Palos Verdes Estates welcomes the LA Open this week and, ahead of the action, we have taken an early look at the event and its leading contenders.
With a gripping finish seeing France’s Celine Boutier edge Georgia Hall in a play-off at the LPGA Drive On Championship on Sunday, attention passes from Arizona to California this week.
This will be the fifth edition of the tournament and it brings the LPGA Tour into April, with a trip to Hawaii for the LOTTE Championship at Hoakalei Country Club next on the agenda.
Last year’s champion Nasa Hataoka is in the field to defend her title, though Lydia Ko stands out among the early favourites.
LA Open 2023 Odds – Market Leaders
Lydia Ko – 15/2
Leading the betting is the world number one and LPGA number three Lydia Ko.
The South Korea-born New Zealander has yet to properly make her mark on an event this season, tying for sixth at Honda LGPA Thailand late in February before missing the top 30 at the HSBC Women’s World Championship at Sentosa.
But the 25-year-old tied for third on the same course in last May’s Palos Verdes Championship and closed 2022 strongly, taking top honours at the BMW Ladies Open and the CME Group Tour Championship.
Nelly Korda – 10/1
An underwhelming tie for 57th at Drive On saw fourth-ranked Nelly Korda far from her best.
But when she hits her stride, the Floridian can be devastating, coming in second behind Jin-Young Ko at Sentosa after posting fourth in her first event of the year at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.
Atthaya Thitikul – 11/1
Thailand’s Atthaya Thitikul, currently top of the LPGA rankings and fourth in the world, is also one to watch.
Named the tour’s Rookie of the Year for 2022, she brings a wealth of ability and potential to Palos Verdes and goes in search of her third LPGA event win. After a positive start to her season with a third-place finish at Honda LPGA Thailand, however, she has not placed higher than 10th.
Jin-Young Ko – 12/1
After tying for fifth in Arizona last week, three shots off the lead, Jin-Young Ko could threaten once again at Palos Verdes.
The LPGA’s second-ranked player came out on top earlier in March at Sentosa and has yet to finish lower than sixth so far this season.
Lilia Vu – 12/1
American Lilia Vu ranks just outside the world’s top 10, but her win in Thailand shows she can cut it with the best.
Since then she has fared middlingly, tying for 14th and seventh at the HSBC and Drive On, but an improvement on last year’s tie for 10th at the DIO Implant LA Open is certainly achievable.
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