Cecilia Ekelundh of Sweden

(Monday 20th February 2005) -- The field is nearly set for this year’s first major championship; the Kraft Nabisco, to be played from 30th March-2nd April at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California.

The tournament's special exemptions to Solheim Cup members and top players from Japan, Korea and Europe have been awarded.

Cecilia Ekelundh of Sweden and Veronica Zorzi of Italy have been confirmed as sponsors’ exemptions from the Ladies European Tour and will be making their first starts in the tournament.

In addition to Ekelundh and Zorzi, the foreign invitations have gone to Kyeong Bae and Bo Bae Song of Korea and Ai Miyazato and Yuri Fudoh of Japan. Song is also a member of the LET and won the 2005 Samsung Ladies’ Masters.

Miyazato, one of a crop of heralded rookies on the LPGA this season, was half of the Japanese team that won the 2005 Women’s World Cup of Golf and received her exemption from being one of the top two money winners on the Japanese LPGA last year.

Miyazato, Michelle Wie and LPGA Rookie Morgan Pressel are part of the traditionally strong field shaping up for the Kraft Nabisco, which includes members of The 2005 European Solheim Cup team.

In addition to defending champion Annika Sorenstam, Laura Davies, Carin Koch, Karen Stupples, Sophie Gustafson, Catriona Matthew and Maria Hjorth, who already had exempt status, Norway’s Suzann Pettersen and French players Ludivine Kreutz and Gwladys Nocera have also been confirmed to compete in the field.

Veronica Zorzi of Italy

Surprisingly, Trish Johnson, a member of the European Solheim Cup team last year, has yet to commit to the event and two past winners, Nancy Lopez and three-time winner Betsy King, also have not committed to the field, which currently stands at 94.

The 94 players could easily increase to about 100 players with the late commitments of a few players like King and Johnson. A few other players might get into the field by being among the top-15 money winners through the LPGA's first four events, ending at the Safeway International Presented by Coca-Cola, just before the Kraft Nabisco.