Teenage sensation Atthaya Thitikul will be bidding to win a breakthrough LPGA title at the Women's British Open, which tees off on Wednesday at Carnoustie in Scotland.
The 18-year-old is one of 11 Thais in the field who include two-time major winner Ariya Jutanugarn, ANA Inspiration champion Patty (Paphangkorn) Tavatanakit, and 2020 British Open runner-up Jasmine (Thidapa) Suwannapura.
In the eyes of the bookmakers, Atthaya and Ariya are among the top-six favourites to win the year's fifth and final major championship on the women's circuit.
Atthaya is installed as the third favourite behind top-ranked US star Nelly Korda, who won the Olympic gold medal this month, and resurgent Lydia Ko, who was third at the Tokyo Games.
The Ratchaburi native has enjoyed a good run this year and is the current money leader on the Ladies European Tour (LET) thanks in part to her win at the Czech Ladies Open in June.
It is her third LET triumph after wins on home soil when she was still an amateur.
She was the low amateur at the British Open in 2018 and 2019.
Atthaya has finished runner-up twice on the LPGA Tour this season at the LPGA Thailand in May and the Women's Scottish Open last week.
"I just feel good. My focus for this year is trying to improve myself every day and then trying to get an LPGA Tour card," she said after the Scottish Open on Sunday.
If she lifts the Women's British Open trophy on Sunday, she will earn LPGA Tour membership.
She was fifth at the previous major, the Evian Championship, last month.
Ariya, who won the British Open in 2016, has returned to form this year with two wins.
She defeated Atthaya to claim the LPGA Thailand title and also won a two-player team event with her sister Moriya, who is also in the field this week.
Ariya had a tournament to forget at the Tokyo Olympics but bounced back at the Women's Scottish Open.
Seeking her 13th LPGA victory, Ariya took the lead after two rounds only to run out of steam to finish fourth at the Scottish Open.
Korda, 23, is the hottest female golfer at the moment with three LPGA wins this year including her maiden major triumph at the Women's PGA Championship as well as an Olympic gold medal.
Her sister Jessica will try to win her first major crown this week.
Revitalised Ko
Ko hopes to make it third time lucky in the British Open after the New Zealander ended her poor run of form.
Following a disappointing spell, South Korea-born Ko is back on track and she goes into the final major of the season on a hot streak.
The 24-year-old finished third at the Olympic Games in Tokyo and then second at the Scottish Open.
Now she wants to get her hands on the trophy in Scotland.
Ko became the youngest world No.1 aged 17 in 2015, but slipped down the rankings before ending a three-year victory drought in Hawaii earlier this season.
"I don't really set goals any more," said the two-time major winner.
"I just try and do my best every week. I used to be the youngest out here but now there are players three or four years younger.
"But it would be great to do well this week. The course is very tough, but I am hitting it longer than a few years ago so that helps."
Life changing win
Sophia Popov was a little known rank outsider when she arrived at the British Open last year, but 12 months later the German returns as the defending champion.
Popov lines up for the final major of the season at Carnoustie having to cope with a great deal more attention than last year.
Ranked 304 at the start of the 2020 Open, she arrives back in Scotland at No.28 after building on the life-changing triumph at Royal Troon.
"I am very excited," said the 28-year-old. "This week last year changed my life. It's been amazing so far.
"From the moment I saw my allocated space in the parking lot and seeing my face on the posters.
"It's bringing back so many memories and I am determined to enjoy every minute."