Tournament of Champions 2026 Betting Tips: Lydia to Ko the field on opening week?

The 2026 LPGA season gets underway this week, with the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club.

After a 2025 campaign that produced a record 29 different winners, the tour has never looked more competitive, and it will be fun to see which new stars will announce themselves over the coming months.

Our LPGA golf expert Jamie Worsley is back with his usual long-read preview for the tournament. Check out his Tournament of Champions 2026 Betting Tips below, where he has picked out three players to back each-way ranging from 14/1 to 175/1 at the time of publication...

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You can bet on the tournament and check out the latest Tournament of Champions 2026 Odds over on betfred.com

The LPGA Tournament of Champions was first held in 2019 at the Tranquillo Course at the Four Seasons Resort in Florida. It remained there until 2022, when current host Lake Nona Golf & Country Club assumed hosting duties.

Open to every winner from the previous two seasons, the tournament includes a celebrity pro-am element that helps create a more relaxed atmosphere, easing players into the new campaign.

Last five winners:

• 2025

Winner: A Lim Kim (-20)

Runner-up: Nelly Korda (-18)

• 2024

Winner: Lydia Ko (-14)

Runner-up: Alexa Pano (-12)

• 2023

Winner: Brooke Henderson (-16)

Runners-up: Maja Stark, Charley Hull (-12)

• 2022

Winner: Danielle Kang (-16)

Runner-up: Brooke Henderson (-13)

• 2021

Winner: Jessica Korda (-24, playoff)

Runner-up: Danielle Kang (-24)

A Lim Kim is this week's defending champion, having held off Nelly Korda in the final round 12 months ago to convert her 54-hole lead into a two-shot win and a third LPGA triumph.

THE COURSE

Lake Nona Golf & Country Club

• Original architect / Year opened: Tom Fazio / 1986
• Latest renovation: The course was "reimagined" in 2014 with help from Fazio
• Previous tournaments: Gainbridge LPGA (2021), Solheim Cup (1990)
• Par / Yardage: Par 72 / 6624 yards
• Hole breakdown:
  • 4x par 3s (160-180 yards)
  • 10x par 4s (318-419 yards)
  • 4x par 5s (503-521 yards)
• Average winning score: -16.7 (seven editions)
• Course style: Well-maintained and typically flat Florida course framed by towering oak, pine and cypress trees. The tighter corridors of the front nine make way for more open holes on the back
• Fairways:
  • Generous bermudagrass fairways overseeded with poa trivialis
  • Plenty of doglegs in both directions
  • Protection comes from limited but strategic bunkering, with rough non-penal
• Greens:
  • Average-sized bermudagrass greens (5900 sq. ft.) overseeded with poa trivialis, could hit speeds of 12 on the Stimpmeter
  • Raised and generally long and narrow in shape, they're tough to hit
  • Their subtle breaks are notoriously difficult to read
• Defences:
  • Water – in play on 11 holes, including each of the par 3s
  • The perplexing putting surfaces

Lake Nona Golf & Country Club is a fun risk/reward test, with gettable birdie chances – most notably on the four par 5s and drivable par-4 14^th – coming attached with danger. Providing the weather is favourable, the players should enjoy the season opener in Orlando.

THE WEATHER

The field will encounter largely bright but cool conditions in Florida, with light rain also forecast for the weekend. Wind won't be a factor early on, but that is predicted to change for rounds three and four, with persistent speeds of 14-18mph on the cards, and gusts at close to 35mph.

KEY STATS

SG: Off-the-Tee (SG: OTT) / Driving Distance

Lengthy and high-class drivers have thrived at Lake Nona, and I expect this to again be a key to success this week.

