LPGA Takefuji Classic

FINAL RESULT: 0-3; -4.50pts

Kerr 55th
Diaz mc
Kim 16th

Nearly a decent profit, but having been in the top-5 all week, Kim never got out of second gear in the final round, before eventually finding reverse!

Outright plays (total stake per play: 1.5pts)

Cristie Kerr to win 11/1 e.w. @ Boyle Sports
Difficult to ignore Kerr this week despite the short odds. She has hit more greens in regulation and recorded more birdies than anyone else on Tour and ranks 2nd in the Money List behind Sorenstam. She has three top-3 finishes from her four starts this year and has finished outside the top-8 only once in the last six months. If that is not enough to warrant short odds in a field without Annika Sorenstam and Grace Park, she has finished 1st and 2nd in the two years that this event has been held at Las Vegas CC. Rather an obvious selection, really!

Laura Diaz to win 25/1 e.w. @ Centrebet / SuperOdds
Diaz currently ranks 6th in the Money List and since missing the cut in her first event of the year, she has improved every time finishes 15th, 8th and then 3rd in the first major of the year last time out. So her form is clearly not a concern and her two 15th place finishes of the last two years should also be put into context. On both occasions she came into the event in poor form having missed the previous cut in 2003 and the previous two cuts in 2004 and on both occasions, she would not finish as highly again for at least another three events. In short, she has played much better than expected on this course and now that she is in form heading into this event, she really should record her best finish in Las Vegas to date.

Mi Hyun Kim to win 40/1 e.w. @ Boyle Sports
Kim recorded her best finish of the year in the last Tour event and major, the Nabisco Championship. On that occasion, although she slowly slipped down the leaderboard from 1st after the 1st round to 5th at the close, it was a marked improvement on her previous 2005 form. If this is a return to the form/confidence of previous years then 40/1 is far lrge for a player of this quality. She finished 4th last year on her debut on this course and after the Nabisco Championship she certainly looks capable of matching that feat.