It didn’t take long for Na Yeon Choi to completely turn things around and change everything en route to a victory at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship a year ago. Now the former world No. 1 will look to pick up from where she left off and capture her first victory of the 2016 season at that event this week. The best on the LPGA Tour will make the trip to Rogers, Arkansas and the Pinnacle Country Club for the Walmart NW Championship. Choi has failed to finish in the top-10 at a tournament since the Honda LPGA Thailand all the way back in February and considering her competition this week it should be no surprise she is listed as a sports betting long shot to win.
Event Details
Event: Walmart NW Arkansas Championship
Category: LPGA
Date: June 24-26
Location: Pinnacle Country Club
A wild start to the month of June continued with Sei Young Kim capturing her second victory of the season in a playoff win over Carlota Ciganda at the Meijer LPGA Classic last week. World No. 1 Lydia Ko delivered another top-five finish in that tournament, but she hasn’t won an event since the ANA Inspiration in late March and the pressure is building on her to finally break through and get back in the win column. We’ll also see whether rookie sensation Ariya Jutanugarn and red-hot Canadian Brooke M. Henderson can get back in the mix.
Past Five Winners
2015: Na Yeon Choi -15
2014: Stacy Lewis -12
2013: Inbee Park -12
2012: Ai Miyazato -12
2011: Yani Tseng -12
What To Know About The Course
Na Yeon Choi’s dramatic victory last year came after a ridiculous swing over the final three holes in which she hit an eagle on 16 and then followed that up with a birdie on 17 to steal the lead from Stacy Lewis before she realized what had happened. Accuracy was the key to Choi’s win last season and it will be just as important when the field takes the course at Pinnacle this week. Greens In Regulation and Putting will be an important stat to consider as well and that should be no surprise based on what we have seen at the past couple of tournaments.
The Field
Lydia Ko will once again be the sports betting favorite to win this tournament outright at +300 odds followed by rookie sensation Ariya Jutanugarn at +1000 and In Gee Chun at +1100 odds. Sei Young Kim is expected to be in the mix as well at +1200 odds followed by Brooke Henderson and So-Yeon Ryu at +1400 odds. Lewis, Amy Yang, Haru Nomura and Minjee Lee round out the top-10 according to the sports betting odds with each of those four golfers listed between +2000 odds and +2500 odds.
A Good Matchup To Bet: Ariya Jutanugarn over Brooke Henderson
Henderson followed up her first-career major win with a 21st place finish at the Meijer LPGA Classic and we are banking on that she won’t bounce back this week. Her title hangover could last one more week and we are hoping it does by fading her and banking on Jutanugarn to win the head-to-head betting matchup. Jutanugarn has won three of her last six starts including five top-six finishes and we like the rookie sensation to continue her outstanding play with another excellent performance this week.
Top-Five Pick: Lydia Ko
At this point, it simply doesn’t make sense to recommend betting anybody else on the LPGA Tour to finish in the top-five if Lydia Ko is available. The sports betting favorite to win this event outright has posted consecutive top-five finishes at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and the Meijer LPGA Classic and she certainly seems determined to end her winless drought sooner rather than later. Ko has placed in the top-five in seven of her 12 starts this year and we are betting on her to continue that trend this week with a very good chance she wins the Arkansas Championship outright.
Top 10 Odds To Win Walmart NW Arkansas Championship
Lydia Ko +305
Ariya Jutanugarn +750
Sei Young Kim +905
In Gee Chun +1050
So Yeon Ryu +1415
Brooke M Henderson +1415
Stacy Lewis +1850
Amy Yang +2050
Haru Nomura +2250
Minjee Lee +2250