• 2025
  • A Lim Kim (Winner): ranked 2^nd in SG: OTT / 2^nd in driving distance
  • Nelly Korda (2^nd): 1^st in SG: OTT / 3^rd in driving distance
  • Linn Grant (3^rd): 3^rd in SG: OTT / 4^th in driving distance
  • Minjee Lee (4^th): 4^th in SG: OTT
• 2024
  • Alexa Pano (2^nd): 5^th in SG: OTT / 6^th in driving distance
  • Brooke Henderson (3^rd): 4^th in SG: OTT
• 2023
  • Brooke Henderson (Winner): 3^rd in SG: OTT / 4^th in driving distance
  • Maja Stark (2^nd): 6^th in SG: OTT / 6^th in driving distance
  • Charley Hull (2^nd): 3^rd in driving distance
  • Nelly Korda (4^th): 1^st in SG: OTT / 2^nd in driving distance
• 2022
  • Brooke Henderson (2^nd): 4^th in SG: OTT / 7^th in driving distance
  • Gaby Lopez (3^rd): 8^th in SG: OTT / 8^th in driving distance
  • Nelly Korda (4^th): 2^nd in SG: OTT / 3^rd in driving distance

SG: Approach / Greens-in-Regulation (GIR)

The majority of the main contenders here have complemented their quality off the tee with strong iron play into these tricky greens.

• 2025
  • A Lim Kim (Winner): 6^th in GIR
  • Linn Grant (3^rd): 2^nd in SG: Approach / 3^rd in GIR
• 2024
  • Lydia Ko (Winner): 1^st in SG: Approach / 2^nd in GIR
  • Alexa Pano (2^nd): 8^th in SG: Approach
  • Brooke Henderson (3^rd): 5^th in GIR
  • Ally Ewing (4^th): 2^nd in SG: Approach
  • Cheyenne Knight (4^th): 3^rd in SG: Approach
  • Ayaka Furue (4^th): 4^th in SG: Approach
• 2023
  • Brooke Henderson (Winner): 2^nd in SG: Approach / 2^nd in GIR
  • Maja Stark (2^nd): 1^st in SG: Approach / 1^st in GIR
• 2022
  • Danielle Kang (Winner): 1^st in SG: Approach / 1^st in GIR
  • Brooke Henderson (2^nd): 4^th in SG: Approach / 5^th in GIR
  • Gaby Lopez (3^rd): 5^th in SG: Approach / 2^nd in GIR
  • Celine Boutier (4^th): 3^rd in SG: Approach / 5^th in GIR

SG: Around-the-Greens (SG: ATG) / Scrambling

Finally, with those testing weekend conditions resulting in fewer greens hit, players will need to be comfortable around the greens.

• 2025
  • A Lim Kim (Winner): 1^st in SG: ATG / 4^th in scrambling
  • Minjee Lee (4^th): 6^th in scrambling
• 2024
  • Lydia Ko (Winner): 6^th in scrambling
  • Alexa Pano (2^nd): 1^st in SG: ATG / 4^th in scrambling
  • Brooke Henderson (3^rd): 5^th in scrambling
  • Cheyenne Knight (4^th): 2^nd in SG: ATG
  • Ayaka Furue (4^th): 1^st in scrambling
• 2023
  • Brooke Henderson (Winner): 3^rd in SG: ATG / 2^nd in scrambling
  • Charley Hull (2^nd): 1^st in scrambling
• 2022
  • Danielle Kang (Winner): 3^rd in SG: ATG / 3^rd in scrambling
  • Brooke Henderson (2^nd): 1^st in scrambling
  • Nelly Korda (4^th): 4^th in SG: ATG

CORRELATING EVENTS (COURSES)

The ANNIKA (Pelican Golf Club)

Pelican Golf Club is another flat and spacious Florida-based course, with large bermudagrass greens, wide fairways, and water as the prominent threat.

