first professional golf tournament at the Black Desert Resort, launching the inaugural Black Desert Championship. Despite its first run, there are a few golfers you can trust.

Golfers to watch out for at the LPGA Black Desert Championship

The Utah field will miss many big names at the Black Desert Championship, including Nelly Korda. However, despite the absence of golfers like Korda, fans have plenty of skilled performances to look forward to. Fresh off her strong showing at the Chevron Championship, Haeran Ryu has multiple reasons to feel confident at the Black Desert Championship. In the first women’s major, Ryu shared the 54-hole lead and ultimately finished T6 after shooting a final round of 76. Although she missed the cut at the JM Eagle LA Championship, Ryu has demonstrated notable consistency in 2025, achieving four top-20 finishes in six events.

Ayaka Furue has made every cut this season and recorded two podium finishes—3rd at Blue Bay and T2 at the HSBC Women’s World Championship. Additionally, Furue ranks among the tour leaders in greens in regulation and has fired multiple rounds in the 60s, including a final-round 68 at HSBC that nearly earned her a second LPGA title. This sets the stage for our next best bet.

In 2024, Lilia Vu achieved a ranking as high as No. 2 in the world and has remained above No. 6. In 2023, she claimed two Major Championships, winning the Chevron Championship and the AIG Women’s Open, and enjoyed a period as the world’s top-ranked golfer. Most recently, she finished second at the Ford Championship.

In addition to these stars, fans can focus on Mao Saigo, the Chevron Championship winner, as well as Charley Hull and Minjee Lee, among others. But which golfer has your vote? Let us know!