The European Tour is back in the UK this week for the British Masters, an event which has really rejuvenated the British golfing scene again. After Ian Poulter and Luke Donald hosted the first two renewals since the return of this tournament, it is Lee Westwood who gets hosting duties this week.
It is to the credit of the European Tour veteran that he has assembled an amazingly strong field for this event which is headlined by Rory McIlroy. Alex Noren won at The Grove last year but defends on a different course.
Recent Winners
2016 – Alex Noren
2015 – Matthew Fitzpatrick
The Course
Westwood has chosen to host the tournament at Close House Golf Club just outside Newcastle. The course is a par 70 which measures just 6,906 yards, although with the rain around it may play a bit longer than that, but all of the 120 man field will believe they have the opportunity to win this week.
The Colt Course at the club is the one in use this week. There are treelined elements to it but the one thing that jumps out to me is the large greens which are pretty well protected by bunkers. This is in the north of England so the elements will come into play especially in the woodland areas. There is woodland, ruins and water on the course as well as exposed areas.
Westwood helped to design the course so it goes without saying that hitting fairways will be necessary this week. It looks a decent all-round test which should produce a good quality winner.
The Field
Rory McIlroy will get the headlines heading into the tournament but Westwood has also managed to secure his Ryder Cup teammate and Masters champion Sergio Garcia to tee it up too. Westwood himself is in the field as are top drawer players such as Graeme McDowell, Martin Kaymer, Chris Wood and Shane Lowry.
Both former winners of the reincarnated event are here so that is Matthew Fitzpatrick and Alex Noren. Ian Poulter and the 2018 Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn are also in the field.
Market Leaders
As you would expect Rory McIlroy is the favourite this week. He begins as an 8/1 favourite to land the tournament. You get the feeling he is just turning up to support Westwood and fulfil his five event obligation so while he could easily win this if he is on it you have to wonder just how on it he might be.
Sergio Garcia is 10/1 to win the tournament. Credit goes to him for turning up in this tournament given the tax issues he faces. That in itself might suggest he could do with a big week but after a hectic schedule in America and a real drop off in form since he won at Augusta he isn’t for me at this price even allowing for his good record when he comes back to Europe.
The defending champion Alex Noren is next in the betting at 16/1. He has only played once in the last six weeks so depending on your thought process he is either fresh or potentially rusty. He is one of the best players in Europe and actually this might not be the worst week to defend given that the host will get all the attention.
Former winner Matthew Fitzpatrick is next at 22/1 alongside Bernd Wiesberger. There is a genuine case to be made for both men with driving being of the utmost importance this week. Neither of them can be ruled out. The host Lee Westwood is a 28/1 poke along with Shane Lowry and it is 33/1 bar those named.
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Main Bets
I’m going with a couple of main bets this week. Both are excellent English drivers of the golf ball. Matthew Fitzpatrick won last time out so he should be feeling good about his game and I’m sure he will carry plenty of confidence having won this event in the past, albeit at a different course. He drives the ball really well and in Switzerland the rest of his game was working very well too. Coming from the north of England I’m sure he’s seen this track before and at 22/1 he looks a leading chance here.
There aren’t many better drivers of the golf ball than Chris Wood when he is on form and we know the rest of his game is not too bad either. Wood was in the top 10 on a not too dissimilar course to this in Holland recently and the way his game suits the wind and exposed conditions I really think if he gets the ball rolling on the greens that he’ll have a major say this week.
Outsiders
I’m also going to take three at the bigger prices where I’m hoping the wide landing spots off the tee will be to the advantage of these. All three have decent all-round games too so I’m hoping for runs from them.
Scott Hend was unlucky not to win in Switzerland recently but he could well make up for that here. He doesn’t need to let the driver go to get around here but if he wants to there isn’t much trouble awaiting him off the tee. The big greens should be to his liking too and this is very much like the tracks he will have played in Australia and indeed in Thailand which he has a good record in. I like the Aussie this week.
I was always going to take a home player this week and the form of Graeme Storm last week means I’ll go with him. He is sure to have plenty of support here and having come in a tie for third last week we know he is hitting the ball well. Storm can relax this week without the pressures of securing cards or any of that business so he can enjoy his home crowds on a course that should suit him nicely.
I’ll also take a chance that the length of Nino Bertasio could be significant here. Nobody was longer off the tee in Portugal last week and that power could leave him with a number of short irons into what are likely to be soft greens at this time of year and with rain bands blowing through over the course of the week. He hasn’t broken through like Manassero and Paratore have done but he’s not far away. If the driver cooperates and sets him up he could go very well.
Tips
Back M.Fitzpatrick to win British Masters (e/w) for a 1.5/10 stake at 21.00 with Paddy Power (1/5 1-7)
Back S.Hend to win British Masters (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 67.00 with Paddy Power (1/5 1-7)
Back them here:
Back C.Wood to win British Masters (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 41.00 with Coral (1/5 1-7)
Back him here:
PLACED – Back G.Storm to win British Masters (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 101.00 with Betfair (1/5 1-7)
Back him here:
Back N.Bertasio to win British Masters (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 151.00 with Betfred (1/4 1-6)
Back him here:
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