Notable correlating form:

• Nelly Korda: Tournament of Champions (1^st, 2^nd) / ANNIKA (1^st, 1^st, 1^st)
• Lydia Ko: Tournament of Champions/Gainbridge (1^st, 2^nd) / ANNIKA (2^nd, 4^th)
• Brooke Henderson: Tournament of Champions (1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd) / ANNIKA (5^th, 6^th)
• Charley Hull: Tournament of Champions (2^nd) / ANNIKA (2^nd, 4^th)
• Linn Grant: Tournament of Champions (3^rd) / ANNIKA (1^st, 5^th)
• Gaby Lopez: Tournament of Champions (3^rd, 6^th) / ANNIKA (3^rd, 4^th, 6^th)
• Ally Ewing: Tournament of Champions (4^th) / ANNIKA (2^nd)
• Patty Tavatanakit: Gainbridge (5^th) / ANNIKA (6^th)

CME Group Tour Championship (Tiburon Golf Club – Gold Course)

Tiburon's Gold Course ticks many of the boxes mentioned above. Also situated on flat Floridian terrain, this exciting, risk/reward course has water in play on 13 holes, extremely generous fairways framed by imposing pine and cypress trees, and elevated, firm bermudagrass greens.

Notable correlating form:

• Lydia Ko: Tournament of Champions/Gainbridge (1^st, 2^nd) / Tour Championship (1^st, 1^st)
• Nelly Korda: Tournament of Champions (1^st, 2^nd) / Tour Championship (2^nd, 3^rd, 3^rd)
• Danielle Kang: Tournament of Champions (1^st) / Tour Championship (3^rd)
• Brooke Henderson: Tournament of Champions (1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd) / Tour Championship (5^th, 7^th, 7^th, 7^th)
• Charley Hull: Tournament of Champions (2^nd) / Tour Championship (1^st, 2^nd)
• Gaby Lopez: Tournament of Champions (3^rd, 6^th) / Tour Championship (4^th)
• Celine Boutier: Tournament of Champions (4^th) / Tour Championship (3^rd)

2025 Founders Cup / 2024 LPGA Drive On Championship (Bradenton Country Club)

We'll stay in Florida with Bradenton Country Club. The fairways at this flat Donald Ross parkland aren't quite as wide, but water is in play at every turn, and the bermudagrass greens are similar in size and difficulty to Lake Nona.

Notable correlating form:

• Nelly Korda: Tournament of Champions (1^st, 2^nd) / Bradenton (1^st)
• Lydia Ko: Tournament of Champions/Gainbridge (1^st, 2^nd) / Bradenton (2^nd)
• Ayaka Furue: Tournament of Champions (4^th) / Bradenton (4^th)
• Celine Boutier: Tournament of Champions (4^th) / Bradenton (7^th)
• Cheyenne Knight: Tournament of Champions (4^th) / Bradenton (9^th)

Chevron Championship (The Club at Carlton Woods – Nicklaus Signature Course)

I'll finish with the most recent host of the Chevron Championship Carlton Woods' Nicklaus Signature Course. It's similar in style to those aforementioned Florida layouts, with the flat terrain tree-lined yet spacious, with fast bermudagrass putting surfaces and water featuring on half of the holes.

Notable correlating form:

• Nelly Korda: Tournament of Champions/Gainbridge (1^st, 2^nd) / Chevron (1^st, 3^rd)
• Brooke Henderson: Tournament of Champions (1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd) / Chevron (3^rd)
• A Lim Kim: Tournament of Champions (1^st) / Chevron (4^th)
• Maja Stark: Tournament of Champions (2^nd) / Chevron (2^nd)

THE FIELD

This 2026 Tournament of Champions field is the largest in the event's history, due to that incredible record of 29 different winners in the 2025 season. Jeeno Thitikul makes her debut here, heading the entries as the world No. 1, and she is joined by a further 16 of the world's top 25 in this 39-woman championship.

A Lim Kim returns to defend and is one of three former winners in attendance, alongside Lydia Ko (2024) and Brooke Henderson (2023).

Miyu Yamashita, Mao Saigo, Lottie Woad, and Chisato and Akie Iwai all tee it up in this tournament for the first time following breakthrough wins last year. Meanwhile, Austin Ernst makes her comeback after a couple of years away from the game, with her exemption for winning the 2021 Drive On Championship still active due to the rules around medical/maternity leave.

