The European Tour launches the Rolex Series in style this week as the flagship event of the Tour takes place in London. That is the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth and with the added prize fund of all eight Rolex Series events a massive field packed with quality is guaranteed and has been delivered.
This tournament is steeped in history like few others on the European Tour and whoever wins this week will create their own slice of that history as well as pocket a few quid in the process.
Recent Winners
2016 – Chris Wood
2015 – Byeong-Hun An
2014 – Rory McIlroy
2013 – Matteo Manassero
2012 – Luke Donald
2011 – Luke Donald
2010 – Simon Khan
2009 – Paul Casey
2008 – Miguel Angel Jimenez
2007 – Anders Hansen
The Course
The West Course at Wentworth has gone through some pretty major changes in recent times. The greens have all been re-laid which was essential because the quality of them was poor while some bunkering has come out too which may make the scoring a little lower.
The usual characteristics remain in place though. To succeed around what is now a par 72 course stretching just over 7,300 yards you have to drive the ball well. The entire course is treelined and with the new sub-air systems under each green the putting surfaces are going to play firm so attacking them from the fairways is the way forward.
This should now be a really good test of a golfer’s all-round game which is exactly what the big players want. Scoring is likely to be lower this week but you will still have to work hard for a score.
The Field
This is the best field on the European Tour so far this year. The Olympics 1-2 Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson are here as are many Ryder Cup players and former champions so even though Rory McIlroy has been forced to pull out there is no lack of quality.
European Tour veteran stars such as Lee Westwood, Luke Donald, Ian Poulter and Padraig Harrington all add star quality to the field as do the younger brigade of Thomas Pieters, Bernd Wiesberger, Matthew Fitzpatrick and Tyrrell Hatton.
Market Leaders
Justin Rose is the favourite to taste victory on home soil this week. He is 12/1 to win the tournament and if the Rose who competed in The Masters turns up here that could be a big price. If the one who finished The Players with an 80 shows up he won’t be troubling the scorers. This is a strong field so the price puts me off.
The man Rose beat to win Olympic gold, Henrik Stenson, is a couple of points bigger to win Europe’s biggest event. At 14/1 with his recent form not the best he looks plenty short enough it has to be said.
Francesco Molinari has been enjoying life on the PGA Tour this year and he has an excellent record around here but it is also plenty short enough at 20/1 especially in a field of this quality. Alex Noren is two points bigger and would be a more attractive proposition. Byeong-Hun An is 25/1 to regain the title with Bernd Wiesberger, Tyrrell Hatton and Thomas Pieters also that price. It is 33/1 bar.
[the_ad_group id=”3624″]
Main Bets
I’m going with a couple of main bets this week with the emphasis very much on straight hitting and a good quality short game. With the firm conditions I’m not worried about massive length.
It could be argued that the best player on the European Tour this year is Tommy Fleetwood and at 33/1 he looks to have a massive chance this week. Fleetwood is a very solid striker of the ball ranking 13th in accuracy this season and second in greens hit. He has worked hard on his short game this year and is putting well as evidenced by his run in Mexico earlier in the year. If it all clicks again this week he’s a massive price.
Luke Donald has won around here on no fewer than two occasions and he has four other top 10s. His form might not have been the best for a while but we saw at Harbour Town that he is still capable of competing with the very best and with conditions the way they are this week I expect him to be in the mix. He isn’t wayward off the tee and finds a decent number of greens. With his putting ability and short game a decent score should be guaranteed.
Outsiders
Fabrizio Zanotti has already won on the European Tour and he was in the top 10 here last year. Neither of those statements are a surprise because Zanotti is one of the straightest hitters on the tour. He has previous in England after finishing as a runner up in the British Masters at Woburn in 2015 and this course isn’t too dissimilar to that one. The firm conditions make up for any lack of length so Zanotti is a big runner this week.
Thomas Aiken is another player who is ideally suited to this course and his results here highlight that. He has three top 10s and on this firmer set up I’m expecting him to have an even bigger chance. The South African is one of the best ball strikers on the Tour and if the new greens suit his putting he won’t be far away.
Marcus Fraser was fifth in Sicily last weekend in his first tournament for a while and I expect him to come on for that run. He was another who contended when the British Masters was held at Woburn in 2015 and there are definitely similarities with that course and this one. Fraser is solid off the tee and a decent enough putter which are trends that will go well here and at a crazy price he’s worth a punt.
Tips
Back T.Fleetwood to win BMW PGA Championship (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 34.00 with Coral (1/5 1-7)
Back him here:
Back L.Donald to win BMW PGA Championship (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 56.00 with Betfred (1/4 1-6)
Back T.Aiken to win BMW PGA Championship (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 101.00 with Betfred (1/4 1-6)
Back them here:
Back F.Zanotti to win BMW PGA Championship (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 81.00 with Boylesports (1/5 1-7)
Back him here:
Back M.Fraser to win BMW PGA Championship (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 201.00 with Paddy Power (1/5 1-7)
Back him here:
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2017
