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The women’s golf competition begins Thursday at the 2024 Olympics. These are the 10 females ranked by who could take home gold.
Are you ready for it?
The women’s golf competition is this week at the 2024 Olympics. Last week, the men battled for Gold, Silver, and Bronze at the Le Golf National. It produced some of the best golf fans have seen this season.
For many of the 60 ladies in the competition, it will be their first start on this track.
Team USA has a secret weapon in Rose Zhang, who won the 2022 World Amateur Team Championship at this golf course. That experience will be so beneficial to her this week.
Le Golf National will not be a par 71 like it was for the men. It will play as a par-72 track. The par-4 18th hole will move to a 477-yard par-5.
Scheffler’s 19-under total score is a good indication of what the women’s scoring could be like this week.
Here is a Power ranking for the 10 ladies that could win Gold.
10. Linn Grant, Sweden
Linn Grant won the Scandinavian Mixed earlier this year and was T9 at the KMPG Women’s PGA Championship. She has three top-10s in her last four starts.
However, one of the best reasons she made the list is that she ranks No. 5 in strokes gained off the tee.
9. Atthaya Thitikul, Thailand
Thailand’s Atthaya Thitikul started this season red hot, with four straight top-8s, but she has since cooled off. The 21-year-old won the Dow Championship at the end of June. However, she missed the cut at the Amundi Evian Championship the following week.
Regardless, she is No. 4 in Greens hit in regulation, which will be massive at Le Golf National.
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8. Brooke Henderson, Canada
Brooke Henderson, one of the fan favorites, finished T8 at the CPKC Women’s Open in her last start on the LPGA. She sits inside the Top 20 in strokes gained off the tee, but her greens in regulation impress as she ranks No. 5. Do not count her out because it is only a matter of time before Henderson goes on a heater.
7. Peiyun Chien, Chinese Taipei
Peiyun Chien is extremely consistent. She finished T7 at the Amundi Evian Championship. The Chinese Taipei golfer will hit plenty of greens and fairways, both key stats that will help get her onto the podium.
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6. Hannah Green, Australia
Hannah Green has been one of the great stories of 2024. She went from No. 29 to No. 6 in the world rankings after she won the HSBC Women’s World Championship and then the JM Eagle LA Championship.
Green was solo second at the Mizuho Americas Open. A T16 at the U.S. Women’s Open and T14 at the CPKC Women’s Open have been the highlights since her runner-up finish in New Jersey. It could all come together again this week, as her game fits this track well.
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5. Celine Boutier, France
The French woman had a fantastic year last year, but Celine Boutier has been cold in 2024. She has only one Top 15 finish in her last 10 starts. Paris hosting the Olympics will motivate her to play well. If she can get her putter hot, Boutier will be in the mix.
4. Patty Tavatanakit, Thailand
Patty Tavatanakit already has a victory this season at the Honda LPGA Thailand. Since that win, she has six Top 25s. Most recently, Tavatanakit finished third at the Amundi Evian Championship.
She is a birdie queen, ranking second in birdies or better. However, Tavatanakit needs to reel in her power off the tee to contend.
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3. Rose Zhang, USA
Rose Zhang earned her second career LPGA event earlier this year at the Cognizant Founder’s Cup. Since that victory, though, she has only had a Top 10 finish (a T6) at the CPKC Women’s Open two weeks ago.
Her win at Le Golf National will help her this week, and her approach of being No. 2 in strokes gained will get her on the podium.
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2. Nelly Korda, USA
Many have Nelly Korda as the favorite to repeat and win her second gold medal. However, after she won six in seven starts, she became cold. Korda missed three straight cuts before she finished T6 at the Amundi Evian Championship. She is also No. 2 in strokes gained off the tee and greens in regulation.
It is so hard to count her out because when she gets hot, no one can take her down. Ranking No. 2 is because of her cold streak, but she could get her seventh victory this weekend if she stays consistent.
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1. Lilia Vu USA
Lilia Vu of Team USA takes the top spot in the power rankings. She took off for over two months earlier this season to rest her back. However, since she got back, Vu has gone T26 or better.
Vu won the Meijer LPGA Classic at her first start after two months. The 26-year-old also finished T2. Vu needs to stay healthy, but this course fits her well, and she can take control of her.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @golf_girl_sl.