Thailand's Patty Tavatanakit is among them, the defending champion after her victory at the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club last year when the event was known as the ANA Inspiration for the last time.

Tavatanakit is set to play her opening round with American Danielle Kang, who is also a major champion.

Tavatanakit finished 18 strokes under par last year - just one shot off the tournament record - and two clear of runners-up Leona Maguire and Feng Shanshan, respectively of Ireland and China. 

World number one Ko Jin-young, seven-time major winner Park Inbee, Lee Mi-rim and Ryu So-yeon are all past champions, leading a South Korean challenge which figures to be strong as ever.

Park is playing with new world number five Atthaya Thitikul to start with. 

The Thai player is still only 19 but has been in fine form to begin 2022, winning a first Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour event earlier this month.

New Zealand's Lydia Ko won this event in 2016 - the same year Canada's Brooke Henderson triumphed at the Women's PGA Championship - and those two form one of the opening round's other high-profile pairings.

Americans Brittany Lincicome, Stacy Lewis and Lexi Thompson all are former champions, and the 10th past winner joining them in the field is Swede Pernilla Lindberg.

Reigning Olympic champion and world number two Nelly Korda will not play as she continues her recovery from a blood clot in the arm.

The American tied for second place at this event in 2020.

The four-round tournament begins tomorrow and is set to reach its climax on Sunday (April 2).

The last 12 editions of the major have produced 12 different winners, with Lincicome's 2015 victory marking the last time there was a repeat winner on the course named after entertainer Shore, who helped found the tournament.

Lincicome also won in 2009.