Buick LPGA Shanghai 2025 Betting Tips: Five against the field in China

There are just six official events remaining on the LPGA’s 2025 calendar, and before the season concludes back in Florida in November, the tour begins a five-week trek around East Asia, starting with the Buick LPGA Shanghai at Qizhong Garden Golf Club.

Our LPGA golf expert Jamie Worsley is on-hand with a comprehensive preview for the tournament. Check out his Buick LPGA Shanghai Betting Tips below, where he has picked out five players to back each-way ranging from 33/1 to 90/1...

You can bet on the tournament and check out the latest Buick LPGA Shanghai odds over on betfred.com

TOURNAMENT HISTORY 

The Buick LPGA Shanghai debuted on the LPGA in 2018 – an event won by Danielle Kang. She returned to successfully defend the title in 2019 but had to wait four years to attempt the three-peat, with the 2020-2022 editions cancelled due to Covid.

Angel Yin claimed the spoils in 2023, beating Lilia Vu in a playoff for her first LPGA victory. Ruoning Yin then put on a superb performance to delight the home fans last year, shooting a tournament record 25-under-par for a dominant six-shot win. She returns from an extended break to defend this week.

THE COURSE

Qizhong Garden Golf Club has been the home of the Buick LPGA Shanghai since its creation in 2018. The course – which opened in 2013 – was designed by the team of American architect Dana Fry, and local designer Jun Lu.

The layout has been lengthened by a little over 30 yards this year, with this par 72 now measuring 6703 yards. It contains 4x par 3s (149-176 yards), 10x par 4s (342-419 yards) and 4x par 5s (512-571 yards).

Averaging a winning score of -14.33 across the first three renewals, the course originally provided an exacting test but with slow greens and little wind last year, Ruoning Yin took the course apart with that -25 winning score.

This initially flat piece of land has been transformed into an exciting and undulating golf course. It possesses elevation changes throughout, is tree-lined yet spacious, and the predominant danger comes from water – which is in play on 11 holes, including each of the final four.

The bermudagrass fairways are reasonably wide, and while large, deep, strategically placed bunkers tighten the landing areas, sparse rough allows players to be aggressive off the tee.

Bermuda is replaced by bentgrass on the putting surfaces, which are large and heavily contoured. These greens are surrounded by run-offs and guarded by more imposing bunkers, but they will run at a slow 10.5 on the stimp.

Qizhong Garden Golf Club is a fun, risk/reward layout, with a drivable par 4 (hole 14) and water in play on three of the par 3s and par 5s. It can get windy here, which significantly alters the challenge, but if benign like last year we should again expect birdies to flow.

THE WEATHER

It is forecast to be an uncomfortably warm and humid week in China, with temperatures of around 30°C throughout and little sign of rain. Although we could see gusting winds at upwards of 20mph, general speeds of 8-10mph shouldn't cause too many problems.

KEY STATS

• SG: Approach/Greens-in-Regulation

High-quality ball-strikers dominated the leaderboard in 2024, and it was striking how the top finishers performed with their irons.

Winner Ruoning Yin ranked 4^th in approach and 1^st in greens-in-regulation (GIR) on her way to victory. Both runners-up also rated favourably in these areas, with Mao Saigo ranking 3^rd in each and Sei Young Kim ranking 5^th in approach and 6^th in GIR, whilst 4^th-place finisher Yealimi Noh ranked 1^st in approach and 10^th in GIR.

Iron play was also influential in 2023, as champion Angel Yin ranked 1^st in GIR, and runner-up Lilia Vu ranked 15^th in approach and 8^th in GIR.

• SG: Off-the-Tee/Driving Distance

The driver is another key asset and with how inviting these fairways are, it's no surprise that long hitters have enjoyed success.

Ruoning Yin ranked 6^th off-the-tee (OTT) in 2024, as runners-up Mao Saigo and Sei Young Kim ranked 1^st and 10^th respectively. In addition, all of the top four ranked inside the top 25 in driving distance.

Angel Yin was longer than she was accurate the previous year, ranking 16^th for distance and although Lilia Vu hit it straight, ranking 11^th in accuracy, she was also 23^rd in driving distance.

• SG: Putting (bentgrass)

Finally, mastering these large, sloping bentgrass greens has been vital in each recent edition. Ruoning Yin ranked 3^rd with the putter last year, and Angel Yin ranked 1^st in 2023.

CORRELATING EVENTS (COURSES)

Arkansas Championship (Pinnacle Country Club)

Pinnacle Country Club is another undulating course with frequent elevation changes. It has large bentgrass greens, wide fairways, and with water in play throughout, risk/reward is a prominent feature.

