2021 ANA Inspiration - Tuesday preview notes

Looking ahead to the first golf Major of the season, the 2021 ANA Inspiration taking place this week at Rancho Mirage, April 1-4…

photos 2021 ANA Inspiration, Gabe Roux

Key Numbers for the 2021 ANA Inspiration

• 50^th Edition
• 1^st Edition won by Jane Blalock in 1972
• 38 past champions (see list below)
• 8 multiple winners
• Sandra Post (’78, ‘79)

Amy Alcott (’83,’88) Juli Inkster (’84, ’89) Betsy King (’87, 90, 97) Dottie Pepper (’92,’99) Annika Sörenstam (’01,’02,’05) Karrie Webb (’00, ‘06) Brittany Lincicome (’09,’15)

• 11 Past Champions playing this year
• 119 competitors
• 15/15 on the Rolex World Rankings
• 24 nationalities represented in the field
• More than 400 LPGA and LET titles
• 30 Major Champions with 49 titles between them
• 28 Solheim Cup Players with 89 appearances between them
• All 3 Olympic medallists – Inbee Park, Lydia Ko and Shanshan Feng

Key Quotes

Mirim Lee on defending her title this week “It does seem that it puts me in a little bit of a unique position, given that this is the 50th anniversary and I am the defending champion entering the 50th anniversary and I think for that reason, I'm looking forward to playing even a little bit more of a solid round and more professionally this week for my fans and all the viewers out there.”

Nelly Korda, who lost out in a play off last year on the set up here this week – “It's amazing. Honestly we all love coming here. Unfortunately the past two years we haven't had fans but the atmosphere here is always great. The views are great, and as we said, the history, too. I've always said, it's kind of like the Masters for us in women's golf, so it's definitely something you as a professional golfer, you want to win.”

Korda on coming so close to winning her first major title last year before losing out at the first playoff hole – “I've always said when you put yourself into those positions, you get more comfortable being in those in the future. I've said this so many times, but the more I put myself into that position, the better. So I feel like the more I get out of each kind of time I put myself into that position, I feel the more I grow as a player.”

Brooke Henderson who finished tied second last year alongside Nelly Korda  – “This tournament is so special, and to think it's 50 years old is really neat. To be a part of it for the last few years is really cool to me. Growing up, this is the tournament as a little girl that you dream of playing in and watching and hopefully winning sometime. For the men, it's the green jacket. For us, it's to jump into Poppie's Pond. It's just great to be a part of and I just -- yeah, it's just special to be out here and hopefully one day I'll be able to make that jump”

Lexi Thompson It would mean to claim her second ANA Inspiration title- “It would mean the world to me. This place has so much history and tradition behind it, and jumping into Poppy's Pond is my favorite memory of my career, jumping in there with my family. I hope to do it again sometime, and it's always my goal coming into this event. I just absolutely love it. Of course I want to win but everyone else does, and I just have to focus on my game and see where it takes me.”

Attached images should only be used in conjunction with this email and should be credited to 2021 ANA Inspiration, Gabe Roux

List of Past Champions: