It is that one week of the European Tour season where stroke play is ditched for the purer format of match play as the Paul Lawrie Matchplay takes place for the third time. It is an illustrious week for the tournament this time around as it leaves Scotland for the first time and heads to Germany.
Anthony Wall was the winner of the competition last season and he has qualified for this staging too as he bids to defend the title.
Recent Winners
2016 – Anthony Wall
2015 – Kiradech Aphibarnrat
The Format
Unlike some of the match play events this one has not pandered to the growing trend of group stages to begin with. We are straight 18 hole knockouts right off the bat with sudden death holes as required. The draw has already been determined and will be played out in a straight knockout over four days with two rounds on Saturday and Sunday.
The Course
It is a familiar venue for the European Tour this week if not the Paul Lawrie Matchplay as we are back to the Beckenbauer Golf Course at the Quellness Golf Resort in Bad Griesbach. The course is a par 71 which measures 7,188 yards so it isn’t the longest used but it will play a full yardage as there has been a lot of rain in the area recently.
The nature of the course is largely irrelevant this week given that it is man on man instead of every man for themselves but there is water in play on a number of the holes although the recent rain will make the course play wider which should suit longer hitters.
The Field
After back-to-back weeks of heavy duty tournaments it is understandable that the field this week is not the strongest that has ever been assembled. It may also be that the potential of going all the way to Germany for 18 holes and coming back again didn’t sit well with many.
That said we have some players who have been appearing on leaderboards recently in the event with the likes of Matthew Southgate, Richie Ramsay, Richard Bland, Thomas Detry and Anthony Wall all teeing it up.
Market Leaders
Richie Ramsay goes into the event as the favourite to lift the title but a sign of how open this tournament is can be found in the fact that he is an big as 20/1 to claim the trophy at the end of the week. I’m not sure I would want to be backing anyone that short this week.
Nicolas Colsaerts is the second favourite at 25/1 along with Matthew Southgate, Richard Bland and Jamie Donaldson. I wonder how much of the Belgian’s price comes from his reputation from that Ryder Cup he played in Medinah where he was on fire. The latter three all offer intrigue.
Adrian Otaegui and Paul Dunne come next in the betting at 28/1 but with neither having too much in the way of match play experience taking them would be on trust rather than anything substantial. It is 30/1 bar those named.
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Betting
I’m not going to separate my bets into main bets and outsiders this week because I’m largely hitting the middle of the market. Those who have followed me in these match play events before will know I like to take one from each quarter especially with bookmakers paying out to the semi-finals.
In the first quarter I will go with Haydn Porteous. He was a quarter finalist in this tournament last year which shows he has the credentials in this format and as one of the longer hitters on the Tour he has the length to tame the course. His recent form hasn’t been great but I’m not one who strives for stroke play form when it comes to this format so at 55/1 I think the South African is worth a bet in a wide open section.
I wanted Mikko Ilonen to be in a nice part of the draw and he is so he is my second bet. The Finn is a former Volvo Matchplay champion and his putting ability stands him out from many on the Tour. At his best he is an excellent iron player too which makes him perfect for this format. There have been signs Ilonen is coming back to form having finished in the top 10 last time out and opened with a 65 in Scotland the time before that. This format should bring out the best in him so he is well worth a bet.
In the third section I can’t ignore the proven quality of Robert Karlsson even if he is not as good now as he once was. It is only two years ago he was a beaten finalist in this tournament though and it is less than a year ago that he finished third in a stroke play event around here. If the two things come together to launch a bit of confidence the Swede has the knowhow to get it done over 18 holes and is worth following.
Finally although the form of last year’s third placed finisher James Morrison could be better in an ideal world I make him one of the better players in the field and if the man over man combat can bring out his best form, as we’ve seen happen to other struggling players in the past, then he could be a very big price. He showed last season that he enjoys the format and having finished just outside the top 10 here two years ago the course is no issue so he should go well again here.
Tips
Back H.Porteous to win Paul Lawrie Matchplay (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 67.00 with 888sport (1/4 1-4)
Back him here:
Back M.Ilonen to win Paul Lawrie Matchplay (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 51.00 with Betbright (1/4 1-4)
Back him here:
Back R.Karlsson to win Paul Lawrie Matchplay (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 51.00 with LeoVegas (1/4 1-4)
Back him here:
Back J.Morrison to win Paul Lawrie Matchplay (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 56.00 with Bet365 (1/4 1-4)
Back him here:
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