Notable correlating form:

Danielle Kang:

Buick LPGA (1^st, 1^st) / Arkansas (2^nd, 2^nd, 4^th)

Sei Young Kim:

Buick LPGA (2^nd, 2^nd) / Arkansas (3^rd, 3^rd)

Brittany Altomare:

Buick LPGA (2^nd) / Arkansas (3^rd, 5^th)

Mao Saigo:

Buick LPGA (2^nd) / Arkansas (4^th)

Nasa Hataoka:

Buick LPGA (3^rd) / Arkansas (1^st, 1^st)

Yealimi Noh:

Buick LPGA (4^th) / Arkansas (8^th)

Jeeno Thitikul:

Buick LPGA (5^th) / Arkansas (1^st)

Arpichaya Yubol:

Buick LPGA (9^th) / Arkansas (4^th)

Kroger Queen City Championship (TPC River's Bend)

TPC River's Bend is a hilly and tree-lined par 72 that is among the lengthier layouts on the LPGA. The sloping fairways are extremely generous and bentgrass is the grass of choice on the greens.

Notable correlating form:

Sei Young Kim:

Buick LPGA (2^nd, 2^nd) / Kroger Queen (5^th)

Nasa Hataoka:

Buick LPGA (3^rd) / Kroger Queen (5^th)

Kristen Gillman:

Buick LPGA (3^rd) / Kroger Queen (9^th)

Yealimi Noh:

Buick LPGA (4^th) / Kroger Queen (9^th)

Jeeno Thitikul:

Buick LPGA (5^th) / Kroger Queen (2^nd, 2^nd)

HSBC Women's World Championship (Sentosa Golf Club – Tanjong Course)

Sentosa's Tanjong Course is a venue of a similar yardage, played in a climate akin to what players will face this week. Elevation changes are commonplace, water lurks throughout, and though tree-lined, the fairways are spacious.

Notable correlating form:

Danielle Kang:

Buick LPGA (1^st, 1^st) / HSBC WWC (2^nd, 3^rd)

Ariya Jutanugarn:

Buick LPGA (2^nd, 3^rd) / HSBC WWC (2^nd)

Nasa Hataoka:

Buick LPGA (3^rd) / HSBC WWC (3^rd)

Yealimi Noh:

Buick LPGA (4^th) / HSBC WWC (7^th)

Jeeno Thitikul:

Buick LPGA (5^th) / HSBC WWC (2^nd, 4^th)

FM Championship (TPC Boston)

Back to the U.S. for my final course and TPC Boston looks like a potentially handy comp this week. It ticks many of the same boxes: generous, tree-lined fairways; a hilly back nine; plenty of water in play; and bentgrass greens.

Notable correlating form:

Sei Young Kim:

Buick LPGA (2^nd, 2^nd) / FM Championship (3^rd)

Ariya Jutanugarn:

Buick LPGA (2^nd, 3^rd) / FM Championship (6^th)

Hye-Jin Choi:

Buick LPGA (3^rd, 5^th) / FM Championship (7^th)

Nasa Hataoka:

Buick LPGA (3^rd) / FM Championship (7^th)

Jeeno Thitikul:

Buick LPGA (5^th) / FM Championship (2^nd, 4^th)

Arpichaya Yubol:

Buick LPGA (9^th) / FM Championship (6^th)

THE FIELD

World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul is back in action this week, heading a field that includes five of the top 10 and nine of the top 25. No. 4 Minjee Lee comes next, followed by No. 6 Miyu Yamashita.

Ruoning Yin returns to defend, making her first start since missing the cut in the Women's Open back in July. 2023 winner Angel Yin is also in attendance and back-to-back 2018-2019 champion Danielle Kang takes advantage of a sponsor's invite.

The top two Chinese amateurs – No. 26 Shiyuan Zhou and No. 29 Ying Xu – will both tee it up; Miranda Wang should enjoy her return home after winning a first LPGA title at TPC Boston in August; and we welcome back Albane Valenzuela – also making her first start since the Women's Open.

SELECTIONS 

Market leaders: Jeeno Thitikul 4/1, Minjee Lee 17/2, Miyu Yamashita 12/1, Nasa Hataoka 12/1, Sei Young Kim 14/1

1.5 pts Jin Hee Im each-way (1/4 - 5 places) @ 33/1

After Korea's Youmin Hwang sprung a surprise to win the LOTTE Championship, I'm taking compatriot Jin Hee Im to claim her first solo LPGA trophy this week. She's found form with her irons in recent events and having finished 17^th on her debut here in 2024, we know the course suits her game.

Im has had an ultra-consistent season on tour, missing just three cuts in 21 starts. She's recorded four top-five finishes, the latest of which came courtesy of a 5^th-place finish in the FM Championship three starts ago.

Whilst she did taste LPGA victory in the Dow Championship team event alongside Somi Lee back in June, she'll be desperate to add to that in a ranking event.

She excels with the short game, ranking 24^th around-the-greens and 28^th in putting. Her driving is solid, ranking 51^st, and after producing two positive approach performances in a row entering this event, her all-round game is looking sound.

