We use our own and third-party cookies to deliver content to you throughout your experience online. It is possible that some cookies may continue to collect information after you've left our site. By using our site, you consent to cookies. Learn more here.
The Spiv takes a looks for value in the field at the Olympic Club
Words: The Spiv
Photography: USGA
San Francisco's Olympic Club has hosted the men's US Open on five occasions, the last being in 2012 when Webb Simpson won the event. The Olympic Lake Course is 6,486 yards long, tree-lined with narrow fairways and small greens guarded by bunkers.
2020 winner, A Lim Kim
Accuracy will be more important than length and so one is best focusing on the short game stats when looking for value in the market. Inbee Park tops the putting stats with an average of 27.85 putts per round which maybe is why she leads the market at 11/1. The Spiv believes there is better value elsewhere and these are his picks for the 2021 U.S. Women's Open Championship. All odds are the best we could find online at the time of writing. Jessica Korda 18/1 Both Korda sisters are in the top ten on the scoring average table, but Jessica's stats when it comes to greens in regulation tips the balance in her favour. A winner earlier this season, at the Tournament of Champions, Jessica ranks fourth for greens in regulation and seventh for putts-per-GIR. The market maybe being a little mean and so the Spiv is suggesting a modest wager to win. Patty Tavatanakit 25/1 Winner of the first major of the year, the ANA Inspiration, at the beginning of April, Tavatanakit has shown solid form since. Tied third at the Honda LPGA Thailand and a quarter-finalist at the LPGA Match Play in Las Vegas, the 21-year-old from Thailand could well add another major title to the CV. Sophia Popov 66/1 The German has gone from strength to strength since winning the AIG Women's Open last August. A runner up to Ally Ewing at last week's LPGA Match Play in Las Vegas shows she is in form. She beat both Inbee Park and ANA Inspiration winner Patty Tavatanakit on the way to the final and she sits in the top 20 on the LPGA money list. Provided last weeks marathon in the Las Vegas heat has not taken too much out of her, expect Popov to be in the frame come Sunday. At odds of 66/1 she is excellent value for an each-way bet. Mel Reid 100/1 Our outside bet is England's Mel Reid. Mel won her first LPGA event, the ShopRite LPGA Classic, last October and has not finished outside the top thirty in her last five LPGA stroke play outings. Reid reached the last sixteen of the LPGA Match Play last week and is thirteenth in the greens-in-regulation stats. So if Mel can get the putter working on the fast Olympic greens, 100/1 look great each-way value.
