Preview & outright plays:
The event celebrates its 25th staging with a new status, that of a major. It replaces the du Maurier Classic. It is a tremendous fillip for the Evian Tour and its premier event and while many LPGA Tour players have played in this event before now, never before has the entire top-10 from the LPGA Tour money list made the trip. For the likes of Karrie Webb and Juli Inkster, it creates the possibility of a 'Super Career Grand Slam'. This is where a player wins all five possible majors in her playing career. It is the first time that this has been possible.
Had it not been for the TV golf on Monday night, Webb would stand a very good chance of claiming that unique accolade. She won the event by eight shots in 1997 when it was last played at Sunningdale and also in 1995 which was the penultimate year that the event was held annually at Woburn. Since 1997, the event has been staged in rotation around very different courses - Sunningdale and Woburn are tree-lined parkland courses; Royal Birkdale and Royal Lytham are traditional links courses. The delayed flight, lack of on-course preparation and obvious tiredness will hamper Webb's and Sorenstam's chances, while their participation ensures good prices for the rest of the field.
The three selections this week are Rosie Jones, Lorie Kane and Meg Mallon. Jones had been a regular competitor in this event and was the distant runner-up to Webb on this course in 1997. Her three other finishes have been 7th, 14th and 17th, so it is clear that British conditions and courses, either parkland or links, do not pose her game too many problems. She also comes into the event having just won her 2nd title of the year - the Big Apple Classic two weeks ago - and has been in excellent and consistent form for some time. She looks like being the most serious challenger to the top-two players.
Lorie Kane has only played this event once before when she finished 59th in 1997. However, she is a much better player now, having secured her first LPGA Tour win last year and repeated the feat three times since, including once this year. A model of consistency, she has finished in the top-20 in her last six events and the top-5 in two of her last three outings. Available at a very large price for a player of her caliber, she is an easy each-way selection.
Meg Mallon was runner-up to Sophie Gustafson last year and while that may not be fully relevant given that it was on a links course, it shows that she does travel well across the pond. Finishes of 5th and 14th in the Evian Masters in the last two years confirm this. In fact, the 5th place at this year's Evian Masters was the turning-point in her year. She had played poorly until then with just four top-20 finishes in eleven starts; since then she has finished in the top-20 in all four events and in the top-5 in two of them. Available at a good price, she could be a contender this week and secure a profitable place finish.
Outright plays:
Rosie Jones to win 25/1 e.w. @ Surrey or BetInternet
Lorie Kane to win 40/1 e.w. @ BetInternet
Meg Mallon to win 50/1 e.w. @ Surrey
The event celebrates its 25th staging with a new status, that of a major. It replaces the du Maurier Classic. It is a tremendous fillip for the Evian Tour and its premier event and while many LPGA Tour players have played in this event before now, never before has the entire top-10 from the LPGA Tour money list made the trip. For the likes of Karrie Webb and Juli Inkster, it creates the possibility of a 'Super Career Grand Slam'. This is where a player wins all five possible majors in her playing career. It is the first time that this has been possible.
Had it not been for the TV golf on Monday night, Webb would stand a very good chance of claiming that unique accolade. She won the event by eight shots in 1997 when it was last played at Sunningdale and also in 1995 which was the penultimate year that the event was held annually at Woburn. Since 1997, the event has been staged in rotation around very different courses - Sunningdale and Woburn are tree-lined parkland courses; Royal Birkdale and Royal Lytham are traditional links courses. The delayed flight, lack of on-course preparation and obvious tiredness will hamper Webb's and Sorenstam's chances, while their participation ensures good prices for the rest of the field.
The three selections this week are Rosie Jones, Lorie Kane and Meg Mallon. Jones had been a regular competitor in this event and was the distant runner-up to Webb on this course in 1997. Her three other finishes have been 7th, 14th and 17th, so it is clear that British conditions and courses, either parkland or links, do not pose her game too many problems. She also comes into the event having just won her 2nd title of the year - the Big Apple Classic two weeks ago - and has been in excellent and consistent form for some time. She looks like being the most serious challenger to the top-two players.
Lorie Kane has only played this event once before when she finished 59th in 1997. However, she is a much better player now, having secured her first LPGA Tour win last year and repeated the feat three times since, including once this year. A model of consistency, she has finished in the top-20 in her last six events and the top-5 in two of her last three outings. Available at a very large price for a player of her caliber, she is an easy each-way selection.
Meg Mallon was runner-up to Sophie Gustafson last year and while that may not be fully relevant given that it was on a links course, it shows that she does travel well across the pond. Finishes of 5th and 14th in the Evian Masters in the last two years confirm this. In fact, the 5th place at this year's Evian Masters was the turning-point in her year. She had played poorly until then with just four top-20 finishes in eleven starts; since then she has finished in the top-20 in all four events and in the top-5 in two of them. Available at a good price, she could be a contender this week and secure a profitable place finish.
Outright plays:
Rosie Jones to win 25/1 e.w. @ Surrey or BetInternet
Lorie Kane to win 40/1 e.w. @ BetInternet
Meg Mallon to win 50/1 e.w. @ Surrey