Im opened with a 72 at Qizhong Garden last year, following with rounds of 69-70-67 to finish in a commendable 17^th position. Owning finishes of 4^th in the HSBC Women's World Championship, 5^th in the FM Championship, and 9^th in the Kroger Queen City Championship, her comp form strengthens her case and suggests that she can top the leaderboard this week.

1 pt Patty Tavatanakit each-way (1/4 - 5 places) @ 55/1

Patty Tavatanakit struck the ball with quality in last week’s LOTTE Championship, helping her to a 14^th-place finish. She’s performed with promise on each previous start in this event and possessing that same power profile of the last two winners, I expect her to be among the frontrunners in China.

Missing just four cuts in 18 starts, Patty hasn’t done a whole lot wrong this year. She’s hit the top 25 in half of them, with a best of 4^th in the Honda LPGA Thailand, and just four starts ago she finished 10^th in the CPKC Women’s Open – her second-best result of 2025.

The Thai star has toiled with her long game over the last couple of months but appears to have corrected that in recent weeks. It looked particularly strong in Hawaii, ranking 15^th off-the-tee, 25^th in approach and 26^th in greens-in-regulation. Sitting 38^th in driving distance and 48^th in putting for the season, her current skillset is ideally suited to this challenge.

Tavatanakit failed to break 70 on her debut in 2023, but she rectified that last year, shooting rounds of 70-70-69-68 to finish 16^th. A 3^rd-place finish in the HSBC Women’s World Championship is another plus and points to this major winner being a serious contender.

1 pt Ina Yoon each-way (1/4 - 5 places) @ 70/1

Ina Yoon has a long game to rival just about anyone on the LPGA but has been found wanting this season due to her struggles on the greens. However, she putted encouragingly on last week’s slower surfaces in Hawaii and if able to transfer that to the slow bermudagrass greens at Qizhong Garden, she’ll have every chance of a strong showing on debut.

This is Yoon’s rookie season on the LPGA after she gained her tour card via Q-Series last year. She’s a three-time winner in her native Korea and though she hasn’t managed to replicate that in the U.S. as yet, her performances have offered plenty of promise.

Her standout results include a 4^th-place finish at the start of the year amongst a strong field in the Saudi Ladies International. She then acquitted herself well on our second major of the year, finishing 14^th in the U.S. Women’s Open.

Yoon excels with the driver, making use of her power – ranking 11^th in driving distance – to rank 4^th off-the-tee this season. She’s also an excellent iron player, ranking 8^th in approach and although sitting in 158^th position with the putter, I’m hoping she’ll have taken confidence from her display on the greens last week, ranking 11^th at Hoakalei Country Club.

0.75 pts Auston Kim each-way (1/4 - 5 places) @ 80/1

As a long but inaccurate driver who is solid on the greens, Auston Kim is a player of a comparable style to Angel Yin. With that, it’s no surprise that she was able to finish 12^th on her debut here last year with little form behind her. Arriving with her game in a similar place this time around, I’m expecting Qizhong Garden to spark her into life yet again.

Kim was playing the best golf of her LPGA career over the first half of the season. She missed just two cuts across her first 14 starts and among six top-25s she finished an excellent 2^nd in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship – the highlight of her major appearances to date.

She’s found the going tough since then, missing four of her last six cuts, but this represents the ideal opportunity for her to turn that form around.

The American ranks 3^rd in driving distance this season and has better controlled that power this year, ranking 8^th off-the-tee. Her improved greens-in-regulation ranking of 31^st is another example of her more reliable ball-striking, providing optimism that she can top her performance at this course in 2024.

Kim made the most of her power there, ranking 4^th off-the-tee on her way to that 12^th-place finish – an event in which she also ranked 7^th from tee-to-green. If she finds the consistency she showed earlier this season, another strong showing is within reach in China.

0.75 pts Julia Lopez Ramirez each-way (1/4 - 5 places) @ 90/1

I’m going to stick with the power players and as the top-ranked performer in driving distance on the LPGA, Spain’s Julia Lopez Ramirez has the length to really attack Qizhong Garden on debut.

I put Lopez Ramirez up on her latest start in the Arkansas Championship, where she began solidly with a three-under 68 before the event was cancelled due to severe weather. That followed a 38^th-place finish in the Kroger Queen City Championship – the latest in a series of results that suggest that the former No. 1 amateur is beginning to find her feet at this level.

Her standout performance of the year came in the Women’s Scottish Open, where she took advantage of a wide open course with driver to finish 3^rd. She also impressed in the majors, recording bests of 19^th in the U.S. Women’s Open, 28^th in the Evian Championship and 36^th in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

While the driver is the Spanish star’s biggest weapon, ranking 2^nd off-the-tee and 1^st in driving distance, she’s also a top-class putter, ranking 31^st on the greens.

In addition, she’s continually making gains in approach, including ranking 10^th in the Kroger Queen City Championship on her latest full start. If able to pick up where she left off there, this hugely talented player could claim the first title of her young pro career.

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