World #25 Mika Liu

With the defending champion, France’s Mathilda Cappeliez, not playing this year, the field is wide open. Among the participants are commits to top college programs, college players and 2015 Women’s US Amateur participants. The highest ranked player, according to the World Amateur Golf Rankings, is Bradenton, Florida’s Mika Liu, #25 in the world and runner up at the Women’s Eastern Am and the Jones/Doherty Am in 2015.

Included in the international players, Mexico’s Maria Fassi recently won the Mexican Women’s Amateur and finished runner-up at the South American Amateur. Emma Spitz won the Italian International Women’s Am in 2015, and there are members of the Dutch and French National teams vying for the Dixie Am. In addition to the U.S. and Puerto Rico, 13 countries are represented: Canada, France, England, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Belgium, Russia, Mexico, Ecuador and Columbia.

The weather hasn't been cooperating in South Florida lately with over 8 inches of rain in the last week. This trend may continue, but sunshine predicted for Wednesday's first round while thunderstorms are more than likely the rest of the week with temperatures in the low- to mid-eighties.