Portland Classic 2024 Predictions and Betting Tips: Three picks for LPGA event
The LPGA Tour heads to the Pacific Northwest this week for the Portland Classic at Columbia Edgewater Country Club.
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This historic tournament took place for the first time as the Portland Ladies Classic in 1972 and Columbia Edgewater is its most recognisable home having hosted on 36 occasions, including in ten of the last 11 years.
While a number of top-class golfers have taken this title in recent seasons, this week's field is watered down severely with the women's Olympic competition beginning next Wednesday and only one player will aim to do the double with India's Aditi Ashok choosing to make the trip from Portland to Paris.
The betting market is headed by Japan's Mai Saigo, who finished runner-up to Lauren Coughlin in the CPKC Women's Open last week. Coughlin is also back in action and takes high rank in the betting, as does 2022 Chevron Championship winner Jennifer Kupcho.
Portland Classic Tips
Thailand's Chanettee Wannasaen triumphed in the 2023 Portland Classic with a tournament-record 26-under-par total, and there is every chance that lightning strikes twice at Columbia Edgewater this week.
The 20-year-old was a prolific champion on the Thai LPGA Tour then graduated to the LPGA circuit, making her breakthrough by four shots last season in a Portland field which featured eight of the top ten in the world at the time including number one and two-ranked Lilia Vu and Nelly Korda.
Atthaya Thitikul and Patty Tavatanakit have beaten Wannasaen to a place in Thailand's Olympic team but their absences, and that of a number of other stars, are a huge boost to her chances of mounting a successful defence and she is full of confidence having won the Dana Open a fortnight ago.
Yealimi Noh has slipped down the world rankings this season but the Californian has shown signs of a return to form and she could prosper in relatively weak company at a course which she has relished in the past.
Noh closed with weekend rounds of 68-68 for a share of 14th place at the CPKC last week, while she also finished tied-eighth in the Dow Championship when partnering A Lim Kim at the end of June.
While she is yet to win on the LPGA Tour, two of Noh's four best finishes came at the Portland Classic - she was a runner-up in 2019 and third in 2020.
There is another Thai worth following this week in Natthakritta Vongtaveelap, who has produced solid results when rare LPGA opportunities have presented themselves.
Vongtaveelap debuted on the LPGA last season, finishing second in the Honda Thailand event in her homeland then sixth at the LOTTE Championship.
She subsequently struggled to build on those efforts but top-20 finishes in the Meijer Classic and the Dana Open hinted at what she is capable of and she putts well enough to reach the low winning total which will probably be required this week.
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