Scott Halleran
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Lydia Ko dominated her sport as a teenager
Scott Halleran
Golf tips, best bets and player analysis for the Chevron Championship at Mission Hills Country Club on the LPGA Tour.
where to see
Sky Sports Golf, 5pm Thursday
best bets
Lydia Ko
1.5 points per stretch 12-1 general
Patty Tavatanakit
1 point in either direction 22-1 bet365
Tournament Preview
Jin Young Ko is a 5-1 favorite for the Chevron Championship – the first major of the LPGA season – and many bettors will keep their staking schedule simple this week and opt for the in-form Korean.
Ko has won six of their last 12 tournaments – a staggering 50 percent tiger-style batting average – and many LPGA fans will feel that an investment in the market leader is almost a guaranteed return.
However, Jin Young hasn’t won a Major in almost three years – and her last two Major appearances resulted in a 46th place finish in the PGA Championship and a 60th place finish in the Evian Championship – so two high-quality Operators with better odds are favored .
The Americans have a poor record at the first Major of the year – no homegrown talent has won the event since 2015 – and that trend could continue. Nelly Korda is out with a blood clot in her arm while Lexi Thompson has been winless since June 2019.
New Zealander Lydia Ko speaks as the best option. This former prodigy, who was world number one at age 17, won a major at 18 and dominated the sport for four years. As of 2017, trophies have been less flashy, but Ko appears to have tied the knot over the last year and is on course to claim a third Major title at Mission Hills Country Club on Sunday.
Ko won the Lotte Championship last April by seven shots to signal her return to form, followed by the Saudi Ladies International title in November and the Gainbridge LPGA in late January.
A bout of Covid meant an easy schedule in recent weeks, but Ko said the illness only affected her physically for about seven days and 12th place at last week’s JTBC Classic was a decent warm-up spin for the Chevron.
Ko won this event in 2016 and has finished sixth and second for the last two years. She signed out last year with a course record of 62, and has her namesake Jin Young to give her biggest challenge.
Defending champion Patty Tavatanakit should offer a strong defense. The 2021 Rookie of the Year says her game is in much better shape than it was 12 months ago when she triumphed – an ominous warning to her rivals. She was bottom amateur in the 2019 Major at Mission Hills and the Bangkok Bombshell is enjoying a solid season. The action starts at 2.30pm UK and Irish time.
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FIRST RELEASE 11:55 AM ON MARCH 30, 2022
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