But there’s something different this year from the recent past to note: the tournament runs from Tuesday through Sunday rather than staring on Monday. USGA officials made the decision a year ago to delay the start to provide travel time for elite women’s amateurs who were competing in the AIG Women’s British Open the previous week to make it back to the U.S. However, none of the seven amateurs in the field at Royal Lytham took advantage of the change, meaning that World No. 1 Kiara Romero of the U.S., World No. 2 Paula Martin Sampedro of Spain (low am at the British) and Augusta National Women’s Amateur champ Maria Jose Martin of Colombia, will be missing in Tennessee. Five of the top 10 in the WAGR will be competing, including U.S. Curtis Cuppers Farah O'Keefe (No. 4) and Asterisk Talley (No. 8). 

Another American to follow this week is Rachel Heck, a Tennessee native who our Keely Levins profiled for the championship.