The LPGA returns to Prattville, Alabama, this week for the fifth playing of the Navistar LPGA Classic Presented by Monaco RV. An elite field of 144 players will compete for a total purse of $1,300,000 and a first place prize of $195,000 on the Robert Trent Jones Trail's Capitol Hill Senator Course.

The star studded field features 13 of the top 15 players in the Rolex Rankings including Rolex Rankings No. 1 Yani Tseng, No. 2 Suzann Pettersen, No. 3 Cristie Kerr, No. 4 Na Yeon Choi, No. 8 Paula Creamer, No. 9 Brittany Lincicome, No. 10 I.K. Kim, No. 11 Stacy Lewis, No. 12 Michelle Wie, No. 13 Karrie Webb and No. 14 Inbee Park. Tseng, who looks to capture her sixth LPGA tournament and ninth tournament victory world-wide this year, is coming off a win at last week's Walmart NW Arkansas Championship Presented by P&G.

Headlining this week's field are former champions including defending champion Katherine Hull, Maria Hjorth, LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame members Juli Inkster and Se Ri Pak. Last year, Hull earned a one-stroke victory over Brittany Lincicome to claim her second career LPGA title

Sweet Home Alabama
Defending Champion Katherine Hull might be from Australia but the Aussie feels right at home with the southern hospitality in Prattville, Alabama.

“It's always nice to be back here,” said Hull. I love this golf course, and we're fortunate we play down in Mobile, as well, and I think the southern hospitality, you can't beat it. It actually reminds me of home, like the laid‑back kind of personality of people.”

Hull is in the midst of an up-and-down 2011 season that includes four top-21 finishes and a season-best tie for sixth at the Avnet LPGA Classic. While the two-time LPGA Tour champion feels confident about her game, she admits several off-the-course issues have stood in the way of her hoisting her third trophy.

“I've kind of had a rough year off the golf course, and it's affected what's going on on the golf course, so it's been hard to kind of get that in check,” said Hull. “Swing‑wise it feels pretty good. “

Playing for a cause
LPGA Tour rookie Jennifer Johnson has made the most of her first-year campaign and now she is taking the time to give back. Earlier this season, Johnson played for the Wounded Warrior Project at the RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup and she has since partnered with Navistar to help raise awareness for the cause.

On Tuesday, Johnson played a practice round with two Wounded Warriors – Dan Nevins and Joe Caley – both who suffered brain injuries in Iraq. Nevins continues to play golf despite the loss of both his legs. Johnson will also donate half of her Navistar LPGA Classic earnings to the cause. Johnson, who began the season with Category 20 status, has moved her way up the list via some good play and the reshuffle. Johnson has made six of nine cuts this year with a season-best tie for 12th at the CN Canadian Women’s Open. She currently sits No. 70 on the LPGA money list.

“It’s an honor to be playing with some of the wounded warriors,” Johnson said before her round. “I hope that I can show these guys my appreciation for everything that they’ve done for our country.”

Trying to stay on top
Yani Tseng has held the top spot in the Rolex Rankings since February 14, the same week that the LPGA Tour kicked off its 2011 season. But while Tseng has been able keep her No. 1 position in the rankings for 30 consecutive weeks, she acknowledges that staying on top hasn’t been easy.

“I think it's difficult to defend the No. 1 position because when you have a goal of getting there, you just keep trying to achieve it,” Tseng said. “If not, you just keep working hard. Right now I'm No. 1, but I feel like I still have a long way to go. I still have so many things I need to learn, I need to achieve and I need to work on. I'm only 22, so I feel like I have lots of things I need to do, I need to work on.”

Tseng is currently in the midst of her best season on Tour. Last week she captured her fifth LPGA Tour win and eighth win worldwide this year at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship Presented by P&G when she defeated Amy Yang on the first hole of a playoff.

With her five victories this year, Tseng now joins an elite group of woman who have accomplished that feat in a season including Louise Suggs, Mickey Wright, Kathy Whitworth, Nancy Lopez and Pat Bradley to name a few. Tseng also won this year’s Honda LPGA Thailand, LPGA State Farm Classic, Wegmans LPGA Championship and RICOH Women’s British Open.

Of Note
Seventeen-year Janie Jackson of Huntsville, Ala. and 2011 LPGA Futures Tour member Jenny Lee earned the final two spots in this week’s field during the Monday qualifier. Jackson shot a 70 to earn her spot and Lee captured her spot by outlasting two other players -- Rachel Ingram and Taylor Karle – on the third hole of a playoff…LPGA Tour rookie Belen Mozo made a quantum leap up the money list with a season-best tie for fifth at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship Presented by P&G. It was the first top 10 for the Spaniard who graduated in 2010 from the University of Southern California. The finish will assure Mozo playing status for the 2012 LPGA Tour season… Navistar is leaving its mark on the LPGA and the River Region this week by providing free admission to all fans. In an effort to raise awareness and funds for the Wounded Warrior Project, the tournament charity, fans are asked to consider making a donation to the cause upon entrance.