All eyes were on Inbee Park when she put together an outstanding performance to win the Hope Founders Cup in relatively easy fashion last week. Now the focus shifts to Carlsbad, California and the Aviara Golf Club where a strong field of contenders will compete in this year’s Kia Classic. The majority of tournaments in 2017 went down to the wire but the Kia Classic wasn’t one of them as Mirim Lee blew away the rest of the field in a dominant victory. Will that be the case again this year with one golfer emerging to clinch a lopsided win? Or will a strong field of contenders keep this tournament worth watching all the way down to the wire on Sunday? Here is a look at the best bets to win this year’s Kia Classic. Odds courtesy of BetDSI Sportsbook.
Event Details
Event: Kia Classic
Category: LPGA
Date: March 22nd-25th, 2018
Location: Aviara Golf Club, Carlsbad, California
Past Five Winners
2017: Mirim Lee
2016: Lydia Ko
2015: Cristie Kerr
2014: Anna Nordqvist
2013: Beatriz Recari
Favorites
Lexi Thompson +800
Thompson has an opportunity to climb in to No. 1 in the Rolex Rankings with a strong performance in the Kia Classic this week. Thompson is coming off a rough start at the HSBC Women’s World Championship but she finished in the top-10 in both the Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic and the Honda LPGA Thailand so there is a good chance she bounces back this week.
Inbee Park +800
Park is coming off a big win in the Founders Cup so she should be feeling confident heading in to this tournament as a legitimate contender at an event where she has had success in the past. Park has all of the tools to win this tournament outright and it’s no surprise she is once again among the sports betting favorites to win the Kia Classic.
Ariya Jutanugarn +1200
Jutanugarn moved back in to the top-five in the Rolex Rankings following a runner-up finish at the Founders Cup last week. Jutanugarn is one of four golfers on the LPGA Tour with four top-25 finishes so she has been consistent enough to trust in just about any start that she makes. At decent odds, Jutanugarn could be an excellent value pick to win the Kia Classic.
Next In Line
Jin Young Ko +1600
Ko has placed in the top-16 in each of her last four starts including at the Bank of Hope Founders Cup last week. The Rookie of the Year frontrunner already picked up her first win at the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open and she is more than capable of extending the strong start to her career this week in California.
Sung Hyun Park +1600
Park has really struggled this season so it will be interesting to see if she can get back on track this week. Park has the talent to compete in a very loaded field but the safer bet might be to pick her to finish in the top-10. Park is more than capable of winning this week but until she strings together a couple of solid finishes it might be better to look elsewhere for now.
Sleepers
Lydia Ko +2800
It feels like just yesterday that Ko was widely considered among the sports betting favorites to win every event that she teed up to play. A lack of consistency has completely changed the outlook surrounding Ko in 2018 but there are some reasons to be interested in betting on her as a long shot at the Kia Classic. Ko has won this tournament before in 2016 and she has also finished third in another start here. As a proven contender at this tournament, Ko could be worth backing at +2800 odds to win the event outright once again.
Brooke Henderson +2800
Henderson is another intriguing pick as a golfer that seems to love the parkland courses and has the potential to do really well at this course. At +2800 odds to win outright, Henderson is another decent sleeper pick that could be worth sprinkling some money on as a strong value option at the Kia Classic this week.
