Open de Espana: 3 horses for courses in the top player markets
Published:
The European Tour lives up to its rather suspect name this week with a return to continental shores and there is no doubting who the star attraction is at the Open de Espana in Barcelona.
Fresh from a nail-biting and ultimately unrewarding play-off loss to Rickie Fowler at The Players Championship, world number seven Sergio Garcia is back on home soil at Real Club de Golf El Prat.
Clearly in great touch, the Spaniard is the 5/1 favourite to add to his 2002 triumph, but we’re taking a slightly different approach to profit generation away from the minefield of guessing the Open de Espana victor.
Here are three men fancied in their respective Top Player Markets, which if successful would pay out at whopping odds of about 83/1, thanks largely to the Danish slice of this wager.
Top Frenchman: Romain Wattel @ 11/4
Given the transient nature of the Open de Espana, like all three of our selections Wattel performed admirably when the tournament was last staged at this course in 2011 – while many of the field weren’t even present for the prior edition to that at Real Club de Golf El Prat in 1999.
Wattel tied for fifth four years ago, along with 11/1 shot Gregory Havret, in what was a very strong showing from the French contingent in general.
However, the former’s current form is hotter, with three top 10s in his last five outings which include a runner-up spot at the Trophee Hassan II.
Top South African: Thomas Aiken @ 5/4
Unsurprising to see the champion from 2011 out in front in this market, but there really isn’t much to dissuade punters from this bet.
The three-time European Tour winner arrives in Spain following his best performance of the season where he finished fourth at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open.
Top Scandinavian: Anders Hansen @ 9/1
Given the favourite in this category, Thorbjorn Olesen, shot an opening round 83 at this course in 2011, before withdrawing, this price already looks chunky.
Hansen was runner-up to Aiken the same year, carding a pair of 69s and crucially his putter is doing the business right now, which indicate the famed glass greens will be easier for him to negotiate.
The Dane ranks 17th of 214 in average putts per round on the European Tour this season and has made 6/6 cuts, with an average finish of 33rd.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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