The championship was held in a bubble[a] and behind closed doors, although residents of the Mission Hills gated community were able to watch from within the boundaries of their own homes.[2] A large blue colored structure, dubbed the "Big Blue Wall", was erected behind the 18th green, where a grandstand would normally have been, in order to promote the championships main sponsor. This attracted much criticism since it served as a backstop, preventing approach shots from going into the water behind the green.[3][4]
Due to expected conditions in the California desert in September, with forecast temperatures in excess of 105 °F (41 °C), the LPGA allowed caddies to ride in carts for the duration of the tournament. Players could also ride in carts during practice rounds, but were still required to walk during the tournament.[5]
Mirim Lee won her first major championship with a birdie at the first extra hole of a playoff with Brooke Henderson and Nelly Korda. The three had tied at 273 (15-under-par) after 72 holes. The big blue wall played its part, as both Lee and Henderson used the backstop on the final hole of regulation play to make eagle and birdie respectively to tie Korda, who could only make par.[6][7][8]
Field
Players were eligible to compete in the ANA Inspiration by means of various qualification criteria. Those who received exemptions included past champions, recent LPGA major winners, leading players from the LPGA Tour and the U.S. Women's Amateur champion. On September 4, a field of 105 players was confirmed.[9]
Two days prior to the tournament starting, England's world number 28 Charley Hull was forced to withdraw from the field after testing positive for COVID-19. The LPGA reported that no other players had returned a positive test.[11]
4. Winners of official LPGA Tour tournaments from the 2016 ANA Inspiration through the week immediately preceding the 2020 ANA Inspiration
5. All players who finished in the top-20 in the previous year's ANA Inspiration
6. All players who finished in the top-5 of the previous year's U.S. Women's Open, Women's PGA Championship, Women's British Open and The Evian Championship
7. Top-80 on the previous year's season-ending LPGA Tour official money list
10. Top-20 players plus ties on the current year LPGA Tour official money list at the end of the last official tournament prior to the current ANA Inspiration, not otherwise qualified above, provided such players are within the top-80 positions on the current year LPGA Tour official money list at the beginning of the tournament competition
12. Previous year's U.S. Women's Amateur champion, provided she is still an amateur at the beginning of tournament competition
13. Any LPGA Member who did not compete in the previous year's ANA Inspiration major due to injury, illness or maternity, who subsequently received a medical/maternity extension of membership from the LPGA in the previous calendar year, provided they were otherwise qualified to compete in the previous year's ANA Inspiration
14. Up to six sponsor invitations for top-ranked amateur players
Brooke Henderson and Nelly Korda were tied for the lead after three rounds. Henderson reached the turn on 30 and had a round of 65, while Korda dropped three strokes at the 5th and 6th holes and finished with a 71. 17-year-old Rose Zhang, the winner of the U.S. Women's Amateur, scored 67 and was tied for 7th place.[14]
Overnight leaders Brooke Henderson and Nelly Korda shared and alternated the lead for much of the final round, with neither able to stretch their lead beyond one stroke until a double-bogey on the 13th hole by Henderson was followed by a birdie on the 14th hole by Korda, which moved her to 15 under par. Mirim Lee closed to within one stroke of Korda with a chip-in for birdie on the 16th hole, her second hole-out of the day after chipping in on the 6th hole. Henderson also made a birdie on the 16th to move back to 14 under par as Lee dropped back to 13 under par with a bogey on the 17th.
On the par-5 closing hole, Lee hit her second shot over the green and, after taking a free drop from against the blue wall, proceeded to chip-in for an eagle, her third hole-out of the day, to tie Korda at 15 under par. Playing behind Lee, Korda drove into the rough and had to lay-up short of the water guarding the front of the final green. Henderson was able to go for the green and, like Lee, went over the back with her ball finishing inside the blue wall. Korda could only make par after missing the green with her approach, and Henderson, having taken a free drop, was able to get up-and-down for birdie to tie Korda and Lee and force a three-way playoff for the title.[6][7][8]
Rose Zhang, the 2020 U.S. Women's Amateur champion, finish tied for 11th with an 8-under-par 280, taking low-amateur honors. Her 72-hole score of 280 was the lowest amateur score in the tournament's history.[15] Her finish allowed her to reach number 1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.[16]
^In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many professional sports were suspended. Upon their return some organisations and teams created isolated secure environments for everyone involved. These environments were dubbed "bubbles".
^Players must have participated in ten official LPGA Tour tournaments within the past year before the commitment deadline in order to be deemed active.
^Exemptions for past LPGA major winners are fixed as of the originally scheduled date. As such, the winner of the 2020 Women's British Open does not gain exemption until 2021.