BMW Ladies Championship 2025 Betting Tips: Four to shine in South Korea

It has taken 10 months and 27 events, but the LPGA finally witnessed its first two-time winner of the season last week, as world No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul beat Minami Katsu in a playoff to win the Buick LPGA Shanghai.

The tour now moves on to South Korea for the second leg of its five-week swing around East Asia, as Pine Beach Golf Links hosts the BMW Ladies Championship for the first time.

Our LPGA golf expert Jamie Worsley is on-hand with his usual brilliant preview for the tournament. Check out his BMW Ladies Championship Betting Tips below, where he has picked out four players each-way ranging from 22/1 to 66/1.

You can bet on the tournament and check out the latest BMW Ladies Championship odds over on betfred.com

TOURNAMENT HISTORY 

The BMW Ladies Championship debuted on the LPGA in 2019 and is a revival of an event of the same name that was played on the Korean LPGA from 2015–2017. After the 2019 and 2021 renewals were co-sanctioned by both tours, the LPGA assumed full responsibility for the tournament in 2022.

Tournament winners:

• 2024 (Seowon Hills)

Winner: Hannah Green (-19)

Runner-up: Celine Boutier (-18)

• 2023 (Seowon Hills)

Winner: Minjee Lee (-16, playoff)

Runner-up: Alison Lee (-16)

• 2022 (Oak Valley Country Club)

Winner: Lydia Ko (-21)

Runner-up: Andrea Lee (-17)

• 2021 (LPGA International Busan)

Winner: Jin Young Ko (-22, playoff)

Runner-up: Hee-jeong Lim (-22)

• 2019 (LPGA International Busan)

Winner: Ha-na Jang (-19, playoff)

Runner-up: Danielle Kang (-19)

Hannah Green completed a hat-trick of Australasian winners in the event last year, beating Celine Boutier by a shot at Seowon Hills. She returns to defend this week.

THE COURSE

The BMW Ladies Championship showcases its fourth different host course in six editions, as Pine Beach Golf Links makes its debut. Designed by the duo of Gary Roger Baird and David Dale, it opened in 2009 and is regarded as one of the best courses in South Korea.

It plays as a par 72 and measures a lengthy 6785 yards, possessing 4x par 3s (138-198 yards), 10x par 4s (373-408 yards), and 4x par 5s (513-557 yards).

Pine Beach Golf Links is a natural and undulating layout situated along the rugged, rocky coastline in the south-west of Korea. Over half of the holes are perched precariously on plateaus at the cliff's edge, overlooking and offering spectacular views of the Yellow Sea.

The course begins amidst forestland, with holes lined by densely populated pine and oak trees. That being said, the majority of holes are spacious and exposed to wind, whilst water is in play on five holes.

Its sloping fairways are generous, but are strategically protected by large, imposing bunkers, while the tangly zoysia rough can pose further problems.

The bentgrass greens are huge and could run up to 12 on the stimp this week. These predominantly elevated surfaces are heavily contoured and often multi-tiered, guarded by run-off areas and deep greenside bunkers.

A new course always brings with it a level of uncertainty. The length of the layout could make things difficult, containing four long and challenging par 5s, while there appear to be no gimmes among the par 4s.

Due to its coastal location, the weather will also have an impact on how difficult Pine Beach plays. If dry and windy, this firm, hilly course would serve up a significant test, but with such wide fairways and large greens, any rain to soften the layout will naturally lead to a lower-scoring contest.

THE WEATHER

Rain is forecast to be a prominent feature this week, with as much as 27mm falling on the Wednesday before the event. It is predicted to persist over the first three rounds, with a further 30mm scheduled to arrive, creating an undoubtedly receptive golf course.

However, the field may not be able to take advantage of those softer conditions, as high winds are also forecast throughout. It is predicted to blow at a constant 15–20mph from Friday to Sunday, accompanied by gusts of over 30mph.

KEY STATS

• SG: Off-the-Tee/Driving Distance
• SG: Approach/Greens-in-Regulation
• SG: Putting (bentgrass)

With so much rain on the way, this already long course will play even longer, which will likely play to the strengths of the bigger hitters in the field.

In addition, taming these huge, soft greens will also prove vital. This requires a high level of iron play to minimise the risk of three-putting, while anybody with experience of putting well on similarly large, undulating bentgrass surfaces will be of interest.

CORRELATING EVENTS

We don't have the luxury of comp form to work with this week. Nevertheless, there are several courses that I believe could guide us towards the winner in Korea.

The key to unlocking this event may actually lie with the course that hosted the 2023 and 2024 editions: Seowon Hills. This course was renovated by one half of the design duo for Pine Beach, David Dale, and it is another undulating and open venue, with wide, sloping fairways and enormous, elevated bentgrass greens.

I'm going to stay in East Asia and think Jian Lake Blue Bay, host of the Blue Bay LPGA, could be of help; while paspalum covers the course there, it is an exposed, hilly layout susceptible to wind, with generous fairways and large, heavily contoured greens.

Although host of the Arkansas Championship, Pinnacle Country Club, is a shorter course, it has much in common with Pine Beach Golf Links. To begin, it uses the same grasses as this week's venue, with zoysia covering the fairways and rough, while the large, sloping greens are bentgrass. It is hilly, tree-lined yet spacious, and the wide fairways are easy to find.

Finally, a further two courses that share similar characteristics are the Black Desert Resort and TPC River's Bend, hosts of the Black Desert Championship LPGA and Kroger Queen City Championship, respectively. Each of these venues have wide fairways and bentgrass greens; while Black Desert is open and exposed, River's Bend is tree-lined but extremely spacious.

