So-called expert golf tips for this week

Another win and nine top-10s to the tally last week for our tipsters. How will they go at the WAAP, PGA Tour, LPGA and Asian Tour this week?

WOMEN'S AMATEUR ASIA-PACFIC CHAMPIONSHIP

Brendan James – Golf Australia Editor

I’ve got a strong feeling Australia will secure the Asia-Pacific Amateur double in Thailand. Harrison Crowe’s win has the job half done, and KELSEY BENNETT will complete the sweep.

Bennett was runner-up in this event in Abu Dhabi last year and she has the game that is well-suited to the Siam Country Club course.

JIMMY EMANUEL – Golf Australia Deputy & Digital Editor

I will be the one to give you readers the bad news. After all his excitement for the men's event last week, Mark Hayes needed a tipping holiday for the week and won't appear.

I can imagine he was singing Country Roads by John Denver like last week's champion on Sunday and it will be a little worse for wear, and we can exepect more of the same from Hayesy this week after KIRSTEN RUDGELEY triumphs.

Kelsey Bennett has the Aussie runs on the board in this event, but I think the West Australian is set for a good week here in Thailand where she had to wait for her club's to arrive a day late, had an ace in practise and looks extremely comfortable among the quality field.

C'mon Aussie!

Rod Morri – Golf Australia magazine contributor and The Thing About Golf podcast host

The Australians won’t be without a chance this week but it is Japan’s SAKI BABA who will be the player to beat.

At fourth in the World Amateur Golf Ranking she is clearly a cut above the bulk of the field particularly as she is the only top 10 player in attendance. Naturally, there are no guarantees in golf but based on all of that it is difficult to tip against her.

PGA TOUR – WORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY CHAMPIONSHIP AT MAYAKOBA

Brendan James – Golf Australia Editor

After Monday qualifying in Bermuda and then finishing T6 – his best PGA Tour result since the Puerto Rico Open in February 2019 – AARON BADDELEY looks to have his golf game back on track.

He hit some loose shots down the home stretch but was impressive for 67 holes of that event. Would be great to take that game into this week, and I’m tipping he can.

JIMMY EMANUEL – Golf Australia Deputy & Digital Editor

I am sticking solid with THOMAS DETRY who nearly helped bring back my status as the oracle last week in Bermuda.

Much tougher field here with a couple of high ranked players and two-time defending champ Viktor Hovland chasing a hat-trick, but I like the Belgian bomber here.

Rod Morri – Golf Australia magazine contributor and The Thing About Golf podcast host

He had a horror run early in the year but started to show signs of life towards the end of the season and has kept that going in recent weeks.

Three times a top-10 finisher in Mayakoba, EMILIANO GRILLO will surprise a few this week at a venue he clearly has a liking for.

LPGA TOUR – TOTO JAPAN CLASSIC

Brendan James – Golf Australia Editor

The TOTO Japan Classic makes its post-pandemic return and the fan will be hoping one of their local heroes will lift the trophy.

I really like the chances of NASA HATAOKA, who last won on the LPGA back in April. That said, she’s also compiled seven top-10s so you can almost guarantee that being back on home soil will lift her to higher claims.

JIMMY EMANUEL – Golf Australia Deputy & Digital Editor

After she ascended to the top of the world rankings without needing to win, I expect ATTHAYA THITIKUL to be right in the mix here this week.

The Thai has been ultra consistent this year and is chasing Player of the Year honours to go with her guaranteed Rookie of the Year nod.

She will take care of both here, and in a nice bit of kizmut do it during the WAAP of which she was the inaugural champion.

RELATED: TOTO Japan Classic preview

Rod Morri – Golf Australia magazine contributor and The Thing About Golf podcast host

The return of the LPGA’s biggest stars to one of the world’s most golf obsessed nations should prove a thrilling spectacle this week, especially on a course where low scoring is the norm.

In those circumstances, look for the newly crowned World No.1 ATTHAYA THITIKUL to shine. Not only is she officially the best player in the world now but she also leads the ‘birdies made’ statistic for the season and on this course, that will be crucial.

ASIAN TOUR – INTERNATIONAL SERIES MOROCCO

Brendan James – Golf Australia Editor

PHACHARA KHONGWATMAI has had a busy year of travel, playing all LIV Golf events as well as International series and regular events on the Asian Tour. It hasn’t phased him though, nor will the trip from Miami to Morocco for this week’s International series event.

The young Thai’s best work has been in these internationals where he’s notched several runner-up performances. He’ll be thereabouts when the whips start cracking on Sunday.

JIMMY EMANUEL – Golf Australia Deputy & Digital Editor

After his year playing LIV Golf, WADE ORMSBY is back on the Asian Tour where it all began for him and I expect the South Australian to feature here.

He has experience on this venue when it hosted the European Tour and seems to be a very happy man of late. So why not add a trophy before heading home.

Rod Morri – Golf Australia magazine contributor and The Thing About Golf podcast host

With exposure to some of the game's most seasoned veterans through his LIV participation in 2022,Thailand’s PHACHARA KHONGWATMAI looks set to shine this week.

He is not out of the running to claim the International Series Order of Merit but with only this event and one more to play he knows he will need to be at his best and that starts this week.

2022 RESULTS

So far, our so-called experts have combined to tip 35 winners in 2022, with 212 of their picks recording top-10 finishes that week and a best return of $29 for Joohyung Kim to win the Wyndham Championship (tipped by Rod Morri).