This week, the Tour is in Hollywood for the HUGEL-JTBC LA Open. It's the city of stars and our panel certainly thinks the stars of the LPGA will shine bright in Los Angeles. Our "experts" also favored hometown players like Lizette Salas, who was picked by three of four, and Mo Martin. Lexi Thompson was also a popular pick as she returns after two weeks at home.
We gathered Amy Rogers, Ron Sirak, Adam Stanley and Bret Lasky to see who they think will host the trophy at the end of the week.
Ron Sirak's Picks
Lizette Salas: The USC grad from Azusa goes back to her home turf and gets a win.
So Yeon Ryu: Only a matter of time for her to get her first win of 2018. This could be the week.
Marina Alex: Trending up every year she’s been on the LPGA. Time to enter the winner’s circle.
Shanshan Feng: She’s not ready to give up her No. 1 spot in the Rolex Rankings. Playing extremely steady golf.
Amy Rogers' Picks
Lexi Thompson: Well-rested after a two week hiatus, Thompson will he hungry to get her first win of 2018.
Lizette Salas: Playing in front of two dozen of her family and friends at the Kia Classic helped lift Salas to a runner-up finish. With the entire hometown crowd to cheer her on this week in Los Angeles, she’ll pick up the win she says she’s been so close to getting.
Ariya Jutanugarn: The former world No. 1 has five top 10s to start the year, including two top 4 finishes in her last two starts. She’s trending towards her first win of the year and could get it this week.
Mo Martin: The Los Angeles native is coming off her best finish of the year last week in Hawaii and will get a boost again this week playing in front of family and friends.
Adam Stanley's Picks
Ariya Jutanugarn: She’s due. Jutanugarn has five top-10 finishes already this season and has been a model of consistency. She comes into this week off a T3 result in Hawaii, and is certainly chomping at the bit to get her first win of 2018 under her belt.
Shanshan Feng: Feng comes into the week after her best finish of the season last week in Hawaii. She remains at No.1 in the Rolex Rankings (for the 23rd straight week) but her competitors are nipping at her heels. I think this week she finds the winner’s circle and puts a little distance from everyone.
Lexi Thompson: Yet to win in 2018, it’s been a bit of an up-and-down year for Thompson. But after two weeks at home, she should be rested and ready. She’s 4th in Driving Distance and 2nd in Greens in Regulation this season, and that combination should treat her well this week.
Inbee Park: What a year it’s already been for Park, returning from an injury-shortened 2017 season. Park’s last four results have been 1-T18-T2-T3, and she’s showing no signs of slowing down.
Bret Lasky's Picks
Lizette Salas: She grew up in the area, gives back to the area through golf, went to USC and earlier this week went to Universal Studios. She's got all the vibes going including a top 10 finish last week so Salas is definitely ready to capture her second career win.
Mo Martin: Wilshire Country Club is a course she knows well through her time at UCLA so she's gotta have an upper hand. You know her fan club will be out in full force chanting "Go Mo" so she'll have all the good vibes too.
Brooke Henderson: Brooke is just a rock steady bulldog and she's coming off the win in Hawaii. I know it's hard to win the week after picking up a win, it rarely happens, but it's a safe pick. She's smashing the driver right now and giving herself very short irons into greens.
Inbee Park: She's finished in the top three in three of her last four starts. Do I need to write any more?
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