It’s an impossible task: pick four golfers that have the best chance of winning the HSBC Women’s World Championship this week in Singapore. With the depth of talent on Tour growing each year, winning becomes tougher. Each week, LPGA.com will enlist a panel of “experts” to give their opinions on who will win.
Our panel includes LPGA.com managing editor Amy Rogers, LPGA.com contributors Ron Sirak and Adam Stanley and LPGA.com digital content manager Bret Lasky.
Interestingly, but not surprising, the four couldn’t agree on a single player. Lexi was certainly popular, but Bret went against the grain and excluded the No. 2 player in the world. Likely, a poor a choice. Ron was the only one that put Michelle Wie in his top four while Adam and Amy both are riding defending champion Inbee Park.
Jin Young Ko and Sung Hyun Park were both inserted in two of four “experts” picks. Ko won the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open and Park, Sung Hyun that is, has finished inside the top 25 in 21 of her 24 starts since the beginning of 2017.
Here is a deeper look at our picks:
Bret Lasky’s Picks
Jessica Korda
Why not ride the wave of success? She won last week with a shortened off season due to surgery and several players commented on the raw talent she possesses. She’s got her swagger back.
Nelly Korda
I have an older sister and when I see her succeed I’m super happy, but it also drives me to be better. What a story back-to-back Korda wins would be, right?
Brittany Lincicome
Bam Bam won the first event and finished T7 last week. It’s probably the best she’s played to start a season in her career. She’s 28-under in two starts this year, enough said.
Jin Young Ko
I like winners. Notice that three of my four picks have won this season. Ko ranks first in driving accuracy and greens in regulation. She’s pretty good.
Ron Sirak's Picks
Lexi Thompson
T-6 and T-2 in her two starts with all seven rounds under par. She's averaging 1.5 fewer putts per round than last year. Massive improvement.
Shanshan Feng
She won't give up her 16 weeks at No. 1 in the Rolex Rankings without a fight. She has only a 0.10-point lead over Lexi.
Michelle Wie
Quietly, she's finished 11th in both of her starts. Looks in sync and, most importantly, healthy.
Sung Hyun Park
She's No. 3 in the Rolex Ranking just 0.66 behind Feng and wants to defend 2017 POY title.
Adam Stanley’s Picks
Inbee Park
The defending champion is back in action. She’s happy and healthy and more motivated than ever to get back into the major championship winner’s circle.
Lexi Thompson
Tied for the low round of the day Sunday (Honda LPGA Thailand) and back-to-back top 10s in her last two starts, plus, no rounds over par yet this season
Jin Young Ko
The rookie sensation is first in some serious categories — Driving Accuracy and Greens in Regulation – and is second in Scoring Average. All that’s added up to her leading the Race to the CME Globe, Player of the Year race, and Rookie of the Year Race. More success to come.
Moriya Jutanugarn
Constant improvement from Jutanugarn so far this season (T31-T19-T2) and was very steady a week ago in Thailand. It’s about time she finds the winner’s circle.
Amy Rogers’ Picks
Inbee Park
The LPGA Tour Hall of Famer is a two-time winner in Singapore. She carded a final round 64 to set a new course record and win last year in what was only her second start since winning gold in Rio. She’s in a similar position again this year having not played since July, but she’s pain-free and excited to return to the Tour.
Lexi Thompson
The key to Thompson finding success this week will be putting together four solid rounds, which she has struggled to do in this event in the past. Her best finish in Singapore is a T-8 in 2013.
Ariya Jutanugarn
In her two starts in Singapore, she’s never finished outside the top-4. She picked up a runner-up finish last year with four sub-70 rounds including a Sunday, 66.
Sung Hyun Park
The reigning Rookie and Co-Player of the Year got her first event of the year out of the way last week in Thailand with a T-22 finish. Park picked up a third-place finish last year in Singapore with four consecutive rounds of 68.
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