By: Max Bechtoldt
We’ve reached the end of the journey here with my predictions of who will be on the medal stand come Saturday morning. With just under 20 hours until the start of competition, let’s waste no time and get right into it:
Bronze: Hannah Green – Australia – It is hard to call Hannah Green a breakout star, considering coming into the year she already had a major championship and three-career LPGA victories. All of that being said, Green has never played at this level. Green has two wins this season, along with an additional runner-up finish. She ranks No. 3 in the CME Standings and No. 6 in the Rolex Rankings. She is No. 4 in scoring average and has a really well-rounded game. Green played well at the Tokyo Olympics, finishing in a T5. Green is just a player who it is very easy to have confidence in.
Silver: Atthaya Thitikul – Thailand – Thitikul is a player who may not be known to the casual fan of the LPGA all that well, but she should be. At only 21-years-old she already has three LPGA Tour wins, four LET wins and a startling seven top-10 finishes in majors. I repeat, she is only 21. In 2023, Thitikul led the LPGA Tour in scoring average and won the LET Player of the Year in 2021 as a rookie. Thitikul dealt with a thumb injury early in the season, but hasn’t shown many signs of rust, with five top-10 finishes in nine events played. She did get a win at the Dow team event alongside Ruoning Yin. At the 2023 International Crown, she was a member of the Thai team that won.
Gold: Nelly Korda – USA – Nelly Korda is the only player in the field who has won an Olympic Gold medal, she is also the only player in the field with six wins this season. Both of those are factors here. No, Korda hasn’t played her best golf as of late, with only four starts since late May, and three of them resulted in missed cuts. She did show some signs of better play though at Evian in her last start. Korda is still a dominant No. 1 in both the Rolex Rankings and CME Standings. She has had a nice long break, which I think is good for her chances. Her putting isn’t weak, but its the weakest part of her otherwise flawless game. She drives the ball long and accurately, she’s a good iron player and among the best chippers on Tour. There’s no reason for Korda not to make it another Gold Medal sweep for the United States.
