Racing Post Sport's Women's Open predictions and free golf betting tips

Racing Post
 
Racing Post Sport's Women's Open predictions and free golf betting tips

When to bet 

Where to watch the Women's Open

Live on Sky Sports Golf from 11am on Thursday

Ian Wilkerson's Women's Open predictions

Minjee Lee
2pts each-way 18-1 general

Ruoning Yin
1pt each-way 33-1 Coral, Ladbrokes

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Walton Heath hosts the Women's Open this week and plenty of eyes will be on France's Celine Boutier as she goes bids a hat-trick after consecutive wins at the Evian Championship and the Women's Scottish Open.

A host of talented players head to the Surrey course for the final Major of the year and it looks a tough tournament to call. 

The market is headed by consistent South Korean Joo-Kim Hyo, who has finished in the top 20 in 11 of her 12 tournaments this year and was second behind Boutier at Dundonald last week.  

Ian Wilkerson's top tip

Minjee Lee 18-1

There are a string of players at the top of the market who could enjoy a memorable week - and Australia's Minjee Lee could certainly be one of them.

Lee has not won since she claimed her second Major at last year's US Open but she boasts the tee-to-green game to prosper at Walton Heath, where staying on the short grass should be the key to success.

Lee has not finished worst than 11th in the last five years at the Women's Open and while she finished tied for 13th last week at Dundonald, she did so after starting with a miserable 80 so it was an excellent achievement.

She lost in a playoff to world number one Jin-Young Ko at the Founders Open in May but could be primed for a return to the winner's circle at a course that plays to the strengths of a player ranked seventh in strokes-gained: tee-to-green.

Next best bet

Ruoning Yin 33-1

There has been a lot of hype surrounding Rose Zhang, who has won the Americas Open and had three top-ten finishes in Majors in her rookie LPGA season, but she could be eclipsed this week by another 20-year-old from China.

Ruoning Yin has already tasted Major success when she won the Women's PGA Championship in June and, like Lee, she recovered well from a poor start in Scotland - she opened with a round of 74 but fought back to finish third.

She makes her Women's Open debut at Walton Heath but as a player who ranks sixth in strokes-gained: tee to green and eighth off the tee, she could could find the Surrey track to her liking.

Walton Heath course guide

Course Walton Heath GC, Surrey
Prize money $7.3m ($1.1m to the winner)
Length 6,881 yards
Par 72– three par-fives; 12 par-fours; three par-threes
Field 144

When to bet By 6.30am on Thursday

When to watch Live on Sky Sports Golf from 11am on Thursday 

Course type Heathland

Course overview This is a composite track featuring holes from both the old and new courses at Walton Heath. The club was used for the 1981 Ryder Cup, the 2011 Senior Open and the 2018 British Masters. There is plenty of heather to avoid while trying to find the tree-lined fairways and run-off areas lie in wait if players find the wrong part of the greens. The dancefloors can be difficult to read and wind can be a factor, too.

Story of last year South Africa's Ashleigh Buhai overcame a triple bogey on the 15th to see off In Gee Chun on the fourth playoff hole at Muirfield

Weather forecast After a bright start on Thursday, showers are expected on Friday but the rest of the tournament is expected to be dry with temperatures around 23C. Winds are not likely to be too strong.

Type of player suited to the challenge The ability to drive straight and find greens in regulation should stand competitors in good stead.

Key attribute Accuracy

Spotlight insight

There have been just three American winners of the Women's Open this century.