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Lydia Ko
With the way the world’s top ranked player has played over the past two seasons, it’s hard not to go with Lydia Ko as a pick this week. The world No.1 has consistently played well down under, finishing in a share of third in 2014, solo third in 2013 and T-19 in 2012. She’s coming off a win last week at home in New Zealand where she successfully defended her title after finishing T-3 at the Coates Golf Championship. Ko has shown she knows what it takes to defend and with her ongoing great play in Australia, will be tough to beat this week.
Ha Na Jang
Everything seems to be going Ha Na Jang’s way in 2016. Like the magic she found in learning English from Disney motives, Jang has found that same magic on the course, winning at the Tour’s last stop, the Coates Golf Championship and finishing T-11 the week before in the Bahamas where she recorded a historic albatross on a par 4, a first in LPGA Tour history. She plays well in Australia too, finishing T-7 in this event in 2015.
Brooke Henderson
The young Canadian seems to play well no matter she tees it up. She started off her first full season on the LPGA Tour with a T-21 at the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic. Then, she nearly won at the Coates Golf Championship where she finished solo second after stumbling with a few bogeys coming in to finish two-strokes back of Jang. Henderson knows what it takes to win, closing out the 2015 Cambia Portland Classic for her first win on Tour.
Karrie Webb
A five-time winner of the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open, it’s hard not to go with Karrie Webb. The Aussie holds the record for the most wins in this event and is making her first start of 2016 on the LPGA Tour this week in her home country.
Gaby Lopez
While she may be a rookie, Gaby Lopez has been playing in events on Tour since 2009. She has shown the maturity of a veteran, bouncing back from a 76 with a 66 in the Bahamas to finish T-31. She followed that with a T-56 at the Coates Golf Championship.
Minjee Lee
The world’s top ranked Australian golfer is looking for her first win at her national championship this week. Lee finished T-7 last year and has likely learned a thing or two from watching friend and mentor Karrie Webb who has hoisted the trophy more than anyone. Lee opened the season with a T-21 finish at the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic and followed that with a T-40 in Ocala.
Charley Hull
Charley Hull has gotten off a strong start in 2016, sharing the lead during the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic before falling back into a tie for eighth for the week. She followed that with a T-25 finish at the Coates Golf Championship the next week. Hull played well in this event last year, finishing in a tie for seventh. She’s done a great job of firing low rounds, she’ll just need to put four together to get a win this week.
Haru Nomura
In back to back weeks, Japan’s Haru Nomura has teed it up in the final groups at both the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic and Coates Golf Championship. Nomura finished T-13 at both events and has shown she has the game to compete with the world’s best. Once she begins to feel comfortable playing alongside them, Nomura will be a winner on the LPGA Tour.
Chella Choi
Australia fits Chella Choi’s game. In her last two starts at the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open, Choi has finished no worse than a tie for fourth, firing a third round 62 in 2014 to vault her into second place. She’s gotten off to a solid start this season with a T-38 in the Bahamas and a T-33 in Ocala. Australia might just give her the boost she needs to post a top-10 finish in 2016.
Jiyai Shin
Former world No.1 and winner of the 2013 ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open, Jiyai Shin returns to the Tour in what may be the start of a comeback for the player who gave up membership on the LPGA to player closer to home in South Korea. She most recently played on the LPGA Tour’s TOTO JAPAN CLASSIC in 2015, where she finished T-6.
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