Italian Open, European Tour 2016

Hi All,

Not the greatest of weeks, with top 20 finishes from both Bubba Watson in America and Pablo Larrazabal in Europe the best we could muster. I am quite confident about finding the winner with this week’s selections, as all have points to prove heading into the Ryder Cup; and with all showing great form at this Milan venue 12 months ago, it should be the stage for the cream to rise to the top. As always stay sensible with the staking plan, long term profit is our objective. This week’s article and selections below: 

Italian Open, European Tour – 10 pts Outlay 

At Golf Club Milano, 7,156 yards, par 71 – Thursday September 15th to Sunday September 18th 

Designed by James Peter Gannon and opened in 1928, Golf Club Milano sits next to the famous Monza racetrack. The course was later renovated by Silvio Grappasoni. There are three nine-hole courses onsite with this year’s tournament being played across the Red and Yellow courses.

This is the eighth time the Italian Open will be held on the course after its return last year following a 24-year absence. 

Defending champion Karlberg is joined by a star-studded field at Golf Club Milano, which includes 2016 Masters Tournament Champion Danny Willett and two of Darren Clarke’s wildcard picks for The Ryder Cup, which starts in just over two weeks, Martin Kaymer and Lee Westwood. 

The European Ryder Cup theme is continued with Matthew Fitzpatrick, Andy Sullivan and Chris Wood all making their final preparations for golf’s greatest team event, which tees off on Friday, September 30. 

Former Major champions Padraig Harrington and YE Yang and 2015 European Tour Rookie of the Year Byeong Hun An will also tee it up on Thursday. 

As well as Karlberg, eight more former winners of the Italian Open are in the field, including home favourite and former Ryder Cup player Francesco Molinari.

NAP – MARTIN KAYMER 14/1 (Coral) 2.5 pts EW 

It has been a good few months for Martin full of close calls and top 10 finishes, this good play has seen him successfully gain a pick from Darren Clarke to be a Ryder Cup wildcard; he will be keen to justify his inclusion. This year’s Italian Open is being played on the same course as last year’s playing, Golf Club Milano, where Martin Kaymer finished in runners up place having lost in a playoff, and his tied 6th finish in the Made in Denmark only a few weeks ago show that he is arriving this week in good form, and I struggle to see him not challenging strongly again for this title.

NB – DANNY WILLETT 20/1 (Bet365 & Ladbrokes) 2 pts EW 

Since winning this year’s Masters, good golf has been hard to come by for Danny, but were definite signs of his old self at the recent European Masters in Switzerland, where he managed a tied 12th finish, which included rounds of 64 and 65. With the Ryder Cup close on the horizon Danny Willett will be super keen to get things firmly going back in the right direction; and arriving back to the Milano club where he missed out on the playoff by just one shot last year, having shot all four rounds in the 60s could see him return back to the winner’s enclosure. 

IWAC – MATTHEW FITZPATRICK 22/1 (PaddyPower) 1.5 pt EW

With a 5 th place finish in the Czech Masters 3 weeks ago, and a great comeback from a poor opening round for a tied 7th place in the European Masters 2 weeks ago (65, 66, 64 to finish off), Matt appears to be coming out of a poor run of form, and again in a similar fashion to Danny Willett this has come at the right time with the Ryder Cup, and he will be keen to continue. Finishing on a score of 18 under par at this venue last year, Matthew Fitzpatrick looks set to go close once again here in Italy. 

NOTE: For the European Tour event, PaddyPower are offering top 7 places at 1/5 odds. All odds included in the above article are simply the highest odds available at the time of writing sourced via OddsChecker.com.

This Week’s Outlay – 12 pts 

Hope you have a good week, and good luck to all those following, 

Stu @PriestleyStuart 

sjpriestley_pga@btinternet.com 

Deutsche Bank Championship & Omega European Masters

Hi All,

Well… We nearly did it. Our NB selection Bradley Dredge held the lead heading into the final days play in Denmark, and despite a final round of 4 under par, this was only good enough for a solo 2^nd place finish. I was obviously a little disappointed with this, as it panned out exactly as I had imagined, but to me, unfortunately, it was clear to see the defensive nature Bradley approached the final 9 holes, in what was an effort to secure his playing rights, the polar opposite to eventual winner Thomas Pieters, who rightfully put everything on the line in an effort to get picked for the Ryder Cup.

We will keep knocking at the door, and the winners will come. On to this week, and the write up below inclusive of selections:

Deutsche Bank Championship, PGA Tour – 10 pts Outlay

at TPC Boston, 7,297 yards, par 71 – Friday September 2nd to Monday September 5th

In the New England countryside about midway between Boston and Rhode Island, the original 2002 Arnold Palmer Design creation stood just five years before Gil Hanse and consultant Brad Faxon were brought in for a thorough remodel. Fairways and greens were re-graded as Hanse/Faxon introduced “chocolate-drop” mounds and grass bunkers to give the course more of a regional feel. The Deutsche Bank Championship has been part of the Labour Day calendar since 2003, offering a traditional Monday finish to take advantage of the holiday.

