Ariya Jutanugarn set for successive Major triumphs

Starts 12.30pm Thursday
Live on Sky Sports Golf from 5.30pm

Ariya Jutanugarn won the last women's Major, the US Open, although not without a few hiccups, and the Thai terror can follow up in the Women's PGA Championship.

The PGA is at a new venue, Kemper Lakes on the outskirts of Chicago, so there is no course form to go on. There's not much between the top half-dozen but this nine-time winner is just about the best of them even though Inbee Park is the official number one.

Last week's Walmart Champ­ion­ship produced a new con­tender, the diminutive Japanese teenager Nasa Hataoka, who won but by six shots with a record 21-under total. It is asking a lot to expect her to hit such heights two weeks in a row.

Jutanugarn, whose older sister Moriya also has a good chance, had to pull out all the stops to beat Hataoka in a Kingsmill Championship playoff, so the 5ft 2in prodigy looks as if she's here to stay.

Lydia Ko, who was world number one at 17, could be a bigger danger now she has rediscovered the winning formula after deciding to spring clean an ultra-successful game in search of extra length.

The Korea-born New Zealander had won a mind-boggling 14 times, including two Majors, between August 2012 and July 2016 when she changed swing, coach and caddie and predictably lost the Midas touch while new thoughts bedded in.

But by beating Minjee Lee in a Mediheal Championship playoff two months ago, the new Ko, still only 21, finally found justification and has posted three good efforts since, one of them a third place to So Yeon Ryu at the Meijer Classic two weekends ago.

Ryu, US Open champion in 2011, is a class act but was having a disappointing year until turning it round at the Meijer and will be approaching this Major with more confidence.

Lexi Thompson, America's top player, isn't quite at her best and hasn't won yet this year but she is getting close and has been fifth (in the US Open) ninth and third on her three latest starts. This could be her time.

Triple PGA champion Inbee Park won in March but hasn't made much impact recently and is worth taking on.

Charley Hull and Georgia Hall are Britain's best bets but if there is to be a European winner the most likely is statuesque Swede Anna Nordqvist, a top-ten finisher at the Walmart and a double Major winner.

Recommendations
A Jutanugarn
2pts each-way 9-1 BetBright, Betfred, Sky Bet
L Ko
1pt each-way 20-1 general
L Thompson
1pt each-way 12-1 general
So Yeon Ryu
0.5pt each-way 20-1 general
A Nordqvist
0.5pt each-way 33-1 Coral, Ladbrokes

The lowdown

Course Kemper Lakes, Kildeer, Illinois
Prize money $3.65m ($525,000 to the winner)
Length 6,741 yards Par 72 Field 156

Past champions taking part Inbee Park (3), Yani Tseng (2), Juli Inkster (2), Laura Davies (2), Brooke Henderson, Danielle Kang, Karrie Webb, Cristie Kerr, Anna Nordqvist, Shanshan Feng

The story of last year Danielle Kang beat Brooke Henderson by a shot at Olympia Fields for her first Major. It was also her first LPGA victory

Last week – Walmart Championship 1 N Hataka, 2 A Ernst, T3 S Gal, L Thompson, Minjee Lee
Time difference Illinois is six hours behind UK & Ireland

Where to watch Live on Sky Sports Golf all four days, starting at 5.30pm Thursday

When to bet By 12.30pm Thursday

Course overview Close to Lake Zurich, this flat parkland course in a Chicago suburb hosted the 1989 PGA Championship. It features a challenging finish.

Weather forecast Hot and sticky, topping 30C. Sunny with cloud cover. Some rain on Friday

Key attribute Accuracy

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