Great Dane can set BMW International alight at lengthy odds
Published:
Henrik Stenson arrives at Golfclub Munchen Eichenried as Ladbrokes’ 7/1 favourite to win the European Tour’s BMW International Open.
As the highest ranked golfer in the field and a player who only last week was leading the US Open after the first round, it’s easy to see why the rangy Swede is preferred by the odds compilers to lift the trophy in Germany.
However, a slide down the leaderboard following his opening-day 65 means that Stenson, who ended up in a tie for 27th, may not actually be the form horse to follow this week.
Shane Lowry, who is afforded odds of 16/1 for the BMW, was the highest US Open finisher in the field, coming home tied for ninth, but again can be discounted when looking for a winner in Munich based on the jetlag and exhaustion he’ll likely suffer from so soon after flying in from Washington State.
Instead, siding with a player who wasn’t involved at Chambers Bay is the way to go, especially as Ernie Els, who won this tournament in 2013 after finishing 4th in the preceding week’s US Open, is the only man in the last five winners to transfer his game so seamlessly over the Atlantic.
Thomas Bjorn, a 33/1 shot with Ladbrokes, therefore gets our full backing, thanks to a stellar record at this particular course and pleasing recent form.
The Dane finished second to Els two years ago, when the tournament was last held at Munchen Eichenried and has registered seven top 25 finishes in his last 11 appearances at the competition.
All of the last three of those have been top 10s, while he claimed victory in the event back in 2002. That triumph was his second BMW success and Bjorn stands alone with Paul Azinger as one of only two men to win the title multiple times.
The world number 79’s recent form is pleasing enough too, with three top 25 finishes in his last five starts, including solo fourth at the Indonesian Masters and a share of 11th at the BMW PGA Championship two weeks ago.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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