Women’s PGA Championship 2024 First Round Leader Tips: 125/1 one of four for Sahalee

Jamie Worsley has already given us his Women's PGA Championship Betting Tips but he's also picked out four players who he expects to go low on Thursday at Sahelee Country Club. Here are his Women's PGA Championship First Round Leader Tips. 

Sahalee Country Club hosts the third major of the year this week and here, I take a look at which players can get the week off to a fast start.

The forecast is for bright and dry weather throughout the day, and whilst starting off relatively cool first thing in the morning, the temperatures will increase steadily through the round.

Though this would largely favour the later starters, the wind won’t, with gusts kicking up to around 19mph over the afternoon, as opposed to being a mere 5mph in the morning. When we also take into consideration the way poa annua surfaces get tougher further into the day, with the fast growth making them bumpy, my preference is to side with those who tee off early tomorrow, from 8am onwards.

1.5 pts Atthaya Thitikul each-way (1/4 - 5 places) @ 30/1

Start time: 08:06

First up is Atthaya Thitikul, who has been in excellent form since returning from injury and as one of the best first-round scorers on tour, she can capitalise from her early tee-time tomorrow.

Thitikul returned in our first major of the year, finishing an impressive 12^th in the Chevron Championship following five months out of action. Though missing the cut on her next start in the Founders Cup, she has reeled off four top-10s in a row and arrives in strong form.

She ranks 11^th in round one scoring, 5^th in birdies made and has shot an under par round in the first round in four of her six starts this season.

Thitikul’s superb ball-striking and excellence on the greens is a strong combination just about anywhere, and should help her in getting the week off to the best possible start tomorrow.

0.75 pts Narin An each-way (1/4 - 5 places) @ 70/1

Start time: 08:17

Narin An is playing her best golf since stepping up to the LPGA in 2022 and doing her strongest work over the first 18 holes, she looks a lively contender to be FRL.

An has had five top-25s in 2024 and has recorded three top-10s. The best of these came when 3^rd in the T-Mobile Match Play, though she comes into this week after two top-6 finishes in a row in the Shoprite Classic and Meijer Classic.

She ranks 7^th on tour this season tee-to-green, but has been at her best in approach, ranking 5^th. Meanwhile, her ranking of 15^th in round one scoring is comfortably higher than in any of the other rounds.

An has sat inside the top-3 after the first round in three of her last five starts, shooting 6-under to sit 3^rd in the Founders Cup, 7-under to sit 3^rd in the Shoprite Classic and 5-under to sit 2^nd at the end of day one last week. This is as strong as anyone else on tour recently and I expect her to be quick out of the blocks again this we

0.5 pts Yealimi Noh each-way (1/4 - 5 places) @ 125/1

Start time: 08:33

Yealimi Noh has been playing well this season. With her strong driving ability and comfort on the West Coast, I fancy her to perform well this week, and she can put herself among the leaders on day one.

Noh has only missed two cuts in 10 starts this season and recorded three top-25s. The best of which came when she finished 9^th in our opening major of the year, the Chevron Championship.

The driver has been key, ranking 10^th, but she’s also been strong in approach and around-the-greens, leading to her ranking 25^th on tour tee-to-green. Though the putter is somewhat of a concern, she should be comfortable on poa after growing up in California; something she has proven with two top-3s on the poa surfaces in the Portland Classic.

Noh was starting well in the early part of the year but had been beginning her weeks a little more sluggishly over recent starts. She turned that around somewhat at the Shoprite Classic two starts ago, opening with a round of 5-under-par to sit 10^th after day one and I’m hoping she can replicate a similar effort tomorrow.

0.5 pts Nataliya Guseva each-way (1/4 - 5 places) @ 125/1

Start time: 08:39

Coming into this with three top-20s in her last four LPGA starts, former top-50 amateur, Nataliya Guseva looks in a good place to perform well on her major debut, and can get off to a strong start tomorrow.

Those three top-20s have seen Guseva finish 6^th in the LA Championship at Wilshire CC, 18^th in the Founders Cup and last week she finished 17^th in the Meijer Classic.

She has shown quality across the board but has particularly excelled with her ball-striking, ranking 4^th in greens-in-regulation and 16^th off-the-tee. Whilst she is also a solid 60^th on the greens.

This all-round strength has played a part in her ranking 11^th in round one scoring. Her best start came when shooting -5 to sit 5^th after the first round at Wilshire CC, where she putted well throughout the week on the poa surfaces and back on poa tomorrow, I’m hoping she can produce a similar start at Sahalee.

You can find all Jamie's latest Golf Betting Tips over on our dedicated golf Insights hub.