Above: Brooke Pancake hits some shots during the Alabama Power Junior Clinic at the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic in Prattville earlier this week. (Chris Jones/Alabama NewsCenter)

Stacy Lewis is back in Prattville this week for the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic. The top American on the tour is looking to improve on her second-place finish in last week’s event and repeat the win she had in Prattville in 2012.

“This is a place I’ve had success, played here a lot, so I love coming back to the South,” Lewis told the media this week. “The food’s a little bit better, kind of the pace I’m used to a little bit, so I love coming here. And playing well last week, it’s good to come off a week like that and to be playing again right away.”

Lydia Ko’s par on the first playoff hole left Lewis in second place at the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open. She has been second in 19 events and last week’s showing was her sixth as a runner-up since winning the 2014 Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.

“I felt like last week every day I got a little bit closer with my game,” Lewis said. “You know, the good thing is I’m playing this week. If I were sitting at home, I think that would make Sunday’s finish a little bit tougher, but the fact that I’m teeing it up again right away is really a good thing. My game’s really close to playing some really good golf.”

Brittany Lincicome entertains children at the Alabama Power Junior Clinic at the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic earlier this week. (Chris Jones/Alabama NewsCenter)

Really good golf is what tournament director Jonathan Romeo is predicting for the Senator Course at Robert Trent Jones Capitol Hill, where play began today.

“I’m forecasting a lot of birdies and low numbers,” he said. “That’s what I want to see. Fans come out to see great golf, they come out to see birdies. I think the golf course is in the best shape that we’ve had it in, ever. As good athletes and players as we have in the field, you’re going to see very good numbers, a lot of birdies.”

Romeo said fans will follow a strong field of golfers, who include five of the top 10 and nine of the top 20 women in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking. That includes No. 3 Lewis, No. 4 Hyo-Joo Kim of Korea, No. 7 Shanshan Feng of China, No. 8 American Lexi Thompson and No. 10 Anna Nordqvist of Sweden.

American Brittany Lincicome comes in at No. 12.

“Any time you’ve got Lewis, Lincicome and all the ones that we have in the field, it’s extremely strong,” Romeo said. “There are players that are here that won’t miss Prattville or an Alabama tournament, period, strictly because they about the hospitality that they get here and they know the caliber of golf course.”

Among other players of note:

• Mi Jung Hur, the 2014 Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic champion.
• Auburn University’s Karlin Beck of Montgomery and Cydney Clanton.
• University of Alabama’s Kathleen Ekey, Jennifer Kirby, Stephanie Meadow, Brooke Pancake, Jenny Suh and amateur Emma Talley.
• Sisters Ariya and Moriya Jutanugarn.
• Fan favorites Natalie Gulbis, Christina Kim, Ai Miyazato, Belen Mozo, Brittany Lang, Sadena Parks, Angela Stanford, Yani Tseng and Tiger Woods’ niece Cheyenne Woods.

Following her first round today, Lewis was tied for 12th with a 2-under 70. Brittany Lang sat atop the leaderboard at 7-under with a round of 65.