The other event to begin the European Tour season is the Alfred Dunhill Championship from South Africa. While a weak field has been assembled in Australia to kick off the campaign a much stronger one has descended on Malelane in South Africa for what should be a cracking tournament.
Recent Winners
2015 – Charl Schwartzel
2014 – Branden Grace
2013 – Charl Schwartzel
2012 – Charl Schwartzel
2011 – Garth Mulroy
2011 – Pablo Martin *The tournament was held twice in 2011
2010 – Pablo Martin
2009 – Richard Sterne
2008 – John Bickerton
2007 – Alvaro Quiros
The Course
The wonderfully picturesque Leopard Creek Country Club plays host once again this week. The course has some of the best wildlife you will see anywhere in the world on it although the hippo that used to reside on the 16th hole is sadly no more.
The course is a par 72 which plays to a yardage of 7,287 yards. You don’t need to be especially long to get around here but you do need to be accurate especially into what are essentially tricky greens to find in the right places. Having a good short game is no bad thing around here either but finding the greens in regulation appears to be the route to success.
The Field
Many of the leading players in South Africa are here this week including the defending champion Charl Schwartzel. Former winner Branden Grace is here too as are Richard Sterne, George Coetzee and the form man Brandon Stone. Thomas Aiken is another South African hoping to win on home soil this week.
The overseas charge is headed by Gregory Bourdy with Pablo Larrazabal, Eddie Pepperell, Scott Jamieson and Benjamin Hebert among those from outside South Africa looking to claim the first title of the season.
Market Leaders
With three wins in the last four outings it is no surprise to see Charl Schwartzel as the 7/2 favourite and while he seems to own this track he isn’t for me at that price and there has been nothing from Branden Grace recently to suggest he is worth rushing into at 13/2 either.
Gregory Bourdy is next at 22/1 which isn’t a bad price when factoring in his form in the tournament in the past. Richard Sterne is the same price as the Frenchman which could look a decent price if he shows the form he had a couple of months ago.
George Coetzee is another one at 22/1 and while he has shown something of a return to form in recent times I wouldn’t say he is value at this price especially when you consider Brandon Stone, who has shown good form on the Sunshine Tour recently, is 25/1. It is 35/1 bar those named.
Main Bets
I’m going with a couple of main bets this week. The first one is on Gregory Bourdy. Bourdy’s last two outings around this track have seen him finish third and second which is very encouraging as is the form he has shown coming into the week. In terms of finishes you would say three top 35 finishes is nothing special but against top level fields on courses that don’t suit they are better than they look.
Bourdy has a nice profile for this track. He is straight from tee to green and has a short game which is much improved from a few years ago. The main South African two might take a lot of beating but he can definitely be the one to do it.
I’m interested that Dylan Frittelli has chosen this event over the Australian one given that he only lost in a playoff in Queensland last year and I think that could be a sign he fancies this chances this week. He is another who hits a pretty straight ball and he also finds a significant number of greens. If the short stick is hot he’s entitled to be close on Sunday.
Outsiders
One of the best tee to green players on the Sunshine Tour has been Christiaan Bezuidenhout and that is enough for me to be tempted in at 70/1. The South African has been touted for a big future from the minute he turned professional and if that is to happen he is due for a big season. At the prices I think it is worth chancing that it begins here.
Mark Williams arrives here in good form and I’m willing to chance the Zimbabwean in this one. He won a tournament a couple of weeks ago and was fourth last week which was his seventh top 10 finish on the Tour this year which represents decent form. He is clearly striking the ball well so at 125/1 he’s worth a penny or two.
Tips
Back G.Bourdy to win Alfred Dunhill Championship (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 23.00 with Boylesports (1/4 1/5)
Back him here:
Back D.Frittelli to win Alfred Dunhill Championship (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 36.00 with Paddy Power (1/5 1-7)
Back him here:
Back C.Bezuidenhout to win Alfred Dunhill Championship (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 71.00 with Bet365 (1/4 1-5)
Back him here:
Back M.Williams to win Alfred Dunhill Championship (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 126.00 with Ladbrokes (1/4 1-5)
Back him here:
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