Honda LPGA Thailand Fantasy Picks (Video)

Aug 17, 2014; Pittsford, NY, USA; Anna Nordqvist hits her tee shot on the 3nd hole during the final round of the Wegman

Golf’s a strange sport. Practically everybody who tees it up knows from the outset that they’re going to “lose” more rounds than they win and those who persevere and capture that occasional euphoric victory seem to have an iron-clad mental defense against the crushing discouragement of defeat. Anna Nordqvist is a great example. Last year 12th ranked Nordqvist started the season contemplating quitting golf. Then she won the Honda LPGA Thailand and everything turned around. She was smiling again. Golf was fun again. And Nordqvist went on to win the Kia Classic, bank $1.1 million and change in winnings, and start looking forward to the next event.

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With the 2015 Honda LPGA Thailand tee times approaching, who’s likely to capture that victory that fueled the boost to Anna Nordqvist’s game last year? Could it be one of the rookies who’ve been playing hard and fast? Two are certainly on my radar for a victory this week, as are several outstanding Tour players are on the hunt for their first pro win and two seasoned Americans who carry championship games in their bags and have much to gain by a win this week.

First-Time Champions

Here’s what some of the best players on the Tour have to say about Belen Mozo, Carlota Ciganda, Jenny Shin, Gerina Piller, Chella Choi. They’ve all come close to claiming that first, coveted victory. They all play aggressive games and have that first win in their bag. The question is when, not if it will make its appearance. For some of them, the when could come this week at the Honda LPGA Thailand.

Mozo, who’s ranked 113th, and 43rd ranked Ciganda have both delivered championship golf in team events — for Ciganda the 2013 Solheim Cup and for both the 2014 International Crown — but neither player has yet transferred her winning game into an individual stroke play venue.

While Ciganda’s 2014 season-ending CME Group Tour Championship runner-up finish should have set the scene for a hot 2015 start, that hasn’t been the case. She finished well down the leaderboard at both the Coates Golf Championship and the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic. Mozo, who missed the cut at both the Pure Silk-Bahamas and the Women’s Australian Open, is also having a slow start to the season. I don’t see either of them as in contention this week in Thailand.

Jenny Shin looks like a better candidate for the win. Ranked 39th, Shin’s showing a much stronger early-season game. She finished T19th at the Pure Silk-Bahamas and T4th at the Australian Open, and given the difficulty of the Royal Melbourne track and the intense competition at the top of the leaderboard, that was a superb finish.

Gerina Piller

I think 40th ranked Gerina Piller is a stronger contender than Jenny Shin for a win this week, even though she missed the cut at the Australian Open. Playing her 5th year on the Tour, Piller has 17 top-10 finishes on her resume and she’s learned a great deal about managing her game in competition. She’s a power hitter and she’s playing with steady confidence that got her a T7th finish at the Pure Silk-Bahamas. I’m looking for Piller to be playing on the front page of the leaderboard and looking at the top this week.

Piller’s going to face some serious competition for the top position from 26th ranked Chella Choi. With 27 career top-10 finishes, Choi’s come achingly close to that first win a number of time. She simply hasn’t closed the Sunday deal yet. Her T4th finish at the Australian Open, alongside Jenny Shin, impressed me, as does her consistently delivered golf game.

I’m seeing Piller as closer to nailing down a victory than Shin or Choi, but given the Sunday leaderboard at the first 3 events this year, they’re all going to face two determined rookies who started the year knocking on victory’s door.

Rookies to Watch

Ariya Jutanugarn

Ariya Jutanugarn’s going to be playing this week on home ground, and as Karrie Webb, Shanshan Feng and Stacy Lewis have all remind us, there’s nothing quite as sweet as winning at home. The 44th ranked rookie has come off the tee hot at both the Pure Silk-Bahamas and the Australian Open. Both times she looked good for the win, then stumbled on Sunday. If Jutanugarn’s learned how to channel and focus that powerful game of hers for 72 consecutive holes I’m looking for her to walk away with the victory.

However, if Jutanugarn stumbles, 23rd ranked Sei Young Kim is coming into this week positioned to challenge the entire Honda LPGA Thailand field. Kim, who claimed her first pro win at the Pure Silk-Bahamas, dazzled me with her precision and control and I’m looking for her to deliver the game she took to Paradise Island again on the Siam Country Club Old Course track. If Jutanugarn hopes to claim the victory she’s going to need to stay sharp and focused.

Americans to Watch

A victory in Thailand would put Stacy Lewis closer to reclaiming the top of the Rolex Rankings, and while Lewis says her focus is on winning tournaments and letting the rest take care of itself, she’s keenly aware of the ramifications of a Thailand win. The number 3 ranked player will have to keep Inbee Park at her back in order to advance toward the top of the rankings, and she’s shown she can do that.

With a T8th finish at the Coates and a T11th at the Pure Silk-Bahamas, Lewis could be warmed up enough now to bring out that championship-level game and get to work. If she plays her usual game she’s not going to show her cards until the weekend, but we’ll have a good feel for her game status by the end of the 2nd round.

Michelle Wie hasn’t delivered her best game yet this year. She finished in the middle of the leaderboard at the Coates and missed the cut at the Pure Silk-Bahamas. The problem was her flat stick, plain and simple. If she’s gotten back in command on the putting surface she’ll challenge Lewis but if not I’ll suffer through another Michelle Wie disappointment and look forward to future rematches in this long-term rivalry.

Next: LPGA February-March Preview

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