Outright plays (total stake per play: 1pt)
Mi Hyun Kim to win 20/1 e.w. @ BetInternet, Stan James, William Hill, GolfingGods and Boyle Sports
Adding a fourth play this week as I can't split Kim, Jang and Han, while Hetherington is definitely worth a punt at 50/1. After two weeks of playing on long, wet courses, it should be some relief to these selections that they are on a short course this week. Unfortunately, it won't be dry as there has been almost three times the normal rainfall in Sylvania, Ohio so far this month. There should be only showers on Thursday and Friday and then dry over the weekend, so at least it won't be quite as punitive for these selections as in the last two weeks. So, ignoring her 41st position in the U.S. Women's Open and a third-round defeat last week, Kim comes into this event in as good form as anyone since winning the Ginn Clubs & Resorts Open in April. She had top-5 finishes in her last two events before the U.S. Women's Open and can boast a record that reads only one finish worse than 12th in six attempts on this course. Against some very tired players who were in contention in the U.S. Women's Open and played more rounds in the Match Play, she should continue her fine record at Highland Meadows again, despite the wet conditions.
Jeong Jang to win 22/1 e.w. @ GolfingGods
It is a similar story with Jang, who finished 28th two weeks ago and was a first round loser last week. After also winning the Wegmans LPGA three weeks ago, in hindsight, she would have been grateful for the early rest last week. That win in New York only extended her previous run of good form as she had come very close to winning the ShopRite LPGA Classic earlier that month and in terms of course form, she also mirrors Kim. She has finished outside the top-15 just once in the last six years here. That's why it was difficult to split them two!
Hee-Won Han to win 25/1 e.w. @ Stan James
Han is another selection who entered the last two weeks in great form, including a win in the previous two months. That win (LPGA Corning Classic) came at the end of five consecutive top-5 finishes and she was back in good form with a top-10 finish in the Wegmans LPGA the week before the U.S. Women's Open. Of the selections, she should be the freshest after missing the cut in the U.S. Women's Open and losing in the first round last week, but as already mentioned there are good reasons for discounting the last two weeks when capping this event. As just as with Kim and Jang, very strong form before the U.S. Women's Open can be allied to very strong course form: in each of her last two visits (2003 and 2005), she really should have won this event. In 2003, she shared the lead with Se Ri Pak with nine holes to play, but them fell behind and needed to birdie the par-5 last hole to force a playoff, but was too aggressive and bogeyed it instead. And last year, she appeared to be coasting to victory, but shot 40 on the back nine , including a 6-5 finish to end up one shot outside the playoff. She is certainly due a win in this event!
Rachel Hetherington to win 50/1 e.w. @ BetInternet, Stan James, Victor Chandler and Paddy Power
By contrast, Hetherington did play well in the U.S. Women's Open and rather than simply having an extremely good record in this event, she won it in 2002. She had not been playing well this year, but two top-10 finishes in the consecutive weeks in the Wegmans LPGA and the U.S. Women's Open are very encouraging. It is also important that she lost in the first round last week so she can concentrate upon this event in which she has finished in the top-20 in all seven attempts. By that standard, there is good value at 50/1.
Mi Hyun Kim to win 20/1 e.w. @ BetInternet, Stan James, William Hill, GolfingGods and Boyle Sports
Adding a fourth play this week as I can't split Kim, Jang and Han, while Hetherington is definitely worth a punt at 50/1. After two weeks of playing on long, wet courses, it should be some relief to these selections that they are on a short course this week. Unfortunately, it won't be dry as there has been almost three times the normal rainfall in Sylvania, Ohio so far this month. There should be only showers on Thursday and Friday and then dry over the weekend, so at least it won't be quite as punitive for these selections as in the last two weeks. So, ignoring her 41st position in the U.S. Women's Open and a third-round defeat last week, Kim comes into this event in as good form as anyone since winning the Ginn Clubs & Resorts Open in April. She had top-5 finishes in her last two events before the U.S. Women's Open and can boast a record that reads only one finish worse than 12th in six attempts on this course. Against some very tired players who were in contention in the U.S. Women's Open and played more rounds in the Match Play, she should continue her fine record at Highland Meadows again, despite the wet conditions.
Jeong Jang to win 22/1 e.w. @ GolfingGods
It is a similar story with Jang, who finished 28th two weeks ago and was a first round loser last week. After also winning the Wegmans LPGA three weeks ago, in hindsight, she would have been grateful for the early rest last week. That win in New York only extended her previous run of good form as she had come very close to winning the ShopRite LPGA Classic earlier that month and in terms of course form, she also mirrors Kim. She has finished outside the top-15 just once in the last six years here. That's why it was difficult to split them two!
Hee-Won Han to win 25/1 e.w. @ Stan James
Han is another selection who entered the last two weeks in great form, including a win in the previous two months. That win (LPGA Corning Classic) came at the end of five consecutive top-5 finishes and she was back in good form with a top-10 finish in the Wegmans LPGA the week before the U.S. Women's Open. Of the selections, she should be the freshest after missing the cut in the U.S. Women's Open and losing in the first round last week, but as already mentioned there are good reasons for discounting the last two weeks when capping this event. As just as with Kim and Jang, very strong form before the U.S. Women's Open can be allied to very strong course form: in each of her last two visits (2003 and 2005), she really should have won this event. In 2003, she shared the lead with Se Ri Pak with nine holes to play, but them fell behind and needed to birdie the par-5 last hole to force a playoff, but was too aggressive and bogeyed it instead. And last year, she appeared to be coasting to victory, but shot 40 on the back nine , including a 6-5 finish to end up one shot outside the playoff. She is certainly due a win in this event!
Rachel Hetherington to win 50/1 e.w. @ BetInternet, Stan James, Victor Chandler and Paddy Power
By contrast, Hetherington did play well in the U.S. Women's Open and rather than simply having an extremely good record in this event, she won it in 2002. She had not been playing well this year, but two top-10 finishes in the consecutive weeks in the Wegmans LPGA and the U.S. Women's Open are very encouraging. It is also important that she lost in the first round last week so she can concentrate upon this event in which she has finished in the top-20 in all seven attempts. By that standard, there is good value at 50/1.
