Tag: European Tour

European Tour: BMW PGA Championship Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The European Tour’s biggest event (on English soil) gets underway this week on the prestigious and famed Wentworth West Course.  The BMW PGA Championship always attracts a quality field and 2015 is no different.  Plenty of Race to Dubai points on offer, plenty of money, and plenty of peer adulation if players can get a win here.  Especially with Rory in the field.

The Course

Opened in 1926, the Harry Colt designed Wentworth West Course is a 7302 yard, par 73 classic. Set in healthy woodland it is one of the most beautiful natural settings of a golf course, mixing pine; oak and birch to create an attractive and tricky course in all seasons.

Despite being modernised by Ernie Eels in 2005 and 2012 the course has give up two course record 62s in recent times.  Robert Karlsson achieved the feat in the 3rd round of the BMW PGA Championship in 2010, and Thomas Bjorn went equally low in the first round last year.

The Sound Bites

“I practiced a lot in February and March, just to prepare for the Masters, and I probably did a little too much” – A novel excuse from Martin Kaymer to explain his disappointing recent form.

“This would be very special for me to add this one – call it a bucket-list tournament. Outside of the Major Championships, I can’t think of a tournament I’d like to win more than this one” – Justin Rose is putting a wee bit of pressure on himself to win this week.

The Defending Champion

Rory McIlroy stunned the field last year with a final round 66 to win by a single stroke from friend Shane Lowry.  Rory’s 14-under par total was particularly surprising not because of his standing in world golf, but because of his emotional standing after splitting from finance Caroline Wozniaki just days before the tournament.

McIlroy removed any doubts with his final round comeback win, in easily his best performance on the Wentworth West course.

The Contenders*

Rory McIlroy – Hasn’t finished outside the top ten in any Race to Dubai qualifying events this year.  Won last week with a devastating performance at Quail Hollow.  Oh, and he’s the defending champion – $4.00

Justin Rose – Enjoys a solid ranking in the Race to Dubai (currently 3rd) on the back of his tie for 2nd in the Masters.  Consistent ball striker who minimises mistakes and learns golf courses quicker than most.  Almost always in contention – $9.00

Martin Kaymer – 24th in Race to Dubai.  Two top fives in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic and Abu Dhabi HSBS Golf Championship on the European Tour this season.  A little shaky of late bit could come good –   $26.00

Jaime Donaldson – Only 49th in Race to Dubai but tied for 8th in his last start at The Players Championship.  The big Welshman could surprise – $26.00

Brooks Koepka – Koepka’s an interesting case.  Very few Americans split their schedule between the tours but a measure of his determination to improve his game sees him regularly compete in Europe to increase his exposure to new courses and conditions.  He’s 39th in Race to Dubai on the back of a win in the Turkish Airlines Open in November, which he then backed up with a win on American soil at the Waste Management Phoenix Open – $51.00

*Odds taken from Betstar

The Winner

It seems foolish to tip against Rory, but he hasn’t always played this course well and is due a week off from the winners circle.   We haven’t included him in our contenders but we like the look of Danny Willet and Brooks Koepka.

European Tour Golf: Open de España Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The European Tour is the often overlooked cousin of the lucrative PGA Tour.  However, the Tour still boasts some quality players and a lucrative race for honours of its own.  The Race to Dubai is the FedEx Cup equivalent, and although currently being led by world number one, Rory McIlroy, has a number of quality players with a realistic chance of taking it out.

This week’s tournament has a million Race to Dubai points on offer (like every tournament), with a handy 1,666,600 for the winner (seriously who came up with this point system).

Check out our preview of the Open de España.

The Course

The Real Club Golf el Prat is affectionately known as “El Prat”.  However, unlike the juvenile arragonace behind its nickname, the course is actually refreshing beautiful / honest.  El Prat is a Greg Norman design – his first in continental Europe – and brilliantly combines landscape with playability.  The course is open to the public throughout the year and is a favourite of travelling hackers.  Just check TripAdvisor for some of the reviews from the tourists that have stopped by the Real Club Golf el Prat course.  Of note, is the 470-yard par four 16th, which offers plenty of challenges to the players.  The length is the obvious one, but the green is also guarded by water on the right.  Expect most players to gladly accept four here and move on.

The course plays par 72.  7326 yards.  The greens are likely to pose the biggest threat to low scores.

The Sound Bites

“The greens are certainly the toughest part of this golf course. They’re very tricky, which adds to the importance of putting your approaches on the right part of the greens.” – Hometown hero Pablo Larrazábal spoke to European Tour reporters about the difficulty of the greens.

“I played a lot of great golf – I didn’t putt particularly great until Sunday, but even like that I still had a great chance of winning which is very positive.” – Sergio commenting on his Players Championship performance and his chances here.

The Defending Champion

Cigar puffing fan favourite Miguel Angel Jiménez took the honours last year, delivering the home fans a Spanish winner for the first time since 2010.  With the win Jiménez sealed his first national open win (at the 27th time of trying) and became the first player over 50 to win on the European Tour.  The win came the hard way, defeating Richard Green and Thomas Pieters in a play-off at the PGA Catalunya Resort.

He’s paying $41.00 to defend his title this week.

The Contenders*

Sergio Garcia – The best player in the field is also in some handy form after tying for second last week at Sawgrass.  Garcia was an excellent chance to win last week before Rickie Fowler forced a playoff and beat him and Kevin Kisner in four holes.  Garcia has won five times in Spain making him a great bet this week – $6.00

Victor Dubisson – Most people loved Dubisson’s story of dropping out of school at 12 years of age to become a golfing superstar.  However, the golfing stardom has eluded him in 2015.  After a missed cut at the Masters and failing to make it past the qualifications round in the matchplay it’s a wonder he’s even on this list.  But with a weakfish field we expect the Frenchman to Frenchman to be one of the contenders – $26.00.

Tommy Fleetwood – Currently sitting 11th in the Race to Dubai, and enters the tournament on the back of making the quarterfinals of the WGC Matchplay event in San Francisco recently.  Playing with Nicolas Colsaerts and Jiménez is also sure to motivate him – $26.00.

Richie Ramsay –  The Scotsman sits 26th in the Race to Dubai, but his recent form indicates he could move even higher.  Ramsay was a winner only weeks ago at the Trophee Hassan II in Morocco and looks attractive money at these odds – $31.00

Thorbjørn Olesen – Led last week’s AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open pretty much the whole tournament before losing in a playoff to George Coetzee.  Seems to be hitting the ball a lot better after a troublesome wrist injury – $34.00

*Open de España odds available at Sportsbet.

The Winner

Smart money is on Sergio.  For a little outsider flirt try Pablo Larrazábal ($29).