The trophy is the same but the venue is very different as Minjee Lee eyes off a title defence with a difference at this week’s Kroger Queen City Championship in Ohio.

Twelve months ago, Lee’s playoff victory over Charley Hull at Kenwood Country Club sparked a run of form that saw her climb back to No.4 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking.

Lee had two wins, two runner-up finishes and two further top 10s in the space of seven starts but the memories of the performance that started her run are muted somewhat by a change of venue.

“I was actually talking about it with my physio yesterday; it kind of doesn’t feel like I’m defending,” said Lee, who enters the week ranked No.16 in the world.

“Obviously I won the tournament last year, but because we’re at a new venue it feels like I’m learning everything new and getting to know a new place.

“It’s not the same as when you’ve been to the tournament and you feel the vibes from the course that you kind of remember from the previous year.

“I’m really looking forward to a different challenge this year.”

After a busy period that included the Paris Olympics, Women’s Scottish Open and AIG Women’s Open, the 28-year-old arrives refreshed and hopeful of another strong finish to the year.

“I had a nice break after our last Europe swing,” said the two-time major champion.

“I feel like after all the wind at the Scottish and AIG I was a little worn out.

“Just needed a couple weeks to refresh and do a little bit of practice and sharpen a few things in my game.”

It shapes as a potentially career-defining week for Cassie Porter, who is just one good result from a step up in class to the LPGA Tour in 2025.

Currently 10th on the Epson Tour with two events left in the season, Porter will earn status on the LPGA Tour if she can finish inside the top 15 at the completion of the Epson Tour Championship.

Fresh from her win on the LET Access Series in France last week, Kelsey Bennett joins Kirsten Rudgeley, Whitney Hillier and Amy Walsh on the Ladies European Tour this week for the La Sella Open in Spain.

Photo: Oisin Keniry/R&A/R&A via Getty Images

Round 1 tee times AEST

LPGA Tour
Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G
TPC River’s Bend, Maineville, Ohio
10:20pm          Minjee Lee
10:31pm          Grace Kim
10:42pm*         Stephanie Kyriacou, Hira Naveed
11:04pm*         Robyn Choi
11:15pm*         Su Oh
3:09am            Gabriela Ruffels
3:20am*           Lydia Ko (NZ)

Defending champion: Minjee Lee
Past Aussie winners: Minjee Lee (2023)
Prize money: $US2 million
TV times: Live 3am-6am Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.

Ladies European Tour
La Sella Open
La Sella Golf Resort, Spain
5:36pm            Whitney Hillier
6:09pm*          Momoka Kobori (NZ)
9:26pm*          Kelsey Bennett
9:37pm            Kirsten Rudgeley
9:48pm*          Amy Walsh

Defending champion: Nuria Iturrioz
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: €1,000,000

Epson Tour
Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout
Mystic Creek Golf Club, El Dorado, Arkansas
Australasians in the field: Fiona Xu (NZ), Cassie Porter, Amelia Garvey (NZ)

Defending champion: Natasha Andrea Oon
Past Aussie winners: Hannah Green (2017)
Prize money: $US337,500

Defending champion: Natasha Andrea Oon
Past Aussie winners: Hannah Green (2017)
Prize money: $US337,500