Women's US PGA Championship: betting preview, tips, when to watch

TV: Sky Sports Golf & Mix, 11pm Thursday

Tournament starts 1.40pm

For a country that’s 5,870 miles wide, it’s hard to name many great Canadian sports stars - after Wayne Gretzky and Jacques Villeneuve it’s a struggle - but Brooke Henderson is heading in that direction and at only 21 time is on her side.

The Ontarian won a women’s Major at 18 and last week chalked up her ninth LPGA Tour victory at the Meijer Classic.

That’s the second time she’s won this year and while going back to back is always difficult she should have no problem staying in the zone for the third women’s Major, the PGA Championship at Hazeltine, Minnesota.

At 6,741 yards Hazeltine is long and big hitters will have an advantage. Henderson is a 275-yarder off the tee and in the top-ten in the power department. She and long-hitting Americans Lexi Thompson and Angel Yin could dominate.

Thompson is on a roll after sandwiching a win at the ShopRite Classic between a brace of runner-up finishes at the Open and the Meijer.

Yin, only 20, has a European win in Dubai on her short CV and shared second place with Thompson at the Open. She is inconsistent but dangerous. Tiny Nasa Hatoaka doesn’t hit it as far but has to be respected after a win and two recent seconds.

Last year’s winner, Sung Hyun Park, is a bomber but hasn’t posted a top-ten since April. More feared are this year’s two Major champions Jin Young Ko (The Inspiration) and Jeungeun Lee6 (US Open).
By the way, that 6 at the end of Lee’s name isn’t an error - there are five other Jeongeun Lees on the Korean Tour.

Britain’s best chance Charley Hull is paired with Henderson for the first two rounds. She says she likes long, hard golf courses and that's good news this week.

The winning scores in the two Women’s Opens held at Hazeltine, admittedly a long time ago, were nine and four over par. And when Tony Jacklin won the men’s version in 1970, he was the only one to shoot under par.

Recommendations
B Henderson
2pts each-way 12-1 bet365
L Thompson
2pts each-way 12-1 Betfred, Coral, Ladbrokes
A Yin
1pt each-way 100-1 Betfair, BoyleSports, Paddy Power
N Hatoaka
1pt each-way 22-1 Betfair, Paddy Power

The lowdown

Course Hazeltine National, Chaska, Minnesota
Prize money $3.85m ($550,000 to the winner)
Length 6,751 yards Par 72 Field 156
When to bet By 1.40pm Thursday
Where to watch On Sky Sports from 11pm
Time difference Minnesota is six hours behind UK & Ireland

Course overview Hilly, narrow fairways, small greens. Water comes into play on nine holes. It’s where Tony Jacklin won the 1970 US Open. First-time host of the Women’s PGA but venue for two Women’s Opens, in 1966 and 1977. Even though 400 yards shorter then, the winning scores were nine and four over par. Signature hole is the par-four 16th with its long carry over Hazeltine Lake, then an uphill shot to a raised green.
Weather forecast Warm (up to 25C) but cloudy and showery. Not much wind.
Last year’s PGA (at Kemper Lakes, Illinois) Sung Hyun Park beat So Yeon Ryu and Nasa Hatoaka with a birdie at the second playoff hole.
Latest form - Meijer Classic: 1 B Henderson, T2 L Thompson, B Altomare, S Oh, N Hatoaka, 6 M Pressel
Key attribute Power

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