Hirscher, overall winner in the past three seasons, has won two of the three events so far in the 2014-15 season, and Ligety claimed the other.
Ligety has claimed the past two giant slalom crowns though, with Hirscher second in consecutive years - and the Austrian is eyeing winning the alpine skiing title for the first time since 2012.
Hirscher (260 points) is fending off Ligety (206) as it stands but the latter looks to have put his poor start to the giant slalom campaign behind him with top-two finishes in the past two events - including winning at Beaver Creek.
The Austrian would also be wary of his standing in the overall competition - second - with the champion in arrears of Norway's Kjetil Jansrud (492 points) by 52 points.
Hirscher took the honours at the Italian venue in 2013, from Frenchman Alexis Pintaurault and Ligety - the trio also filling up the podium at Beaver Creek this season.
Pintaurault is third in the giant slalom standings, with 180 points.