They are having a week off on the PGA Tour this week so the European Tour gets the sole focus of attention. That is fitting because the tour heads to one of the most picturesque stops in the year for the Omega European Masters.
This is one of the most popular stops for the players with the scenery overlooking the Swiss Alps and as such a very good field has been assembled for the event.
Recent Winners
2016 – Alex Noren
2015 – Danny Willett
2014 – David Lipsky
2013 – Thomas Bjorn
2012 – Richie Ramsay
2011 – Thomas Bjorn
2010 – Miguel Angel Jimenez
2009 – Alex Noren
2008 – Jeff Lucquin
2007 – Brett Rumford
The Course
The Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club is once again the venue this week. If you have never seen this course before you will be blown away by it even on the TV coverage. The Swiss Alps overlook the course and it really is a delightful sight.
The course itself is a par 70 which only measures 6,848 yards and with the course at altitude it doesn’t play as long as that so it is a low scoring course especially with two drivable par fours and two very reachable par fives. Water is in play on seven of the holes on the back nine.
Accuracy is important around here as is distance control at altitude. The greens are small and upturned saucer in shape so if you don’t find the middle of them a tough up and down will be faced. GIR and scrambling are key stats this week.
The Field
The defending champion Alex Noren returns to defend his title this week while the Abu Dhabi and France champion Tommy Fleetwood is also in the field. Brett Rumford, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Thomas Bjorn and Danny Willett are some of the former champions back in action looking to regain the title.
The winners of the last two weeks – Haydn Porteous and Julian Suri are in the field as are seasoned players such as Lee Westwood, Ross Fisher, Chris Wood and David Horsey. Matt Fitzpatrick, Tyrrell Hatton and Jordan Smith represent the younger brigade.
Market Leaders
Alex Noren is the 10/1 favourite to defend his title this week. The BMW PGA Championship winner has won here twice now and is looking for the hat trick but he has been quiet in the second half of the summer which is a concern. That said he is a GIR machine and one of the best scramblers going too so he should be right there.
Tommy Fleetwood is the 12/1 second favourite. He is probably the hottest property in Europe at the present time after two high profile wins this year. There is nothing wrong with his game right now although he hasn’t played since the USPGA. That isn’t a concern but it might not be ideal either.
Bernd Wiesberger is 25/1 to win in the Alps for the first time. His record here is not as good as it perhaps could be and like the two above him in the betting he hasn’t been seen since the USPGA. I’m not sure this test best suits his game so I am happy to overlook him.
Matt Fitzpatrick is a former runner up around this track. Usually I would really like him here but he has been quite down about his game in recent times so even at 28/1 I’m not convinced this is his week. Lee Westwood plays his 500th event on the European Tour this week and is 30/1 to crown it with a win. If he can find the greens he would have every chance. If he doesn’t you worry for his scrambling. It is 33/1 bar.
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Main Bets
I’m going with two main bets this week but with the inactivity of a lot of those at the head of the betting I’m taking a couple at decent prices as my main bets. They are accurate hitters who have the ability to scramble.
Luke Donald is over in Europe this week needing to go well because his starts on the PGA Tour could be limited in the future. This is his first start here but even though his form in America hasn’t been the greatest he still features on course where accuracy and scrambling are the order of the day. If he can have his distances right this week the comeback of the Englishman could easily begin here.
Benjamin Hebert is in the top 10 of the GIR stats on the European Tour and if he can fire into the greens regularly this week there is no reason why he can’t better his performance on a similarly tight track in Denmark where he finished sixth a couple of weeks ago. Hebert has shown form in big events this year with top 10s in Ireland and the Nordea and I fancy another big week here too.
Outsiders
I’m rolling the dice with four players at three figure prices this week. They are all either excellent ball strikers or good scramblers and have all shown form at various points in the year.
Matteo Manassero went well in the Czech Republic last week which was a bit of a surprise as I would have thought that course was too long for him so that bodes well. Back in his pomp he was third in this tournament so if the Italian is running into form he has all the credentials to go very strongly around here.
Wade Ormsby missed the cut last week but I’m not going to hold that against him. The two weeks prior to that he was in the top 10 in Fiji and in Denmark and on another tight track here he should be able to get back into the mix. Ormsby has one of the best tee to green games out there and if he can get the putter to cooperate he is a big price.
Pontus Widegren is another who has been enjoying himself in the last couple of starts with a third placed finish in Prague last week and top 25s in each of the two tournaments before that. Last week he was scrambling like a lunatic and the week before he was excellent from tee to green. If he can combine the two here the others might need to be careful of him.
Brett Rumford is a former winner around here and has already won in Perth this year. His overall record in this tournament is not too shabby and while his recent form is best described as awful at the 300/1 price that he is I’m going to take the chance that he is revived by a return to a course which holds good memories. Rumford has a good short game which could see him be significant this week.
Tips
Back L.Donald to win Omega European Masters (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 67.00 with Coral (1/5 1-7)
Back B.Hebert to win Omega European Masters (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 81.00 with Coral (1/5 1-7)
Back M.Manassero to win Omega European Masters (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 101.00 with Coral (1/5 1-7)
Back them here:
Back W.Ormsby to win Omega European Masters (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 151.00 with 888sport (1/4 1-6)
Back P.Widegren to win Omega European Masters (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 151.00 with 888sport (1/4 1-6)
Back them here:
Back B.Rumford to win Omega European Masters (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 301.00 with Skybet (1/4 1-6)
Back him here:
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