The European Tour stages two events this week with the first one to begin coming from Australia where the Australian PGA Championship will be held. This is the third year that the event has been co-sanctioned with the European Tour and it is comfortably the best field that has been assembled in that time.
Harold Varner III came from America to steal the title last year and he is back for more on this occasion too but he faces a much stiffer task to hold onto his crown.
Recent Winners
2016 – Harold Varner III
2015 – Nathan Holman
2014 – Greg Chalmers
2013 – Adam Scott
The Course
The RACV Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast in Queensland is once again the venue for the tournament this week. We’ve seen in recent years that this is a lovely course but when the wind blows in off the sea it can be absolutely brutal too.
The track is a par 72 which measures 7,364 yards and it plays to that yardage too. Water is in play on this tight track and it is bunker laden too so accuracy as well as length are big things this week. You have to putt very well to win this as well as the four previous winners here have shown.
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The Field
We have current and major champions in the field this week. The Masters champion Sergio Garcia gives the field a real high profile feel to it while local stars Adam Scott, Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith provide the depth.
Varner III is here to defend the title while experienced local stars such as Brett Rumford, Rod Pampling and Greg Chalmers also tee it up mixed in with some European players who are looking to bank some early Race to Dubai points.
Market Leaders
Marc Leishman and Sergio Garcia share favouritism this week at 15/2. Leishman looks to have the skills that pay the bills around here. He is an excellent and accurate driver and the short game and putting is solid too. With the exception of the putter the same can be said of Garcia but at a skinny price he is easy to ignore having played the last three weeks and the jet setting he has done.
Adam Scott is half a point bigger than the main duo at 8/1. He is a former winner around here and if his putter is warm and cooperates you would think he is the one to beat. The decision is whether to take a single figure price in what is a competitive field. The price isn’t for me even though I rate him as the leading chance.
Cameron Smith is in the big time these days after partnering Jonas Blixt to win the Zurich Classic on the PGA Tour last season but he is still looking for his first major solo victory and even though he arrives here in good form he’s only 9/1 and that is very skinny on a bloke who hasn’t won on his own yet. He’s easily passed on despite his chances. It is 25/1 bar the main quartet.
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Main Bets
I’ll chuck my main darts at a couple of local players this week. Jason Scrivener won the NSW Open a couple of weeks ago and given the natural celebrations that will have followed a top 20 in the Australian Open last week was a solid effort to back that up. He should be coming here spot on and I think he has a great game for this course. He was under par and bang in contention two years ago but got blown away like the majority of the field in the third round. The wind isn’t expected to get out of hand this year though so his extra confidence should see him go close.
Brett Rumford is never one to ignore at this level in his homeland. He was fifth in this last year and cantered to the Perth International title earlier in 2017 and comes into the event off the back of a solid 12th placed finish in the Australian Open last week. Rumford is accurate off the tee, solid into the greens and putts well. That ticks every box here as does his price.
Outsiders
I’ll also chuck a few quid at a couple of moderately priced Australians as outsiders too. I wasn’t going to be interested in Andrew Dodt this week despite him coming second here last year but the rain that has hit the Brisbane area has changed by mind. That will have widened the fairways up for him nicely and we know he can play in foul conditions from when he led the Scottish Open in rough weather earlier in the year. His length should be an asset this week so at 66/1 he is worth taking now.
Michael Sim is in decent form having produced efforts of first and third in Australia over the last couple of months and he is another worth trying here in the hope that winning confidence carries him deep. He has tasted the high life in America and decided it isn’t for him but he could gain plenty more entries in Europe with a decent week here. He’s in good touch which makes the 90/1 on him look big.
Tips
Back J.Scrivener to win Australian PGA Championship (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 36.00 with Betfair (1/5 1-6)
Back him here:
Back B.Rumford to win Australian PGA Championship (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 41.00 with Coral (1/5 1-7)
Back him here:
Back A.Dodt to win Australian PGA Championship (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 61.00 with Boylesports (1/5 1-6)
Back him here:
Back M.Sim to win Australian PGA Championship (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 91.00 with Betfred (1/4 1-5)
Back him here:
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