Ji Eun-hee won for the first time since the 2009 U.S. Women’s Open as she romped to a win at the Swinging Skirts LPGA Taiwan Championship. The LPGA Tour continues its season-ending swing through Asia as they head to Malaysia for the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia event, which started in 2010. Shanshan Feng is the defending champion at this tournament, and she has won this event twice.
Details
Event: Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia
Category: LPGA
Date: October 26th – 29th
Location: Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Eun-hee won by six strokes over Lydia Ko last week, while Ryu So-yeon, Lizette Salas, Carlota Ciganda, Feng and Madelene Sagstrom were in the top five. In 2016 at the Sime Darby LPGA, Feng won by three strokes over Suzann Pettersen, while Amy Yang, Anna Nordqvist, Azahara Munoz and So-yeon finished in the top five.
Past Five Winners
2016: Shanshan Feng -17
2015: Jessica Korda -18
2014: Shanshan Feng -18
2013: Lexi Thompson -19
2012: Inbee Park -15
The Field
It’s going to be a competitive field this week as 15 of the top 20 golfers in the world will be in action. That includes the top two in So Yeon Ryu and Sung Hyum Park. One notable absence is American Lexi Thompson. Shanshan Feng is actually the defending champion here, holding off Suzann Pettersen last season. She is hot right now with Top 10 finishes in four of her last five events.
Keep an eye on Lydia Ko, who has been a bit forgotten this season. She still hasn’t won once this season, which is surprising, but she did place second at Taiwan last week.
Madeleine Sagstrom, the Solheim Cup rookie, is coming off a strong finish last week and could make another run. She tied for third last week. She has four Top 10 finishes on the year now. This will be her final start on the Asian swing, which wraps up the year on the LPGA Tour.
What To Know About The Course
TPC Kuala Lumpur opened in 1991 and it always has been the host course for this event. This tournament is played on the East Course, whereas the PGA Tour plays on the West Course. The East course is a par-71 that is 6,260 yards and there are a few interesting holes here. The par-5 sixth hole is 471 yards (two of the three par-5 holes are under 500 yards) and will yield a few birdies, while the par-4 eighth hole is 388 yards. There are five par-4s on the back nine that are under 400 yards, which should make for some exciting golf.
A Good Matchup To Bet: Lydia Ko over Stacy Lewis
Ko has been playing very well as of late as her second-place result in Taiwan was her third top-five in five starts, and in the other two starts, she finished T-19 and T-22, so a couple of solid results. Lewis had an emotional win at the Cambia Portland Classic, which was immediately following the floods from Hurricane Harvey; she grew up in the Houston area. Since then, Lewis has finished T-19 and T-46 in her last two starts. Both players finished runner-up to Jessica Korda in 2015, so they have had success at this course, but Ko is playing better right now and should get the better of this matchup.
Top-Five Pick: Shanshan Feng
Feng is coming off a T-3 in Taiwan and she has four top-10s in her last five starts. However, Feng absolutely loves this tournament and in her last four starts here, she has a solo second, a T-2 and a pair of wins. That is as good a track record as you’ll see a player have anywhere. Some courses just fit the eye of some players and Feng seems to have this course’s number. She should finish in the top five this weekend and it wouldn’t be a surprise if she end up winning once again.
Odds To Win 2017 Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia Open
Shanshan Feng +805
Sung Hyun Park +905
In Gee Chun +950
So Yeon Ryu +950
Lydia Ko +1150
Stcay Lewis +1550
Brooke M Henderson +1650
Carlota Ciganda +1650
Moriya Jutanugarn +1850
Cristie Kerr +1850
Anna Nordqvist +2050
Minijee Lee +2550
Lizette Salas +2550
Sei Young Kim +3550
Amy Yang +3550
Eun Hee Ji +4050
Charley Hull +4050
Suzann Pettersen +4050
Chella Choi +4550
Angel Yin +4550
Marina Alex +5050
Gerina Piller +5050
Michelle Wie +5500
Mi Hyang Lee +6550
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