ANA Inspiration 2018: Tee Times, Dates, TV Schedule, LPGA Prize Money

So Yeon Ryu will begin her defence of the ANA Inspiration golf championship on Thursday as the LPGA Tour's first major of 2018 gets under way at the Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California.

The South Korean bagged her second career major 12 months ago, but her play-off victory is not what is most keenly remembered about 2017's edition of the ANA Inspiration.

Rather, the four-shot penalty meted out to America's Lexi Thompson while she was leading on the final day—after a television viewer spotted an offence and informed officials—is what ended up defining last year's action.

Jeff Gross/Getty Images

Thompson scrapped to get over the setback and forced a play-off, but she could not down Ryu.

It was a controversial finish to a gripping tournament, and the incident led to a change in the rules, per Josh Sens of Golf.com.

Organisers will hope that the 2018 ANA Inspiration tournament is remembered only for the competitiveness of the quality field over four days of action.

Here are all the details for the event:

Dates: Thursday, March 29, to Sunday, April 1 

TV Info: Live on the Golf Channel (U.S.), Sky Sports Golf (UK)

TV Schedule: Thursday (midday to 4 p.m. ET and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. ET), Friday (midday to 4 p.m. ET and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. ET), Saturday (5 p.m. to 9 p.m. ET), Sunday (5 p.m. to 9 p.m. ET)

Purse: $2.8 million

Tee Times: For full pairings visit, the LPGA's official website

Thompson, 23, is already an ANA Inspiration winner having claimed the 2014 title for what remains her only major victory.

That did not make 2017's events any less galling for her, though, nor will it likely curb her ambition to make things right this year.

A victory for the world No. 2 at Mission Hills would be a terrific redemption story, but she could struggle to escape that narrative over the coming four days of competition, which will put her under significant pressure.

Thompson has a fantastic record on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course. Since winning the ANA Inspiration in 2014 she has finished seventh, fifth and second.

That kind of form is sure to give her confidence, and she is likely to either be spurred on by last year's debacle or buckle under the pressure it adds.

Another player with a fantastic record at Mission Hills is 28-year-old Michelle Wie, who has six top-10 finishes at the ANA Inspiration, most recently finishing sixth last year, per the Golf Channel's Morning Drive:

"

How do you think Michelle Wie will finish at this week's @ANAinspiration? pic.twitter.com/PhvMK3dWuc

— Morning Drive (@GCMorningDrive) March 26, 2018"

If the Hawaii-born star can take advantage of the course's par-fives this week and put herself in the mix come Sunday, she will surely be a genuine contender for the title. 

The player to beat, though, could well be Inbee Park, despite her recent struggles with injury. 

The 2013 Ana Inspiration champion has finished the tournament tied 11th, sixth and third in the last three editions, and she claimed the 2018 Bank of Hope Founders Cup in Phoenix earlier this month. 

The South Korean's consistency and experience—she is a seven-time major winner at 29—could well combine again to make Park a serious contender for the title on Sunday.