"Inverness Club Wowing LPGA Tour Players"

You gotta give the members of @Inverness_Club a huge amount of credit for giving-up their course at short notice during the height of the season for a regular tour event, knowing they’ll do the same next year for #SolheimCup - big gesture of support for womens golf. #DriveOn pic.twitter.com/2iPgfs3BVo

Hardly unexpected but still nice to see: the LPGA’s finest are restarting their season at rejuvenated Inverness. And while the “major championship” conditions presented by veteran ace super John Zimmers could be a tough way to restart after a pandemic-driven break, I couldn’t be happier to see one of America’s great clubs and tournament courses back in fine form.

And let’s be clear: Inverness only fell out of favor because of regulatory malfeasance (as much as I’d love to blame the Fazio’s, it was still great even after their visit.)

The news wasn’t 100% perfect—one player tested positive for COVID-19 on site and another at home—the players sound excited to be back and grateful to be playing Inverness, even if some are going caddieless, as Beth Ann Nichols notes in this Golfweek story.

As for the course, the LPGA.com notes in advance of Friday’s first round include these player remarks about Donald Ross’s design.

“It's super nice. I mean, on 18, it's crazy,” said Rolex Rankings No. 2 Nelly Korda. “I've never seen this. Like even the way they cut their grass here, it gives you such a major championship feel when you're out there. It's crazy. It's super nice though.”

“I do think it's certainly a challenge. We did go out there today and mentioned something along the lines of it being a U.S. Open standard golf course,” added Bronte Law. “Especially after not playing in a while kind of being thrown in at the deep end, per se, is something that I think will definitely be a challenge; but one that I think everyone here is ready for and ready to be back playing.”

Beyond this week’s competition, Inverness Club will return to the women’s golf schedule when it hosts the 2021 Solheim Cup next September. USA Solheim Cup stalwart Lexi Thompson often practices at Inverness Club while in Toledo for the Marathon LPGA Classic and is looking forward to finally seeing the golf course in competition mode.

“To be able to have this as like a tune up to be on this great of a golf course, it's pretty unbelievable,” said Thompson. “And also to have Solheim Cup on it next year, it gives us a little insight and get to know the golf course to hopefully be on that team next year. I was very excited just to hear that we were playing golf again, and even more excited that we're playing a golf course like Inverness.”

Golf Channel coverage begins Friday at 9 am ET.