What

This year's first of five major competitions on the women's side.

Major status since 1983.

Banana

The competition has had different names over the years but is always played at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California.

Pair: 72 strokes.

When

April 1-4.

Last year, the competition was held in September, moved due to the pandemic.

Prize money

$ 3.1 million.

Corresponding to almost 27 million Swedish kronor.

Last year

Mirim Lee, South Korea, won on the first special hole in battle with Nelly Korda, USA, and Brooke Henderson, Canada.

Best Swedish?

Linnéa Ström, place 32.

Golfweek journalist Beth Ann Nichols was one of many who criticized the wall.

To the right, Mirim Lee hugs second place Nelly Korda after the victory putt.

Photo: Twitter and TT

Criticized blue wall gone

Last year's end was talked about due to a blue wall on the 18th green.

A blue wall?

We take it from the beginning:

The 18th green is located on a small island and usually there is a VIP stand for sponsors on one side of the island.

But because the audience was not allowed due to the corona pandemic, the sponsors were appeased by a compromise: a built-up blue wall with the sponsors' logos (see photo).

Unintentionally from the organizer, the wall instead became a deliberate ballpark for the players.

With a greatly reduced risk of ending up in the water, the winner Mirim Lee herded the ball through the wall down to the green and put in an eagle putt on the last round.

“I definitely used the wall.

I practiced the kind of training ", she admitted.

Many in the golf world had views on the wall and this year there are none.

Lindberg's shock victory

2018 was the latest Swedish victory in Ana Inspiration.

Pernilla Lindberg then won her only international competition so far.

And that after senseless drama.

Only on the eighth special game hole, on the fifth game day, could the Swede win against the South Korean star Inbee Park.

A long putt from Lindberg was decisive.

- To lead a major from the first day to the last day and then win on the eighth special game hole is a dream.

It feels like a film script, said Pernilla Lindberg then.

Other Swedes who have won Ana Inspiration are Annika Sörenstam (2001, 2002, 2005) and Helen Alfredsson (1993).

ARCHIVE: Lindberg: "Said aloud to myself that I am a major winner" (April 3, 2018)

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Pernilla Lindberg to SVT: "It was only after the special game that I realized that there were eight holes" Photo: TT / SVT

Genrepet

Four competitions have been played on the LPGA Tour this year.

Three American wins (Jessica Korda, Nelly Korda, Austin Ernst) were followed by victory for Inbee Park in the genre rope in Carlsbad, California.

Best Swedish?

Madelene Sagström, who was fifth before the last round but slipped down to 26th place.

Favorites

The top 15 in the world rankings line up and the starting field contains many former winners of the competition.

None of the Swedish players are among the favorites and it is no big deal if an Asian or American player takes it home.

But sometimes it is a resounding victory, like Pernilla Lindbergs three years ago.

Tradition

The winner always swims in "Poppies Pond" which surrounds the green on the 18th hole.