The LPGA says farewell to Mission Hills on Sunday night.

Stalwart of the ladies major’s scene, Mission Hills has seen tournaments here since 1972, with major status added in 1983, and has established itself as having various traditions, though not in the somewhat stuffy way that Augusta has.

Since 1988, the winner has leapt into ‘Poppie’s Pond’, the pond surrounding the 18th green, and it all feels a bit like a party, the perfect way to crown the first champion of the season.

Tight enough off the tee, the event has still seen long drivers of the ball succeed – both 2014 victor Brittany Lincicome and last year’s winner, Patty Tavatanakit led the driving distance stats – but, in between those that find greens in regulation succeed.

Mirim Lee ranked 25th off the tee but 6th in GIR when winning in 2020, whilst Jin-Young Ko, So-Yeon Ryu and Lydia Ko were also very strong with their tee-to-green games.

It’s a shame that this event falls a week before Augusta and its prolonged hype, but it’s here, so we will deal with it.

Patty Tavatanakit +2000

Patty Tavatanakit Top-5 +400

Make no mistakes, Jin-Young Ko should win this event. And probably the next five too.

In imperious form and winner of six of her last ten events, and four of her last six, Ko is dominant in every aspect, leading the greens-in-reg stats for the year and ranking within the top seven for putting average – a lethal combination.

But they get beaten, and should she do so, it is hugely likely it will be by one of the classier players rather than a shock result.

The 22-year-old Thai burst onto the professional stage after a stellar junior career, becoming low amateur when tied-fifth at the 2018 US Women’s Open before winning three times from eight starts on the Symetra Tour.

After a solid rookie year, Patty opened with a fifth and 14th before her fourth start of the year saw her demolish the field in last season’s first major, then the ANA Inspiration.

Bombing it off the tee, Patty led the field off-the-tee for distance, for greens and was 14th in putting average – a lethal combination.

Taking a five-shot lead into the last day, she was never really threatened, with only former winner, Lydia Ko, going past her 54-hole score.

Since then, Patty has played well enough without being at her best. In five events on the 2022 LPGA season, she has finished 19/26/4/13/13, her worst finish ironically being after leading after day one.

Having studied at UCLA and now living in the state, Patty is comfortable with all things Californian, she will be spurred on (and might spur on) compatriot and last week’s winner, Atthaya Thitikul, continues to give it a good whack off the tee-peg and ranks first for putting average through the year.

Away from the hot favourite, Patty looks one of the best chances of success.

Charley Hull Top 10 +200

Very little would give more pleasure to this Brit than seeing Charley Hull lift the large-eared silver jug on Sunday.

The 26-year-old from Kettering is an absolute inspiration to so many young girls coming through the grades at home, and it’s certainly about time that she won another event, some six years after her only LPGA tour win at the season-ending CME Tour Championship, where she beat previous ANA champion So-Yeon Ryu by two shots.

It’s not a lack of effort. Known as one of the hardest working players on the tour, this tricky course seems to work for her with her eight tries being rewarded with a seventh place in 2014 (fourth into Sunday), a closing one shot defeat by Lydia Ko in 2016, and a further two top-10s, one 12th and a 14th place.

2022 form is excellent with a fourth and 11th in Florida, and she negated any worries after the withdrawal from the HSBC in Singapore with a seventh place at last week’s JTBC Classic.

Looking at the round by round figures, Charley hasn’t been out of the first 11 places in all her rounds in completed tournaments (11 in total) and perhaps comes here inspired and determined by sporting rival Georgia Hall’s latest victory.

Charley lacks a little in the short game department but is unlikely to give up when the conditions ask for a bit more effort. However, with neither recent champions Ryu and Lydia Ko ranking inside of the top-20 for putting average, her recent top-6 ranking off the tee and constant quality tee-to-green game – fourteenth, first and fifth – in her last three for GIR – can see her challenge on the front of the board.