One of the best things about the season ending DP World Tour Championship on the European Tour is how the entire field go out in twos for the whole tournament and that often leads us to some tasty bets in each round.
The opening pair of Alejandro Canizares and Stephen Gallacher go off at 3.40am UK time on Thursday with the final two of Rory McIlroy and Danny Willett out at 8am. There are plenty of pairings in between so a good first day is in store for us.
McIlroy and Willett will get most of the attention on day one but there are some other eye catching pairings who deserve coverage and good galleries in their own right.
Shane Lowry and Justin Rose are out immediately before McIlroy and Willett while Henrik Stenson and Patrick Reed form another intriguing two ball. Branden Grace and Louis Oosthuizen could light the course up and are used to playing together. Much earlier in the day Martin Kaymer and Andy Sullivan should be a good group.
Quite early out in the first round are Scott Hend and Richie Ramsay and on this course I’ve a feeling that could be a mismatch. Apart from a couple of weeks at the end of July and beginning of August Ramsay’s form has disappeared since June.
Ramsay has only broken 70 all season once in the first round and while that was in China last week his 68 was probably still only just below par on a sodden golf course which was begging to be scored on.
Hend should enjoy conditions here. He is a naturally long hitter off the tee and the rest of his game is in decent order. Six of his last eight first rounds have been under 70 and the two that weren’t – at Woburn and in the Dunhill Links can both be excused. Given Hend’s length he is better suited to this place and recent form suggests we should expect him to outscore his Scottish playing partner here.
Much later in the morning Lucas Bjerregaard and Luke Donald go out together and that is a pairing I’m interested in the Dane in.
Donald has enjoyed a fair bit of success around this golf course in the past with four top 10s in six outings but his first round totals have been 73, 74, 72, 65, 73 and 76 so he’s only broken par once in those six starts. A lack of length might well be the reason for that and he hasn’t got any longer since then so I’m expecting the Englishman to struggle again.
Bjerregaard has reached the season finale for the first time but he arrives there in wonderful nick and in two of his last three tournaments he has finished in the top five and pinged the lids on both occasions. He has shot 66 in both Hong Kong and in China last week and his length off the tee should give him a significant advantage over the previously slow starting Donald.
Back S.Hend to beat R.Ramsay for a 4/10 stake at 2.00 with Boylesports
Back L.Bjerregaard to beat L.Donald for a 4/10 stake at 2.10 with Betfred
Blog golf YTD: +171.96pts
