The final European Tour event on Asian soil until the latter part of the year takes place this week when the Volvo China Open is staged. The European swing begins next week and we are in major season so this is a good time for golf in this part of the world.
It was a good time for Alexander Bjork this time last year when he scooped this title and he will be looking to make a successful defence this week. He’s up against a competitive field, if one lacking some stellar names.
Recent Winners
2018 – Alexander Bjork
2017 – Alex Levy
2016 – Haotong Li
2015 – Ashun Wu
2014 – Alex Levy
2013 – Brett Rumford
2012 – Branden Grace
2011 – Nicolas Colsaerts
2010 – Y E Yang
2009 – Scott Strange
The Course
We are back at the Genzon Golf Club this week having played away from here since Alex Levy won the event in 2014. The course is a par 72 which measures just 7,145 yards but it has wide fairways and has been described in the lead up to the event as being very wet so while it isn’t always the case, we should probably expect the bombers to have a bit more of an advantage to usual.
The course is an exposed one and generally the statistics to keep an eye on are scrambling and GIRs. Generally this becomes a second shot golf course and that is likely to be the case even more with the soft conditions making the fairways wider. There are plenty of undulations on the track too so good touch is a real necessity to prevail around this course.
The Field
Chinese star Haotong Li heads the field this week. It isn’t a great field but you wouldn’t expect that with the next major only two weeks away. Last week’s winner Jorge Campillo will be looking for a second successive title having had to wait an age for his first one while Erik van Rooyen will be looking for his maiden title at this level.
Young bucks Jordan Smith and Julian Suri will be looking to add second titles to their CV this week while former winner Alex Levy goes in search of a third title. Defending champion Alexander Bjork is also here as are the likes of Ross Fisher, Scott Hend, Victor Dubuisson and Bernd Wiesberger who have all enjoyed plenty of success out in Asia.
Market Leaders
Haotong Li is the 12/1 favourite to win his home open for a second time. He is without doubt the class act in the field and will be motivated by playing in his own country in front of his legion of fans. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he walks off with the title this week. He has lost in a play-off here much earlier in his career so he knows the track well and looks a leading light. He is pretty tight in terms of price though which is a concern.
Julian Suri should be nicely suited to this course if it is as wet as it is being made out to be. His strengths lie with his length off the tee but he isn’t too bad into and on the greens either so it is no surprise that he is a 16/1 shot this week. I’d want to be on a more prolific winner if I was getting involved at this sort of price though I must admit.
Jorge Campillo is 18/1 to win the tournament this week and follow up his achievements of last week but having taken so long to finally get over the line you would think he will have expended a lot of emotional energy so at some point this week he is likely to be a little flat which is enough to put me off him. I do think the floodgates will open for the classy Spaniard now but perhaps not this week.
Jordan Smith is another who should be suited b conditions and at 20/1 he will be popular with many I’m sure. His strength lies in his power but you don’t have the run of decent finishes he has had this season without having the rest of the game in decent enough order. Erik Van Rooyen is the same price as Smith but until he wins a tournament he isn’t for me at these sorts of prices.
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Main Bets
Thomas Detry caught my eye in Morocco last week and that followed on nicely from some comments he made when Sky had him in their studio recently about how he was looking forward to the weeks to come. He actually singled this tournament out for special attention so we should be expecting a decent showing from him. The soft conditions should help him off the tee and then from there he is hitting a lot of greens at the present time. If he can get some putts to drop this could be his breakthrough week at this level.
Scott Hend won in Malaysia recently and he is going to encounter similar conditions here so he is entitled to be a decent runner this week. Hend has had a fair amount of success in Asia throughout his career and is generally comfortable in the humid conditions. His long game is very much his strength but one of the reasons why he is generally better in Asia is because he handles the grains of the greens better out there. Given that he has winning form in the last month he has to be considered a big price in not the best field.
Outsiders
Jason Scrivener ranks decent enough in some key statistics this week. He is one of the better par 5 players in the field and that could be significant, while he is pretty solid from tee to green in terms of accuracy too. That might be why he goes so well on the par 5s because he is rarely having to dig himself out of trouble. Australians tend to go well in Asia for whatever reason and given that Scrivener ticks the statistical boxes he is worth a go this week.
Scott Jamieson has three finishes in the top 11 in just eight starts this year so a three figure price on him is quite appealing. He has a good iron game and very good around the greens which tends to be a useful combination in conditions like these. He isn’t too shabby on the par 5s either which again is no bad thing. His record in Asia is more than respectable throughout his career so given his form this year I think he is another who is worth a go.
Tips
Back T.Detry to win Volvo China Open (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 29.00 with BetVictor (1/5 1-6)
Back him here:
Back S.Hend to win Volvo China Open (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 46.00 with Betfair (1/5 1-7)
Back him here:
Back J.Scrivener to win Volvo China Open (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 81.00 with Boylesports (1/5 1-8)
Back S.Jamieson to win Volvo China Open (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 101.00 with Boylesports (1/5 1-8)
Back them here:
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