THE FIELD

World No. 3 Minjee Lee is the top-ranked player in this week's field, joined by fellow top-10 players Miyu Yamashita (No. 6), and Hyo Joo Kim (No. 8).

Minjee is of course one of the former winners of this event, claiming the title in 2023. Defending champion and fellow Aussie Hannah Green also tees it up, as does 2021 victor Jin Young Ko.

English sensation Lottie Woad will make her debut in the event; Linn Grant returns to action having been absent since the FM Championship in August; and keep an eye out for prodigiously talented 16-year-old Soomin Oh – she is Korea's highest-ranking amateur at No. 13 and arrives here after finishing 2^nd in the prestigious Espirito Santo Trophy two weeks ago.

SELECTIONS 

Market leaders: Minjee Lee 7/1, Lottie Woad 9/1, Miyu Yamashita 12/1, Hyo Joo Kim 16/1, Sei Young Kim 16/1, Chisato Iwai 16/1, Nasa Hataoka 16/1

2 pts Akie Iwai each-way (1/4 - 5 places) @ 22/1

Akie Iwai earned her first LPGA victory at the Portland Classic back in August – a fitting reward for what has been an impressive rookie season. She's remained in form since, finishing 4^th in two of her last four LPGA starts, and with a game to suit this week's test, she can double her tally in Korea.

Iwai finished runner-up twice earlier this year – in the Honda LPGA Thailand and JM Eagle LA Championship – prior to claiming a comfortable four-shot win in the Portland Classic. A 4^th-place finish in Canada immediately followed that win and on her latest LPGA start, she finished 4^th in the LOTTE Championship.

She excels with her irons, ranking 4^th in approach and 15^th in greens-in-regulation this season. The driver is another asset, ranking 37^th in driving distance and 45^th off-the-tee, whilst she's also a solid 57^th on the greens.

Iwai is a six-time winner on the JLPGA, winning three events in each of the last two seasons. With a powerful yet precise ball-striking game that looks ideal for the challenge of Pine Beach Golf Links, expect her to be in the mix this week.

2 pts A Lim Kim each-way (1/4 - 5 places) @ 22/1

A Lim Kim arrives in her native Korea after back-to-back 10^th-place finishes. Her game is packed with quality from tee-to-green and having displayed an ability to handle windy conditions on an exposed course at the Women’s Open, she looks a great fit for this challenge.

Kim started the season with three straight top-10s, beginning with a victory at the Tournament of Champions – her third LPGA win. She later finished 4^th in a windy Women’s Open in Wales, and after steady form in the FM Championship and Kroger Queen City Championship, she has posted consecutive 10^th-place finishes at the LOTTE Championship and Buick LPGA Shanghai.

She is one of the strongest tee-to-green performers on tour, ranking 6^th, and excels with driver, ranking 7^th off-the-tee and 10^th in driving distance. Her ranking of 16^th in greens-in-regulation is another plus and though sitting outside the top 100 in the putting standings, she has gained strokes in three of her last four starts on the greens.

Kim has hit the top 20 on three occasions in this event, recording a best of 3^rd in 2021. As a long hitter comfortable in the wind, who has recently rediscovered her touch with the putter, this looks a great chance for her to top the leaderboard in front of a home crowd.

1.25 pts Jennifer Kupcho each-way (1/4 - 5 places) @ 40/1

Jennifer Kupcho has been a regular among my selections of late and continuing to show promise, she gets the nod again this week. The driver and putter are major weapons and beginning to shine in approach, she looks perfectly suited to Pine Beach.

Kupcho left some disappointing early-season form behind at the Shoprite Classic in June to record her fourth victory on the LPGA. She has since finished inside the top 25 on five occasions in her last eight starts, with a 5^th-place finish in the Kroger Queen three starts ago rating as her second-best result of 2025.

She’s driven the ball superbly, combining length and accuracy to rank 11^th off-the-tee this season. Her putting has been another asset, ranking 34^th, and coming here after two top-20 approach performances in two starts – including ranking 4^th in Hawaii – her all-round game is looking strong.

Kupcho hasn’t cracked the top 30 in this event, but with finishes of 5^th in the Kroger Queen and 7^th in Arkansas to her name, this is the week she can finally contend in Korea.

1 pt Auston Kim each-way (1/4 - 5 places) @ 66/1

Auston Kim went well for us in China, closing with three rounds in the 60s to finish 11^th. That was a result engineered by a much improved display in approach and as a long hitter who is solid on the greens, she can carry that momentum into this week.

Kim was hugely impressive in the first half of the season, producing a series of results that included a 2^nd-place finish in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. She lost her way following that, failing to record a top-40 in her next six starts and missing four cuts, but signs have been encouraging in recent weeks.

The American had missed three cuts on the spin entering the FM Championship three starts ago, though she ended that run with a 45^th-place finish. She again missed the cut in Hawaii but responded excellently last week with that 11^th-place finish.

She has stood out with the driver throughout her pro career and is doing so again in 2025, ranking 3^rd in driving distance and 10^th off-the-tee. She hits a tonne of greens, ranking 24^th in greens-in-regulation and while sitting down in 83^rd in approach this year, she tees it up here having ranked 5^th with her irons last week.

Kim has little in the way of comp form but having recorded that runner-up finish in the KPMG Women’s PGA on an open, naturally undulating course with wide fairways and large, sloping greens, I’m confident she has the game to master Pine Beach Golf Links for a breakthrough LPGA win.

You can access all our latest Golf Odds over on betfred.com

Find all Jamie's latest Golf Betting Tips here at Betfred Insights