10 players to watch at U.S. Women's Open

World ranking in parentheses

1. Inbee Park (1)

Park, consistent in every aspect of her game, regained the No. 1 ranking after winning the KPMG Women's PGA (formerly the LPGA Championship) for the third straight year and her fifth major victory in the last three years.

2. Lydia Ko (2)

The 18-year-old from New Zealand spent 19 weeks at No. 1 but missed the KPMG cut. She'll have another chance to win her first career major.

3. Stacy Lewis (3)

The top-ranked American has eight top-10 finishes in 14 events, including a second in the ANA Inspiration, the year's first major. The runner-up in last year's U.S. Women's Open at Pinehurst, she has all facets of the game needed to win but needs to stay cool and patient.

4. Sei Young Kim (10)

The 22-year-old rookie made world highlights by holing out a 154-yard approach for eagle on the first playoff hole to win an event in Hawaii. She's long off the tee and hits greens.

5. Lexi Thompson (12)

The 20-year-old budding superstar won her first major last year at the Kraft Nabisco and has finished seventh and third in this year's majors. Her putting numbers are down, but she hits irons well enough to warrant plenty of birdie chances.

6. So Yeon Ryu (8)

She won the 2011 Women's Open before she was a member of the LPGA and since then has a pair of top-five finishes in the national championship.

7. Morgan Pressel (21)

Pressel shot onto the national stage in 2005 at age 17 when she finished second at the Women's Open. With a third and a fifth in the first two majors of 2015, Pressel has the game, experience, and confidence to make a run this week.

8. Suzann Pettersen (5)

Pettersen posted her 15th career tour victory last month in Canada and owns top-10 finishes in both majors played in 2015. She is a green-hitting machine, ranking second in that department, but can't allow her putter to frustrate her.

9. Hyo Joo Kim (4)

She is second to Sei Young Kim in the race for the LPGA rookie of the year, but she's already a major winner, having won last year's Evian Championship as a Korea LPGA (KLPGA) member. She owns a win and six other top 10s this season.

10. Michelle Wie (17)

This is more out of respect for Wie's status as defending champion than a nod to her present form. She is without a top-10 finish this year, mainly because of injuries to her hip and ankle. The Open will be a tough place to reverse her fortunes.

Anna Nordqvist (7)

The ShopRite LPGA Classic champion has the game to challenge, but she can't let a bad stretch wreck her confidence.

Brittany Lincicome (9)

She won the ANA Inspiration and took fourth at the Women's PGA, but her game in the five events between those two wasn't good.

Karrie Webb (18)

The 40-year-old Hall of Famer still possesses one of the best swings in golf and was in the mix at the Women's PGA.

Mirim Lee (14)

A four-year star on the Korean circuit, Lee won a pair of events in her 2014 LPGA rookie season and owns two runner-up finishes this year.

Shanshan Feng (6)

She is remarkably consistent — only two finishes higher than 13th in 10 tournaments this year.

Cristie Kerr (11)

The 2007 Women's Open champ still thrives in big moments, as shown by her 17th career win earlier this season.

Alison Lee (53)

The top American rookie (sixth overall) owned a great junior record and doesn't flinch in big moments.

Na Yeon Choi (13)

The 2012 Women's Open winner enters the competition off a win at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, her second of the season.

Paula Creamer (31)

The newly married and popular 2010 U.S. Women's Open champion has just three top-10 finishes this year.

Brooke Henderson (46)

The talented and fearless 17-year-old from Canada placed 10th at last year's Women's Open.