2021 LPGA Kia Classic Predictions Favor Top Players Ko and Korda

Jin Young Ko – Image source: LG전자, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

This year’s LPGA Tour continues in California this weekend with the Kia Classic held at the Aviara Golf Club in Carlsbad. World No1 Jin Young Ko and American young star Nelly Korda are the top favorites in the 2021 LPGA Kia Classic predictions. But other top 10 players and the 2019 winner will also compete for the victory. 

The first Kia Classic tournament was held in 2010 at the La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad. Then after a year in Pacific Palms it moved back to the original location but to a new resort. South Korean Hee Kyung Seo won the first event as a non-LPGA member with the open usually giving a surprise winner each year. Japanese Nasa Hataoka won the last event in 2019 after it was cancelled last season. But now it’s back in the schedule with several top players taking part in it. Including world No1 Jin Young Ko and world No3 Nelly Korda, who has already won this season. 

2021 LPGA Kia Classic predictions mention several favorites 

Jin Young Ko missed the last season and only returned to the tour this February, at the Gainbridge Championship. She finished 4th there which wasn’t a bad result after such a long break. But in the next event in the Drive on Championship Ko missed the cut which leads to questions about her form. The 25-year-old South Korean player usually performs well in the Kia Classic. As she was the runner-up in 2019 and 10th in 2018. Now the world No1 is the top favorite to win her first title of the season with the odds of +1000 at the Bet Online Sportsbook. 

But online sportsbooks in the US offer the same odds for the American favorite, Nelly Korda. Who is currently in third place in the world ranking. The younger Korda sister won the Gainbridge Championship a month ago and leads the ranking of the Race to CME Globe. She also finished third in the Diamond Resorts Tournament in January and seems to be in top form. Korda will make her debut here. But after her great start of the season she can easily win here too. New Zealander Lydia Ko has also been very consistent in 2021 after finishing 2T at Gainbridge and 8T at the Drive On. The former world No1 has already won here in 2016 and has the odds of +1100 to do it again. 

Other Korean and American favorites

Hyo Joo Kim and Inbee Park are also mentioned in the top favorites in the 2021 LPGA Kia Classic predictions. Both of them will make their season’s debuts in Carlsbad but they are expected to achieve great results. Kim hasn’t competed last season in the LPGA Tour. But still managed to keep her 8th place in the world ranking thanks to her two wins in the Korea Tour. Park is one of the most experienced Korean players with 20 LPGA Tour wins including 7 major victories. She was in great form at the end of last season after finishing second at the PGA Championship and 6T in the US Open. Now both South Korean players have the odds of +1200 to win. 

Online gambling sites in the US don’t forget about other American players. Like world No5 Danielle Kang, world No9 Lexi Thompson and the winner of the last tournament, Austin Ernst. Kang has the biggest chance after a great start of the season at the Diamonds Resort. There she was close to winning her 6th LPGA Tour win. While she also finished sixth in the previous event in Florida. Now her odds to win in California are +1400 on BetOnline. 

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