With only one men’s golf tournament this week on the main tours we’ve got the chance to have a go at the side markets in the KLM Open ahead of it starting on Thursday.
Most nationalities and continents have their own individual markets this week and there are the usual top finish markets so we’ve plenty to have a go at.
I’ll target an individual nation market first in the form of the Top Frenchman market. Gregory Bourdy is the favourite in this and that is understandable given how many fairways and greens he hits and if his putter plays ball he should enjoy a good week but he has a tendency to throw in some shocking performances out of nowhere at times and so I’m put off him at a short price due to that.
Gregory Havret is another who has shown an excellent tee to green game this season but the fact he has rarely been in contention highlights he has an issue on the greens so I’m not backing him at a short price. Gary Stal doesn’t seem to be in the form he was in when he won in Abu Dhabi while I can never get a grasp on Romain Wattel so I’ll swerve those.
The man I like in this market is Raphael Jacquelin. Jacquelin went very well in the Scottish Open earlier in the year which shows he is competent in the wind and he’s also had decent runs in the BMW PGA Championship in the past too. Courses where length isn’t an issue is where Jacquelin produces his best so I expect him to go well here and if the putter cooperates he can lead the French charge.
There are plenty of Scandinavians in the field this week which gives us a good Top Scandinavian Player market to have a go at so it would be rude not to take a look at it. Kristoffer Broberg and Soren Kjeldsen lead the way here. Both have shown their aptitude in the wind in recent weeks not least in the Made in Denmark but at 5/1 both are a little short in what is one of the stronger markets around this week.
Rikard Karlberg is putting up good numbers these days so I wouldn’t put anyone off him while Thomas Bjorn tends to go well on these courses which is no surprise with the wedge game and short game he possesses. I wouldn’t put anyone off him either. Thorbjorn Olesen has shown the good and the bad side of his game in recent weeks so you’d need to be a psychic to know which Olesen will show up.
I’ve backed Robert Karlsson a couple of times recently and I still sense there’s a big week in him at some point. It might be here. Mikko Ilonen tends to go well on courses like this but where his form has gone nobody knows so he’s easily moved on whereas Pelle Edberg is better on bombers tracks. Peter Hanson is a player I’ve got my eye on in the weeks to come but I’ll swerve him this week in search of a bigger price.
That price comes in the form of Mikael Lundberg. I took Lundberg in Morocco earlier in the year when he ran into a tie for third and I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to have another go with him. Tee to green he isn’t fantastic but this isn’t a demanding track in that respect in terms of length and that’s good because Lundberg isn’t long but I expect him to find the short grass and when he’s on the greens he’s very good.
Lundberg won the Lyoness Open last year so we know he can go well on these tight tracks where the wind is in play although being Scandinavian being efficient in the wind is a given. He might have the edge on a few of these on the greens and at 33/1 he could be hugely overpriced.
Finally I’ll hit the Top 10 finish market. Usually this isn’t a market I’d go near. I would normally risk an outright punt on someone but given that only one bookie is offering six places I’ll take the extra places here on a man who looks well set to go well.
That man is Alejandro Canizares. Canizares’ profile fits this course perfectly. If we look at the similar courses then he has a wonderful Wentworth record which is no surprise because he is solid from tee to green and when he’s on the greens he putts well.
We’ve seen in Qatar and places like that he can handle playing in the wind and Spaniards do have a fondness for this course for some reason. At 7/1 he’s a big price to deliver a good week and make the top 10.
Back R.Jacquelin Top Frenchman for a 2/10 stake at 6.50 with Coral
Back M.Lundberg Top Scandinavian (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 34.00 with Paddy Power (1/4 1-4)
Back A.Canizares Top 10 Finish for a 2/10 stake at 8.00 with Skybet
