Defending champion Laura Davies will be back to defend the Hero women's Indian Open golf title when the fifth edition of the event takes place at the DLF Golf and Country Club at Gurgaon from December 9 to 11.
A field of 108 professionals from 26 countries will battle it out for honours in the $300,000 tournament.
The three-day competition has attracted eight golfers who have won 10 events between them this year apart from the Order of Merit winners from the Ladies European Tour (LET) since 2006. Also back is South Africa's Lee-Ann Pace, the 30-year-old who topped the LET money list last year.
The 48-year-old Laura, winner of more than 80 international titles, including four Majors, has topped the LET order of merit seven times. Last year, she won five titles.
The other prominent names in the fray are four-time LET money list winner from Sweden Sophie Gustafson, winner of the Sicilian Open, USA's Christina Kim, Sweden's Caroline Hedwell, 2008 Indian Masters winner Gwladys Nocera, two-time winner Thailand's Phatlum Pornanong and Filipino Jennifer Rosales.
According to the Women's Golf Association of India (WGAI) secretary general Champika Sayal, the top-12 ladies from the domestic order of merit, currently headed by veteran Smriti Mehra, would also be part of the field.
Six slots have been offered to the amateurs from the Indian Golf Union's ladies order of merit. Three nominees — Morocco's Maha Haddiqui, Ria Nair and Tanya Wadhwa — will also fight for honours, courtesy WGAI.
Last year, Sharmila Nicollet emerged the best Indian, finishing joint 23rd with a tally of 220, seven strokes behind the winner.
