After the thrills and spills of The Open it is back to European Tour action this week with the attention heading to the Swiss Alps for the Omega European Masters. This is one of the best settings the tour visits all year and with a new slot in the calendar having previously been held in September, the tournament has a wonderful field this week too, a field it truly deserves.
The tournament is the only one on European soil which is co-sanctioned between the Asian Tour and the European Tour and with that sanction in place a number of Asians are in the field this week. Indeed an Asian Tour start defends the title this week in the form of David Lipsky who edged out Graeme Storm in a playoff last year.
Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club in Crans Montana is the venue again this week. The course plays to a par of 70 and measures 6,848 yards. The backdrop of the Swiss Alps is often in the background and with the course up in the mountains the altitude ensures the ball goes further so you don’t have to be a long hitter. You do need to be fairly accurate though.
The course is very narrow and treelined in most places and there are six holes with water in play so you need control of your golf ball and although the rough isn’t major here the course is likely to be firm at this time of year so going into the small greens will be easier from the fairway. The greens have significant run off areas so a good short game is essential.
With the tournament coming just after The Open a number of high level players have made the short trip to compete in this tournament with one of those being Sergio Garcia. He returns to the scene of a former win for the first time since 2006 and he is the 8/1 favourite this week. With form figures of 19-3-1-4 around here you can see why.
Danny Willett is another who arrives off the back of a good Open and he is 16/1 alongside the Open de France champion Bernd Wiesberger. The latter looks to have a great game for here but the price isn’t too appealing. Patrick Reed makes an appearance this week and is 22/1 alongside Tommy Fleetwood with Europe’s Ryder Cup stars Jamie Donaldson and Lee Westwood both 25/1. It is 28/1 bar.
I’m going with two main picks this week. I really feel of all the European courses this one sets up well for Asian players and there are a couple of Asians I’m taking in this tournament.
When a good short game and iron play is needed I find it hard to ignore Thongchai Jaidee and at 30/1 he looks a good bet this week. There aren’t many better at this level with an iron in their hand so if he keeps it relatively in play off the tee he should prosper. He has a couple of top 10s in this tournament in the past and four top 11s in his last seven outings – two of the other three can be written off a touch as they were on links courses which requires a different gameplan to this event.
Jaidee should’ve won in Thailand earlier in the year and was as close as anyone to An in the BMW PGA Championship on a similar treelined course to this one albeit probably a bit too long for Jaidee. This one isn’t too long for him and with his putting in great shape with those four top 11s seeing him in the top 11 in putts per GIR each week, if he finds the greens here, and I think he will, he is all set to go well.
The other Asian I like this week is Anirban Lahiri. Anyone who has read my pieces elsewhere in the past will know I’m a big fan of Lahiri and his game looks to set up to this course really well. I often think if you go well in Malaysia you’ll go well here and as luck would have it he won there earlier in the year. He also won in India on a treelined layout with small greens just like this one so the course will suit him.
In terms of bare numbers Lahiri has disappointed recently but he’s been flying all over the world competing at times. He’s now settled into a European swing if you like and is improving week on week. He went well at St Andrews last week before he was one to succumb to the last six holes on Monday. Bigger names than he did that so let’s not hold that against him. With his short game and his solid tee to green game and the confidence of a top 15 here last year, I fancy Lahiri to outperform his 80/1 price.
Back T.Jaidee to win Omega European Masters (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 31.00 with Betfred (1/4 1-5)
Back A.Lahiri to win Omega European Masters (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 81.00 with Ladbrokes (1/4 1-5)
