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Course: Moon Valley Country Club, Phoenix, Arizona
Yardage: 6459
Par: 72  (four par-fives)
USGA Rating: 74.3
Greens: Bentgrass - 6,500 sq.ft  (Tour average: 6,000 sq.ft)

GCSAA Tournament Fact Sheet

Weather Forecast

Best Players Last 10 Years

Past Winners:
2001 - Annika Sorenstam
2000 - Charlotta Sorenstam
1999 - Karrie Webb
1998 - Liselotte Neumann
1997 - Laura Davies
1996 - Laura Davies
1995 - Laura Davies
1994 - Laura Davies
1993 - Patty Sheehan
1992 - Danielle Ammaccapane

Outright plays (1 unit unless stated):

Lorie Kane to win 16/1 e.w. @ Bet365 or Surrey
Has an excellent record on this course - finishes of 11th, 4th, 2nd and 7th - and looks to be one of the best hopes to break Sorenstam's winning streak. She took Annika to a playoff in the Takefuji Classic, but lost on the first hole after playing it poorly. In good form and on a course that rewards the greens in regulation players, she looks set to continue her fine record here.

Mi Hyun Kim to win 25/1 e.w. @ Surrey
Solid, but unspectacular course form from Kim, but she has already shown when taking the 1st round lead in the Takefuji Classic that a repeat of her very consistent top-10 golf of the last three years should continue into 2002. Just too big a price, even with Sorenstam and Webb in the field, for someone so consistent.

Heather Bowie to win 100/1 e.w. @ Surrey
Much more speculative backing of Bowie. Quite absurd to see NetBetSports quote her at 14/1, but she did finish 3rd in the Takefuji Classic, only two shots out of the playoff and so comes into the event in fine form. Her course form is the reason for the high price - a best of 53rd from three starts - but she should perform much better on this course. Last year she finished in the top-10 in greens in regulation and for all that Laura Davies dominated this event in the mid-1990s, the stats show that it is greens in regulation that will count this week. She is not a 14/1 shot, but there is definitely value in 100/1.

Matchup plays (1 unit unless stated):

Meg Mallon to beat Maria Hjorth -125 @ Five Dimes
Unspectacular start to the season from Hjorth and with very poor course form, she is one to avoid. Mallon comes into this event as her season debut and can boast a very consistent record of top-20 finishes on this course.

Lorie Kane to beat Rosie Jones -120 @ Surrey [2 units]
In contrast to Kane's superb record on this course, Jones has mixed three top-10 finishes with four missed cuts or finishes outside the top-70 in the last seven visits. Very erratic course form and can easily be opposed with the top outright selection for the week.

Lorie Kane to beat Se Ri Pak +115 @ Five Dimes
Pak had a very poor record in this event until she finished 2nd last year. She will doubtless be in contention at some stage this week, but the consistent Kane looks set for a very good week and is backed once again at a tempting price.

Final update:

Matchups: 2-1-0; +1.90 units

Mallon/Hjorth LOST by 3
Kane/Jones WON by 2
Kane/Pak WON by 3

Outrights: 1-2; +0.63 units

Kane 8th
Kim 3rd
Bowie 55th

Good event spoiled a little by Kane taking a double-bogey on the last hole to take her out of a top-5 position. Surprising to see Sorenstam falter in the last round ... Kane and Kim were both in with a shout of winning this event.