The first round of the Open de France takes place at le Golf National on Thursday with the high class field all looking to get themselves into a position whereby they can launch a title bid over the weekend.
As ever in these big tournaments we have the first round leader market and just about every group that tees off priced up so there is plenty to go at in the opening round on Thursday.
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First Round Leader
Usually I can’t resist a dabble in this market but I’m going to resist on this occasion because of the weather forecast. Often I would look at players who don’t need to play in the wind in which case I would be looking at morning players but while it is going to be windy in the afternoon the forecast is also for rain too which will soften up the course and potentially make it easier to score on.
The problem with that is if the rain doesn’t come or comes at a different time then all those plans are out of the window. I’ve got enough players backed in various tournament bets so I’ll refrain from trusting a forecast.
Thursday 3 balls
I will however get involved in a couple of three balls which are a lot easier to get stuck into. As ever I look to find groups where we can turn a 3-way group into a two man one by eliminating one of the players through form, lack of course fit or another reason. I’ve found two such groups.
Paul Dunne/Simon Dyson/Johan Carlsson
Match tees off at 11.30 BST
The first group I like is the one between Paul Dunne, Simon Dyson and Johan Carlsson where we can eliminate Dyson pretty quickly. He has only made one of his last six cuts and in that time his lowest opening round was a level par 71.
With that in mind I have this between Dunne and Carlsson. Dunne missed the cut on his only appearance here shooting rounds of 77 and 78 and he hasn’t done a lot since winning the Trophee Hassan II.
Carlsson has broken 70 in three of his last five tournaments with rounds of six under at Wentworth, five under in Austria and four under in Sicily. He hasn’t lasted the pace in those events but it shows he is getting out of the traps well. He shot 71 to begin here last year and a repeat of that could well win this group.
Danny Willett/Hideto Tanihara/Thongchai Jaidee
Match tees off at 12.20 BST
This is another group which I believe we can whittle down from three to two because the form of Danny Willett is little short of a shambles and his fitness is open to debate right now as well. Therefore this is between Thongchai Jaidee and Hideto Tanihara in my eyes.
This is Tanihara’s first outing in this tournament and I’m a firm believer that you need to have some experience around this track to tame it which is why I like Jaidee. He’s been here plenty of times and has been in the top 10 for the last three years.
In that time he has registered opening rounds of 67, 70 and 70. He also has first digs of 66 and 65 around this track and has never shot worse than 72 in the first round. That sort of form should see him triumph in this group.
Tips
Back J.Carlsson to beat P.Dunne & S.Dyson for a 4/10 stake at 2.70 with Boylesports
Back him here:
DEAD HEAT – Back T.Jaidee to beat H.Tanihara & D.Willett for a 4/10 stake at 2.50 with Betfred
Back him here:
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