I cover every tournament on the LPGA Tour on my Cobe Life Youtube channel. Usually I provide my Subscribers with a few Favourites, Dark Horses, and one or two Sleepers to potentially wager on. I provide them with some course history, and examples of why I selected the players I did.
In addition to that video I am going to highlight 3 players each tournament week on this Blog. They won't necessarily be players I am betting on. Instead these are players that I believe could possibly break out later in the season. I am scouting them for potential bets at future LPGA events.
When scouting LPGA players there are a few key things to look for. The first and foremost is their putting ability. How accurate are they from distance? How confident is there stroke within 6 feet? Where do they finish in the Strokes Gained Putting rankings? You can't win an event if you don't Putt well so I always pay attention to their play on the Greens. Secondly how long and accurate are their Drives? What's important to note here is that a player doesn't need to be great at both. A nice balance between the two is preferable, but exceptionally great at either is fine as well. The last thing I pay attention to is their Approach play, or more specifically their proximity to Hole when they hit the Green.
If a player shows better than average ability across those 3 categories then they are poised to compete for Top finishes in future events. It's not rocket science. Those three areas of the game work in concert to produce low scores. Beginning on the Tee - a long or accurate Drive makes for an easier Approach shot. If your Approach game is on your proximity to Hole will be much smaller. Then if your average Putt is shorter you will make more 1 putts. Last season I was really high on Xiyu Lin because she was improving those 3 skills all season long. She finished the year 38th in Driving Accuracy, 52nd in Driving Distance, 20th in Greens in Regulation, 20th in Putts per GIR, and 34th in Putting Average. It was her Putting that let her down and prevented her from winning. That's why I rank it the most important. Ideally you want a player you're betting on to have a better Putting per GIR ranking compared to their Greens in Regulation, and a Putting Average no more than 50% worse.
Hopefully that has you fully versed on what to look for. This week I highlight 3 players that could break out this Season provided they improve their Putting game. The Honda LPGA Thailand played on the Pattaya Old Course is a perfect location to allow these Players an opportunity to improve their Putting.
Ashleigh Buhai
Currently ranked 95th in the world. Two Top 10 finishes in 2021.
Key Stats
-Driving Accuracy 23rd on tour
-Driving Distance 111th on tour
-Greens in Regulation 54th on tour
-Putts per GIR 94th on tour
-Putting Average 113th on tour
Ashleigh Buhai is a great fit for the Pattaya Old Course at Siam Country Club. She doesn't have the length for some of the longer courses on the LPGA Tour but the Pattaya Old Course has a layout that suits her game.
Last year she finished 13 under Par at this event, and I expect her to improve upon that finish. She showed some flashes of brilliance last week. If she can sink a few more Putts this week she will be fun to watch.
Pajaree Anannarukarn
Currently ranked 71rst in the world. Three Top 10 finishes in 2021.
Key Stats
-Driving Accuracy 93rd on tour
-Driving Distance 47th on tour
-Greens in Regulation 33rd on tour
-Putts per GIR 35th on tour
-Putting Average 66th on tour
Pajaree is an absolutely great Driver of the ball. I wish the Golf Channel would show more video of her flighting the ball to exactly the right spot on Fairways. Unlike most bombers she won't just hit for distance. She plays Fairway slopes, and hits to safe positions when necessary.
Like Ashleigh Buhai she needs to improve her Putting to take advantage of het Tee to Green play. Playing in her home country should have her feeling a little more comfortable with the Flat stick.
Megan Khang
Currently ranked 36th in the world. Three Top 10 finishes in 2021.
Key Stats
-Driving Accuracy 7th on tour
-Driving Distance 104th on tour
-Greens in Regulation 25th on tour
-Putts per GIR 37th on tour
-Putting Average 80th on tour
When you look at Megan Khang you would assume she's a long hitter of the ball. That wouldn't be further from the case. She instead uses that powerful build to shape the ball with an accuracy that very few golfers possess. She isn't short off the Tee but doesn't get it out there like the true bombers on tour. She has a great Approach into Greens. Easily one of the most accurate on the LPGA Tour. Her ranking of 25th is more about Spin control on some of the longer courses. She is easily Top 10 on average length courses.
As mentioned before all three of these women need some improvement with the Putter. Megan Khang especially struggles with slower Greens so rain usually spells trouble for her. Generally her line is excellent. She just needs to learn how to control the weight of her Putts better.
Let us know which players you will be watching closely this week on the LPGA Tour in Thailand. Any players you plan on wagering on?
Madsen would have made my Dark Horses list if I did one this tournament.
All three played well last week and are chances this week, especially Anannarukarn, who was at 75/1 earlier, now at 66/1.
It seems you really do need to be able to hit the ball straight on many of the holes on that course; but too short and too long, too, is dangerous approaching numerous holes - it's a course designed by an evil genius!
But it's a very open affair this week, some goods odds.
My picks (and bets) are: 1 A. Jutanugarn 2 A. Yang 3 M. Jutanugarn 4 N. Hataoka 5 C. Boutier Those Jutanugarns owe me plenty!!!
Nice selection Cobe. I think this is the most open event so far this season; half the field has a reasonable belief that they can genuinely win at the Pattaya Old Course. For these reasons there should be good value. Apart from my regulars + Amy Yang, I've spread £30 over 7 'roughies' with small bets but at high odds. For a couple of my bets I even got 6 places:
Ashok £5 e/way @90/1
Anannarukarn £2 e/way @75/1
Madsen £2 e/way @90/1
Oh £2 e/way @125/1 6 places
Altomare £2 e/way @110/1
Kemp £1 e/way @750/1
Yin £1 e/way @300/1 6 places