The LPGA Tour will make its way north to Ontario, Canada and the Whistle Bear Golf Club in Cambridge for this week’s Manulife LPGA Classic. It will mark the first of two trips north of the border this season and the fourth event of a 12-week tournament stretch with three major championships still to come. Caroline Masson will return to defend her title after she picked up her first LPGA Tour victory here in 2016. However, there has never been a repeat winner here in the five-year history of this event. Considering the strength of this week’s field, it won’t be a surprise if a new winner is crowned at this year’s Manulife LPGA Classic.
Details
Event: Manulife LPGA Classic
Category: LPGA
Date: June 8-11
Location: Whistle Bear Golf Club, Ontario, Canada
If the past editions of this tournament are any indication, we could be in for more dramatics again this weekend. Two of the first five editions of the Manulife LPGA Classic ended in a playoff with Brittany Lang and Hee-Young Park both needing more than 18 holes to clinch their respective victories. Every one of the past champions at this tournament shot in the 60’s in all four rounds so consistency should be an important factor again this time around. Canadians will be cheering for Brooke M. Henderson but she hasn’t been in form most of the year.
Past Five Winners
2016: Caroline Masson -16
2015: Suzann Pettersen -22
2014: Inbee Park -23
2013: Hee-Young Park -26 (Playoff)
2012: Brittany Lang -16 (Playoff)
What To Know About The Course
In 2013, Park and Angela Stanford set the tournament record for scoring when they finished at 26-under before the winner was decided in a playoff. With so many top-ranked players in this year’s field it won’t be a surprise if this edition turns out to be another birdie-fest. Experience should count for something but the lack of repeat winners indicates we might be more likely to see a new champion crowned. Greens In Regulation and Putting numbers will be extremely important so make sure to consider those statistics when evaluating this week’s field.
The Field
World No. 2 Ariya Jutanugarn returns to action as the top-ranked player in this week’s field. Jutanugarn was projected to move to No. 1 in the world following last week’s ShopRite LPGA Classic but will likely need another strong performance this week in order for that to happen. Jutanugarn will be the co-sports betting favorite for this event along with Lexi Thompson. Both golfers are listed at +700 odds to win outright. Shanshan Feng should be in the mix at +800 odds to win the Manulife LPGA Classic. In Gee Chun, Minjee Lee and Suzann Pettersen are all among the sports betting favorites to win as well. Meanwhile, the Canadian Brooke Henderson is listed at +2000 odds heading in to this week’s event where she will be the home favorite.
A Good Matchup To Bet: Brooke Henderson over Christie Kerr
Henderson has struggled with consistency this season but should be at her best in her home territory this week. The three-time winner on Tour and major champion headlines this week’s list of Canadian entries and she should have a legitimate opportunity at contending for the outright win. Meanwhile, Kerr is in an awful slump as she has finished 60th in each of her last two appearances since a top-10 finish at the Citibanamex Lorena Ochoa Match Play event. Kerr should bounce back with a better performance this week but she still wont’ finish ahead of Henderson at the Manulife LPGA Classic.
Top-Five Pick: Ariya Jutanugarn
There was no way that Jutanugarn was ever going to be able to keep up with the pace she established last year when she burst on to the scene with some unbelievable results. However, the World No. 2 seems capable of more and it might be only a matter of time before she bounces back with a victory. Jutanugarn tied for fifth at this tournament last season and she undoubtedly has the potential to contend for the outright win again this year. Jutanugarn seems like the most obvious pick on the board and should be a lock to finish in the top-five at this week’s Manulife LPGA Classic.
Odds To Win 2017 Manulife LPGA Classic
Lexi Thompson +750
Ariya Jutanugarn +750
Shanshan Feng +805
In Gee Chun +1015
Mirijee Lee +1050
Suzann Pettersen +1150
Brooke Henderson +1550
In Kyung Kim +2050
Hyo Joo Kim +2550
Mi Jung Hur +2850
Charley Hull +2850
Karine Icher +3250
Amy Yang +3250
Jacqui Concolino +3550
Brittany Lang +3550
Lizette Salas +4550
Pornanong Phatlum +5050
Austin Ernst +5050
Danielle Kang +5500
Angel Yin +6550
Angela Stanford +7550
Chella Choi +8550
Jodi Ewart Shadoff +8550
Caroline Masson +8550
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