We have four big weeks of golf ahead of us in Europe and it all begins with the first round of the Open de France on Thursday when a high class field gets out onto Le Golf National for the first time in competitive play this year.
The field will all be jostling for the early advantage on Thursday which gives us the opportunity to get on how they will all get on. We are expecting a dry day on a fiery golf course so the men and the boys should be suitably sorted out so to speak.
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First Round Leader
The first market to have a look at is the first round leader one. As ever when we assess this market we need to understand the format of the day’s play. In this tournament the field is split into two halves with players off the first and tenth tee so if there is a chance in the weather there will be an advantage for one side of the draw.
Looking at the weather and it is pretty similar throughout the day. The wind might be up a little bit more the longer the day goes on but it should be pretty much the same for everyone. With the field well-spaced out too there is no obvious part of the draw to attack so I’ll keep my first round powder dry until Ireland next week when there should be a much greater chance to take advantage.
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Thursday Betting
The field has been split up into three balls on Thursday with two marquee groups for the TV coverage with the pick of the morning section being the one containing Justin Thomas, Tommy Fleetwood and Alexander Levy. In the afternoon the crowds and the TV attention will be on the Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia and Alex Noren group which looks full of quality. There are a number of other decent groups out on the golf course on Thursday and we like bets in three of them.
Nico Geyger/Sebastien Gros/James Morrison
Match tees off at 07.30 BST
The morning group of Nico Geyger, Sebastien Gros and James Morrison might take a few of the galleries around with it given that it has an in form Frenchman in its midst and it is that man who I like the look of here.
Gros has put in a couple of significant efforts recently with his performance in the BMW PGA Championship and again last week and on home soil he will be extra motivated to perform well this week. He is clearly hitting the ball well which will serve him nicely in this tournament. You would think on a championship course like this that Geyger will be out of his depth a little while Morrison can be a bit too hit and miss for my liking. With all that in mind I’ll take Gros to win this three ball.
Martin Kaymer/Dylan Frittelli/Matt Wallace
Match tees off at 12.20 BST
One of the more appealing groups in the afternoon sees the former US Open and USPGA winner Martin Kaymer out with a couple of men who are winners on the European Tour in Dylan Frittelli and Matt Wallace.
The form of Kaymer is starting to return it must be said but I just wonder if this comes a little soon for him. This doesn’t strike me as a course for Frittelli so it is last week’s winner Wallace that I’m siding with here. His confidence will be sky high after that amazing final round last week and while I don’t like going to winners to win again the following week I do see no reason why the wave Wallace has been riding will suddenly stop. I think he’s the one to be with here.
Victor Perez/Mark Foster/Max Kieffer
Match tees off at 12.30 BST
Another afternoon group that I like the look of is the one shortly after the Wallace group when Victor Perez, Mark Foster and Max Kieffer head out onto the golf course for their first round.
Perez and Foster are capable of decent weeks now and again but I’m plumping for the more consistent Kieffer here. He should be nicely suited to this track as he doesn’t push the boat out off the tee but he finds a number of greens and is a fair enough putter. He doesn’t get in the mix too often but he doesn’t miss many cuts either and it may well be that a solid effort gets the job done here.
Tips
Back S.Gros to beat N.Geyger & J.Morrison for a 3/10 stake at 2.50 with 888sport
Back him here:
Back M.Wallace to beat M.Kaymer & D.Frittelli for a 3/10 stake at 2.75 with Coral
Back him here:
Back M.Kieffer to beat V.Perez & M.Foster for a 3/10 stake at 2.15 with LeoVegas
Back him here:
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