After a thrilling first major of the year we are back to events on the European Tour this week as the first tournament of the year in mainland Europe takes place when the Sergio Garcia Foundation hosts the Open de Espana.
With Sergio Garcia’s name attached to the tournament and the event moving to an iconic course we have a pretty strong field on show considering it comes the week after The Masters so this should be a good week. James Morrison defends the title he won last year albeit on a different course to the one he won on.
Recent champions
2015 – James Morrison
2014 – Miguel Angel Jimenez
2013 – Raphael Jacquelin
2012 – Francesco Molinari
2011 – Thomas Aiken
2010 – Alvaro Quiros
2009 – Thomas Levet
2008 – Peter Lawrie
2007 – Charl Schwartzel
2006 – Niclas Fasth
Course
After watching a tournament at Augusta last week we get to see another on a similar test at Real Club Valderrama. This course has regularly been dubbed the ‘Augusta of Spain’ and all the talk is the place is in pristine condition.
Valderrama has hosted some of the biggest events in the game. It staged the Ryder Cup back in 1997 and held a WGC tournament for a couple of years and for a number of seasons it was the venue for the concluding event on the European Tour before the Race to Dubai came into operation.
The course is a par 71 but it only measures 6991 yards so by modern standards it is very short. It is treelined and tight with undulations, particularly on and around the greens so a straight tee to green game is essential as is the ability to putt and scramble. Length is no advantage.
Market leaders
Sergio Garcia is the 13/2 favourite to win the title this week but we’ve seen other players who have hosted tournaments in the past struggle to maintain focus so this might be a rare week to take him on in Spain.
Sergio’s fellow Spaniard Rafa Cabrera-Bello is in fine form at the minute and he is 14/1 to win the tournament with Soren Kjeldsen next at 16/1. Andy Sullivan is 20/1 to land the title here while Joost Luiten is 22/1 and Martin Kaymer is 25/1. It is 35/1 bar those named.
Main bets
For bets this week I’m looking at players who can get the job done from tee to green and who are above average putters. If they have the ability to scramble then so much the better. In this treelined setting comfort in the wind is another thing I’m looking for.
My first pick is Soren Kjeldsen. The Dane ticks absolutely every box. He is bang on it from tee to green, is putting really nicely as he showed on slick greens in Augusta last week and is inside the top 20 in scrambling on the European Tour. Statistically he almost has to go well.
Kjeldsen has a decent record around here too having won here in 1998 and finished second either side of that. In fact he has a stack of top 25 finishes on this course and by the fact he is playing probably the best golf of his career he has a stand out chance this week. You can argue whether he is value or not at 16/1 but sometimes value is just a luxury. I’m after the winner and I don’t think the Dane will be far away when the winning putt is sunk.
My other main bet this week comes in the form of a home hope. Alejandro Canizares has often shown form on tight tracks and he is another with a perfect profile for this golf course. Canizares is straight off the tee, hits plenty of greens and can get the ball in the hole when he’s on them.
He is ranked high on the scrambling statistic on the European Tour this year too and he will know every inch of this golf course so at 33/1 the Spaniard has plenty going for him this week. Canizares showed good form in the Desert Swing at the beginning of the year and can cap that with a good run here.
Outsider bets
I’m also going with a couple of outsiders who fit the profile that I’m looking for and are big enough prices to lure me in for a punt. I’m a big fan of these two players anyway so neither of these will come as a huge surprise.
Thomas Bjorn has a decent enough record here with six top 15 finishes in 13 outings around this golf course and that isn’t a surprise. Bjorn is pretty straight from tee to green and he’s one of Europe’s best putters when he’s on the dancefloor.
We know Bjorn is good in the wind and on a track which he isn’t going to be overpowered on I’m expecting the Great Dane to continue the good form he showed earlier in the year when he was just outside the top 10 in Abu Dhabi.
Another player who has shown a return to form in 2016 is Mikko Ilonen and he’s another who should go really well too. Ilonen is another player who is better than most in Europe when it comes to putting and he’s generally solid from tee to green so he has a great profile.
We know Ilonen can handle windy conditions. He has shown that on many occasions. Ilonen is in the top 30 in scrambling and the top 15 for putting and if he can keep the ball in play off the tee those are statistics which should see him comfortably outperform his odds this week.
Tips
PLACED – Back S.Kjeldsen to win Open de Espana (e/w) for a 1.5/10 stake at 17.00 with Ladbrokes (1/4 1-5)
Back him here:
Back A.Canizares to win Open de Espana (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 34.00 with Bet365 (1/4 1-5)
Back him here:
Back T.Bjorn to win Open de Espana for a 0.5/10 stake at 67.00 with Boylesports (1/4 1-5)
Back him here:
Back M.Ilonen to win Open de Espana for a 0.5/10 stake at 91.00 with Betfred (1/4 1-5)
Back him here:
