- Nelly Korda and world No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul headline the 2026 Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions at Lake Nona.
- The field includes 39 recent LPGA winners and 44 celebrities competing in a modified Stableford event.
- Korda seeks her first Lake Nona title after five top-five finishes; Thitikul arrives off a dominant 2025 season.
Event snapshot: who’s playing and where
The 2026 LPGA season opens this week at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando, Fla., for the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions. The field features 39 winners from the past two seasons on the LPGA Tour alongside 44 celebrities competing in a separate modified Stableford competition.
Featured group: Nelly Korda with Kevin Millar and Robbie Amell (Thu, 9:35 a.m.)
Nelly Korda, Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings No. 2, returns to Lake Nona for her eighth consecutive start at the season opener. Although a title at this event has eluded her, Korda has recorded five top-five finishes in seven starts and has never finished worse than T16 in Orlando. Last year she finished solo second, two strokes behind A Lim Kim.
Korda closed 2025 with a string of strong metrics—top marks in strokes gained off the tee, par-5 scoring average and a low scoring average—yet she did not capture a win. The 27-year-old and 15-time LPGA winner will be among the favorites as she chases a first Tournament of Champions victory.
Joining Korda in the featured group are former MLB player Kevin Millar and actor Robbie Amell, both taking part in the celebrity competition. Millar is a two-time World Series champion and longtime Florida resident, while Amell is known for his roles in film and television and is an avid golf fan.
Featured group: Jeeno Thitikul with Mardy Fish and Taylor Twellman (Thu, 9:46 a.m.)
Jeeno Thitikul arrives in Orlando as the world No. 1 off a breakthrough 2025 season. At 22, she won three times, successfully defended the CME Group Tour Championship, claimed Rolex Player of the Year honors, topped the Race to the CME Globe and earned the Vare Trophy for the lowest scoring average.
Thitikul’s consistency included 11 additional top-10s in 20 starts and strong major results, making her a clear favorite to start 2026 strongly—even though this is her first start at Lake Nona.
Her celebrity group includes former pro tennis player Mardy Fish, a two-time winner of the Tournament of Champions celebrity division, and former MLS star Taylor Twellman.
How to follow
Full tee times and pairings are available on the LPGA website. Broadcast and streaming details for the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions are also posted on the LPGA site for fans who want to watch live coverage from Lake Nona.
Keep an eye on Friday and weekend play as the field — and the celebrity Stableford leaderboard — begin to sort, with several storylines already in place before the first tee shots on Thursday.
Image Referance: https://www.lpga.com/news/2026/featured-groups-2026-hilton-grand-vacation-tournament-of-champions