The European Tour is back this week and it heads out to the desert once again for the third staging of the Oman Open at this level. Desert golf is becoming an important part of the Tour and in time this event could become the pick of the six tournaments in this part of the world.
Kurt Kitayama certainly enjoyed it last year when he landed the title as a 200/1 outsider, as followers of this website will be aware as we backed him to do so. He has grown in stature since then so does not return to defend the title.
Recent Winners
2019 – Kurt Kitayama
2018 – Joost Luiten
The Course
The hidden gem that is the Championship course at Al Mouj Golf stages the tournament this week. It is a cracker of a course set alongside the Indian Ocean where water is in play on no fewer than 10 of the 18 holes. The track itself is a par 72 measuring 7,365 yards but we are in the part of the world where the air is a little drier so it is unlikely to play to a full yardage.
The fairways here are generous to say the least and the greens are quite large by modern standards. They are undulating though so there is a premium on approach shots being accurate. You need to putt well on these greens to get anything out of this tournament. The other thing to take note of is the wind. This course is right on the ocean so the breeze is always a part of the game, much like it is in Mauritius.
The Field
A week after a WGC event and two weeks before the big tournament on the PGA Tour, this was never going to be an elite field. There are one or two decent names in it and plenty of potential good stories to be had over the course of the week. In terms of major titles it is Martin Kaymer who heads up the field this week but it is actually the South African player Shaun Norris who is the leading ranked player on show.
This could be a big week for Thomas Pieters who is chasing a Ryder Cup spot while former winner Joost Luiten is also in the field. Improvers such as Thomas Detry, Adri Arnaus and Gavin Green also tee it up while the winner of the Vic Open, Min Woo Lee will be eyeing up a second European Tour success in quick succession. Haotong Li, Ross Fisher, George Coetzee and Pablo Larrazabal add a little bit more star quality to the event.
Market Leaders
Thomas Pieters is an 11/1 favourite to win this tournament and conditions should suit him here. He can drive it with freedom and go on the attack with his iron shots so this could come down to how hot his putter is over the course of the week. I like Pieters but he is one of those players I prefer to back as an outsider or an underdog rather than the favourite. He’s a little short for me even though I recognise the chance he has of winning.
Martin Kaymer is the 16/1 second favourite to win the tournament. He has been in decent form in much better events than this one in recent times so if that form comes with him here he should have every chance. If there is a question mark over Kaymer then it is that he hasn’t looked as strong as he once did when in contention. That might not matter in a weakened field this week, but it is enough of a concern to put me off.
Thomas Detry is still searching for a maiden European Tour success and he will start out this week as a 20/1 shot to finally land himself some silverware. He went well in Mauritius earlier in the season and in Saudi Arabia last time out but at 20/1 you’ll need him to win really to make any real dosh and given that he’s never done that at this level you’d be betting on trust more than reliability if you took him this week. That’s not for me.
Joost Luiten won here in 2018 and put up a decent enough defence of the title so there is something he seems to enjoy when teeing it up here. We know his tee to green game is always in good shape and he knows how to putt on these greens so at 22/1 he should be of interest. The price is just a little bit tight to me with a few improvers in the field but I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he wins this, especially if the winds stay moderate. It is 25/1 bar.
Main Bets
I’m going away from the market leaders this week with my first main bet coming in the form of a Victor Dubuisson who has decent form in this part of the world and who clearly likes playing golf in the desert. He made the WGC Matchplay final when it was at Tucson and his record in tournaments on the desert swing is generally encouraging. Dubuisson was in the final group in Saudi Arabia but couldn’t live with the pace but this is a much weaker field than that one and the course might actually suit him slightly better too. In this company off the spin in Saudi Arabia, Dubuisson looks overpriced at 50/1.
The other main bet is a Frenchman too in Matthieu Pavon. He has a top 10 around here in his Challenge Tour days and has been in wonderful form this season too. He finished in a tie for eleventh in both the Dubai Desert Classic and the Saudi International and they carried much stronger fields than this one does. His record on links like courses is encouraging as well. He has top 10s in Ireland and Scotland and was second in Mauritius last season. His long game is of a decent order and so if he can putt well here he should be a threat as well.
Outsiders
Louis de Jager was right in the hunt in Mauritius earlier in the season but didn’t get the job done however he hasn’t let that get to him because since then he has gone back onto the Sunshine Tour and offered up some very encouraging efforts and I get the feeling he is going to go in sooner rather than later. De Jager has a decent short game and there is no huge strain on his long game here with wide fairways and large greens. If that short game comes to the fore he could go very close.
Matthew Jordan has one of the best long games on the European Tour this season and that could be significant in an event devoid of many of the big names. His success or otherwise could come in the form of his putter. If that gets hot then he is certainly going to give himself a lot of chances with his short game. Being English, Jordan won’t be worried too much by the wind and he showed that in the Dunhill Links last year. He looks a big price.
Calum Hill was in the final group in Mauritius earlier in the season but fired himself out of contention very quickly on that occasion but at a three-figure price I can’t ignore another go on him here. He was one of the better players on the Challenge Tour last season and his results on the European Tour have not matched his play at times. He should be in play off the tee throughout this week so if his iron play and short game can light up then he shouldn’t be a million miles away here so long as he can hold himself together on Sunday.
Tips
Back V.Dubuisson to win Oman Open (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 51.00 with Betfair (1/5 1-7)
Back M.Pavon to win Oman Open (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 67.00 with Betfair (1/5 1-7)
Back them here:
Back L.de Jager to win Oman Open (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 101.00 with Betway (1/5 1-7)
Back him here:
Back M.Jordan to win Oman Open (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 126.00 with Betfred (1/5 1-6)
Back C.Hill to win Oman Open (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 126.00 with Coral (1/5 1-7)
Back him here:
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