Ahead of the first major of the season, the Chevron Championship, the LPGA Tour is already stirring with excitement. The T-Mobile Match Play brings not only a new title sponsor but also introduces a fresh format, adding to the intrigue. After Nelly Korda‘s confirmation for the LPGA event, hefty purse worth $2 million purse and 500 Race to the CME Globe points, anticipation is running high for the weekend.

Accompanying the defending champion, Pajaree Anannarukarn, and other top-ranked golfers including the likes of Brooke Henderson, Sei Young Kim and Rose Zhang are also present, further enhancing the competition on the greens. The showdown at Shadow Creek in Las Vegas showcased talented field size of 96 golfers.

The competition consisted of stroke play over 36 holes on Wednesday and Thursday, after which the cut was implemented, advancing the low 65 players and ties. The remaining pros continued to play another stroke over 18 holes on Friday, and the top 8 were determined using aggregate scoring over three rounds. A stroke play format, evaluated hole by hole, will determine the players advancing to the final two days of the game.

On Saturday, the schedule will be straightforward. It will start with quarterfinals in the morning utilizing a single-elimination match-play bracket, followed by the afternoon semifinals. The finals will start with a nine-hole charity match featuring NFL stars, followed by the main exciting event—an 18-hole championship match. With the tournament becoming more enthralling, Yin Angel returned to the greens after almost a 3-4 months.

Yin Angel is making her return to the inside the ropes

Apart from the alterations to the format and the introduction of a new title sponsor, the T-Mobile Match Play also marked the comeback of Yin Angel, a three-time Solheim Cup champion. After recovering from an off-season injury, she returned to the golf course. Despite no official announcements regarding her injury, she was unable to take part in the HGV Tournament of Champions. 

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During a speech to AJCA players, the American was observed sitting beside LPGA legend Annika Sorenstam in a wheelchair, wearing braces around her ankles. Since January 2024, she has been out of action and is now making her return to the professional greens in the T-Mobile Match Play.

Who do you think will emerge victorious in the event? Let us know your picks in the comments below!

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