The first round of the Turkish Airlines Open takes place on Thursday with the 70 odd man field looking to get off to good starts and get themselves into a position for a big week. With this being a Rolex Series event there is plenty of cash on offer for the field so those who go well on Thursday will set up a strong payday.
Thursday Preview
As ever in the first round of one of these events there are two markets to focus on – the first round leader market and the three balls, all of which have been priced up for this opening 18 holes.
Looking at the first round leader first, it isn’t really a market that appeals to me too much. I say that for a few reasons. Firstly this is a small field so there is no split sessions or anything like that and given that the field is so condensed the tee times are spread over a small period of time.
That doesn’t allow us to separate the field down to a smaller number which is how I like to play the market. Another reason why I’m not keen on getting involved in it is that this is a low scoring course so the chances are we will get a bunch at the top and ties are highly likely so I would rather skip that market and focus on the three balls.
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Thursday 3 Balls
With the size of the field this week there are only 26 groups out on the course. They go off two tees but it is the first and the eleventh tees which start the field off this week. Each group has been priced up for the opening round so we have plenty to go at.
The headline group onto the golf course is the one featuring Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson. They go off at 9.05 GMT while Lee Westwood, Matthew Fitzpatrick and Thomas Pieters will carry a decent group around with them 20 minutes earlier. I like bets in two other groups though.
Ian Poulter/Martin Kaymer/Peter Uihlein
Match tees off at 08.35 GMT
One of the more attractive groups outside of the main two is the one featuring Ian Poulter, Martin Kaymer and Peter Uihlein. This is a high class trio of golfers who are taking to the course.
The European duo need no introduction and are capable of winning any tournament but I just wonder whether they are long enough to keep on giving themselves the chances that are needed to score low around this course.
Uihlein has the length to really get after the par 5s which is half the battle here and if the wind gets up we know he can handle that too from previous results he has produced on exposed or links courses. Uihlein is a dark horse for this tournament and I fancy he’ll have the beating of his playing partners.
Edoardo Molinari/David Lipsky/Jeunghun Wang
Match tees off at 09.20 GMT
Three men who have all fought hard to make it into these latter season events go out in the penultimate group off the eleventh tee when Edoardo Molinari goes out alongside David Lipsky and Jeunghun Wang.
Edoardo Molinari might have his work cut out here. I say that because he isn’t the longest off the tee and there is a real disadvantage for the shorter hitters. With that in mind I’m prepared to have this down to the other two players.
Both men went well around here last year but I like the look of Wang here. Lipsky has no form to speak of over the last three months or more with barely a cut made and when he has made a cut he has made little impression on the event. Wang has a couple of top 25 finishes recently and I sense he is finding the form which made him shoot to prominence last year. If that continues he can take this group down.
Tips
Back P.Uihlein to beat I.Poulter & M.Kaymer for a 3/10 stake at 2.75 with 888sport
Back him here:
WON – Back J.Wang to beat E.Molinari & D.Lipsky for a 3/10 stake at 2.50 with LeoVegas
Back him here:
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