Fresh off a fantastic playoff in the Arizona desert, the LPGA Tour heads to Hollywood for what will likely be another dramatic ending. Who could forget Marina Alex last year at Palos Verdes Golf Club holding off Jin Young Ko and Lydia Ko. The New Jersey native used her awesome accuracy and short game skill to win her second career event with a 10-under par total. That was the LPGA’s first trip to Palos Verdes Golf Club and now they return with a second act, this time as the club hosts the DIO Implant LA Open.
The George C. Thomas design will test these players from start to finish. Listed as a par 71, the course covers 6,258 yards. At first glance, the layout seems short by LPGA standards. The reality is, PVGC sits just two miles from the Pacific Ocean. The marine climate and hilly terrain combine to really challenge all players.
Speaking of climate, the field of 142 will likely be chilly this week in Southern California. Even the $1.75 million purse and $262,500 first-place check won’t get the thermometer above 65 degrees. Winds will blow in from the ocean in the mid-teens and there’s a solid chance of rain Wednesday night into Thursday morning. We know the course will play wet since the Los Angeles region has received 19 inches of rain since the start of 2023 - just one more reason this course will feel long.
Seventeen of the top 30 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings will compete to make the top 65 and ties for the weekend. Then the contest becomes a race to see who can contend and win come Sunday afternoon. As we saw last year, accuracy accounts for 90% of your success at PVGC. The first place to look for contenders comes in the form of the driver.
- Those players leading driving accuracy with three or more tournaments played this season are Allisen Corpuz, Megan Khang, Ashleigh Buhai, Lizette Salas, and Gemma Dryburgh. Count on a couple of them to be around for the weekend at the rate they split the fairways.
Thirteen of the 18 holes offer views of the Pacific. The course sits atop a hill and is extremely uneven. Half roll downhill and the remaining force players to climb back toward the clubhouse. With all these uneven lies, ball striking is worth its weight in Oscar gold.
- Of those with more than 10 tournament rounds this season, Jin Young Ko, Alison Lee, Jenny Shin, Maja Stark, and Nelly Korda have been the best. Trusting contact from uneven lies comes with great recent form. These women have both.
One specific challenge last year at Palos Verdes was hitting greens in regulation. The average green size is less than 4,000 square feet. That’s small by any standard and around the green play will help you score on the short par-4s and par-5s.
- Counting those with 10 or more rounds this season, Charley Hull, Jeongeun Lee6, Celine Boutier, Hinako Shibuno, and Jin Young Ko are the best up-and-down players worth watching.
Palos Verdes GC looks so cool during the coverage. All the uneven terrain causes the women to adapt and adjust to the different lies and angles. Thomas was a master at challenging all parts of a player’s game. Those tilted tests from the fairway aren’t just limited on approaches or around the greens. Several putts were missed last year inside 10 feet.
- Our best putters who have competed a couple times are Lilia Vu, Jeongeun Lee6, Georgia Hall, Paula Reto, and Ayaka Furue. These players make most of their putts inside 10 feet. With slopes like those at PVGC, my eyes will be watching solid putters like these women.
I loved watching the event at this course last year. We don’t get to experience golf like this on television most weeks. Classic courses seldom host modern tour events. When they do, the scores reflect the most well-rounded player. There’s no doubt in my mind that many of the names you have read so far will contend. But who will win? Leave it to Hollywood for something special to take place, and give us the best ending of the season so far.
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