SELECTIONS 

Market leaders: Jeeno Thitikul 7/2, Nelly Korda 5/1, Charley Hull 11/1, Nasa Hataoka 12/1, Lydia Ko 14/1

3 pts Lydia Ko each-way (1/4 - 4 places) @ 14/1

A new season gives everyone a fresh start and I'm hoping it's just the ticket to spark Lydia Ko into life. She was out of sorts at the end of last year, but that was also the case in 2023 before she won this event the following season, and she looks the ideal candidate to handle the troublesome weekend conditions.

Ko was in fine form at the start of 2025, winning the HSBC Women's World Championship across her first four appearances. She didn't use that as a springboard to further success, picking up just three additional top-10s, though one of those did come on her second-to-last outing when she was 9^th in the Maybank Championship.

The driver was an issue for the New Zealander and while she was solid enough in approach, she was nowhere near the standard we've come to expect. However, her short game was as excellent as ever, ranking 2^nd in scrambling, 2^nd in SG: ATG, and 3^rd in SG: Putting.

As a Lake Nona resident, it's no surprise that she's never finished outside the top 10 here, winning this event in 2024 and finishing 2^nd in the Gainbridge LPGA in 2021. Her record in Florida is enhanced by two wins at Tiburon in the Tour Championship and having also finished 2^nd at both Bradenton Country Club and Pelican Golf Club, this is as likely a spot as any for her to return to form.

2 pts Linn Grant each-way (1/4 - 4 places) @ 22/1

Linn Grant lacked the consistency of previous seasons in 2025, but she gained rewards for her perseverance when winning The ANNIKA on the second-to-last start of the year. Her long game was ever-impressive throughout the campaign and I’m taking her to begin 2026 with a bang, going two better than her 3^rd-place finish here 12 months ago.

Not dissimilar to Ko, Grant couldn’t build on her positive start at Lake Nona last season, failing to record another top-10 in her next seven appearances. She halted that run with finishes of 4^th in the Riviera Maya Open and 9^th in the U.S. Women’s Open, and she also hit the top 20 in the Women’s Open at Royal Porthcawl before a 3^rd-place finish in Portland.

Her form dipped again but she bounced back at The ANNIKA, firing rounds of 68-63-65-65 for a three-shot success – her second victory on tour. With that, I’m hoping that she’s relishing this return to Florida.

The Swede was electric from tee-to-green there and that was the story of her season overall, ranking 8^th. She excelled with the driver, ranking 5^th (and 21^st in driving distance), while her irons also shone, ranking 19^th in GIR and 33^rd in SG: Approach.

That level of ball-striking helped Grant to a 3^rd-place finish in this event in 2025. If she can repeat her putting performance on the bermudagrass-based greens at The ANNIKA (ranking 23^rd), she has every chance of starting this new season with a win.

0.75 pts Lilia Vu each-way (1/4 - 4 places) @ 175/1

I’m going to finish with a speculative flutter on Lilia Vu at a huge price. The two-time major winner’s 2025 campaign was blighted by continued injury concerns and her form at the end of the year offered little encouragement. However, she’s had an extended period to get herself right and prepare for the new season, and with plenty of promising form relating to this test, this classy player is worth chancing in Florida.

Despite those documented struggles, Vu still went close to adding another trophy to her cabinet last year, finishing 2^nd in the Ford Championship. Unfortunately, that was to be her last top-10 as she made just two further cuts.

Her tee-to-green game was non-existent last year but she still putted strongly, ranking 11^th. At her absolute best, she’s a strong all-rounder and particularly complements that putting with her irons – something we’ll have to hope she’s been able to rediscover in the off-season.

Vu finished 18^th here on her only previous visit in 2024. She does possess winning form in Florida, taking the title in the 2023 edition of The ANNIKA, and having claimed her first major title in the 2023 Chevron Championship, her comp form is reason enough to take the leap at Lake Nona.

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

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