Kaymer backed to make home advantage count in BMW Open

As he bids for a ninth career European Tour success, Martin Kaymer will enjoy favouritism as he tees off at 6/1 in the BMW International Open on Thursday.

Kaymer will have home advantage in the tournament, which is staged at the Golf Club Gut Larchenhof in Cologne, Germany, and tees off in cohesion with the Travelers Championship back in America.

It will be the 24th renewal of the tournament, and Kaymer will be aiming to complete a second win at the course, and follow up his 2008 PGA Tour win in this competition.

Amongst his main competitors, Sergio Garcia is next in the betting at 12/1, and his position close to the forefront of the market comes after he lost a dramatic five-hole playoff to his Spanish compatriot Pablo Larrazabal last year.

Garcia has ten European Tour wins to his name, and with two of those coming in 2011, he is understandably high in the betting to claim a first Tour success of this year.

Meanwhile, the man who conquered him in that epic five-hole playoff will return to defend his crown in this year’s renewal, though is afforded a much lengthier 40/1 price for a repeat win.

Larrazabal’s success at this course was only his second on the European Tour, and as three years separated those victories, his distant price here is comprehensible.

Retief Goosen could be a better value punt at 25/1, with the South African’s consistent finding of the green likely to prove essential on a course where many putting surfaces are guarded by water hazards.

Goosen tied for tenth place at last week’s US Open, and will be hoping to build on that performance here.

Paul Lawrie could also prove popular with punters at 20/1, as he aims to continue a resurgence that has seen him rise to 29th in the Official World Golf Rankings.

The Scot is currently sixth place in the Race to Dubai.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.