Buick LPGA Shanghai preview & 4 to watch

Date: 17/10/19

Location: SHANGHAI, CHINA

Course: Qizhong Garden Golf Club

Prize Fund: $ 2,100,000

Yardage: 6,691

Defending Champion: Danielle Kang (USA) -13

This event signals the start of the Asia stretch for the LPGA as the tour will also head to Korea, Taiwan and Japan after this event in China. The field for this week is limited to the top 62 on the LPGA Tour’s money list and will also feature players from the China LPGA. No cuts will be made during these events.  Below we look at 4 players who could claim the trophy come Sunday.

Jin Young Ko (South Korea)

This is world number 1 Ko’s first appearance on the LPGA since August. For the last 2 weeks she has been playing back in her native Korea where she finished 4th and then won last week at the Hite Jinro Championship.

Ko, is on good form and has not been outside the top 20 in any tournament since the PGA Championship back in June.

She finished 13th here last year in her rookie season and will be looking for her 5th LPGA win of the season.

Ko is currently world number 1 and 1st in the CME race to the globe. She is 1st this season in GIR this year with 79.85% and will be the favourite heading into the event.

Nasa Hataoka (Japan)

Nasa, is another player who has been playing back at home in recent weeks. She has been back in Japan playing on the Japan LPGA where she has won 2 of her last 3 events. Nasa, won the LPGA Championship Konica Minolta Cup before winning the Japan’s Women’s Open Golf Championship 2 weeks ago.

In her last 5 starts including 2 on the LPGA she has finished 5th, 4th, winner, 7th and winner. It is fair to say she is on a hot streak at the moment and will look to take that form into this week.

This is her first time playing in this event. Nasa is currently world number 4 and 13th in the race to the globe. She is 8th this year for eagles made with 9.

Nelly Korda (USA)

Nelly, has been all over the world recently . She finished runner up on the KLPGA at the Hanah Classic before heading to Scotland for the Solheim Cup. amAt one of the biggest event in women’s golf her and sister Jessica were the starts of team USA. Nelly winning 3.5 points.

After the Solheim Cup she then headed to France to play in an LET event in Bordeaux. Nelly destroyed the field and won by 8 shots.

She finished 39th here last year And is 2nd in GIR this year behind Ko with 76.82%. Currently 8th In the world and 8th on the race to the globe.

Brittany Altomare (USA)

Brittany was the only player that we have picked this week who played in the last LPGA event at the volunteers of America Classic where she finished runner up behind Knight.

Brittany, is on a good run of form at the moment. In her previous 2 events prior to the America Classic she finished 12th and 3rd at the Portland Classic. It feels like a win is just around the corner.

She was also a member of the US Solheim Cup team where she won 2.5 points out of 4. A pretty successful debut especially winning her singles match 5 and 4.

Brittany finished runner up here last year 2 shots behind Danielle Kang. She is 5th for eagles this year with 10 and 6th for birdies made with 311, so has the potential to go low.

Up to 29th in the world and 14th in the race to the globe.

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