While there figures to be a change at the top of the FedEx Cup table following The Barclays, Day has appeared close to regaining the form that made him dominant in the spring. 

Runner-up at the PGA Championship, the Aussie was lurking in the top 10 at the midpoint at Bethpage Black. Stenson, whose Claret Jug and Olympic silver medal made him perhaps the summer’s most consistent golfer, will warrant watching if he tees it up at TPC Boston. His WD at Bethpage Black came after an opening 74. Rory McIlroy, now down to No. 5 in the Official World Golf Ranking, hasn’t had a top-10 finish on U.S. soil since the Memorial Tournament in May. The FedEx Cup trimming down now moves to the top 70 in points for the BMW Championship.

NAP – HIDEKI MATSUYAMA 40/1 (Bet365, SkyBet & WilliamHill) 2.5 pts EW

Has some of the most impressive set of long game statistics I have ever seen assembled come this late stage of the golf season, and these must pay off sooner rather than later should he managed to get a few more putts to drop. Sitting in 4^th place on tour for strokes gained off the tee and also in 2^nd place for strokes gained with approaches to the green mean that Hideki Matsuyama, despite poor putting, is in 4^th place also for birdie average. A quite deadly combination of statistics there that should him going close again, with a top 5 finish in the year’s final major and also a 3^rd place at the recent Wyndham.

NB – JIM FURYK 45/1 (Bet365, BetFred & BoyleSports) 1.5 pts EW

With a delayed beginning to the season due to a long layoff with a wrist injury, Jim hasn’t wasted any time in getting back to the type of player he was before the injury. The type of golf being played at the moment by Jim Furyk has to be up there with some of the best being played currently, two top 10 finishes in his last three events, including the incredible round of 58 at the Travelers are a clear indication of just how well Jim is playing. Having missed the begging of the season, Jim is almost forced to have to perform well this week, should he wish to extend his season any further, as he is ranked outside the required top 70 for next week. With a 4^th place finish here at TPC Boston last year, Jim obviously has the required skill set to be competitive here again.

IWAC – BROOKS KEOPKA 45/1 (SkyBet, BetFred & StanJames) 1 pt EW

With 2 runners-up finishes, a third place and a further seven top 10 finishes to his name this season; all that is missing from the form book is that elusive win! There are good current signs for all to see recently too, with Brooks finishing inside the top 10 in two of his last three PGA Tour starts, including a 4^th place at the USPGA. Statistically, Brooks Keopka has the all round game, being right up there in off the tee, approaches to the green and putting statistics on tour.

Omega European Masters, European Tour – 10 pts Outlay

at Crans Sur Sierre Golf Club, 6,848 yards, par 70 – Thursday September 1st to Sunday September 4th

At almost 5,000ft above sea level, the stunning surroundings of the Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club in Switzerland provide some of the most majestic views for golfers and fans alike on the European Tour. The Omega European Masters will be staged for the 70th time at the stunning Alpine venue, and will remain host until 2022 after the existing deal with title sponsors Omega was extended by five years. Famous in the winter months for its ski fields, Crans-sur Sierre closes under several feet of snow, however, summer provides perfect playing conditions for some of the world’s best golfers, and when you add the snow-capped Swiss Alps as your backdrop, it makes for one incredible tournament.

After the memorable pictures of Himmerland Hill in Denmark last week, look out for the picturesque par three 13th hole, which also provides an amphitheater, not to mention a spectacular backdrop, for fans to watch the action unfold.

Headlined by Masters Champion and the man defending this week, Willett; the 28-year-old currently leads the Race to Dubai and is ranked 11th in the Official World Golf Ranking. Having secured two European Tour titles already in 2016, he will bid to become the first player since the late, great Seve Ballesteros in 1978, to retain the trophy and will be bidding for an Omega double after winning the Omega Dubai Desert Classic title in February.

The Englishman will be joined in Crans Montana by his compatriots Lee Westwood, who won the Omega European Masters in 1999, Chris Wood, the 2016 BMW PGA Championship winner, and Matt Fitzpatrick, who has registered another European Tour victory at the Nordea Masters since that runner-up finish here in 2015. 

Meanwhile, American Bryson DeChambeau will compete in the event for the first time. The 2015 US Amateur Champion has made an impressive start to his career, finishing a highly creditable fourth place at the RBC Heritage just weeks after turning professional. The 22-year-old shone again in June at the US Open Championship at Oakmont, where he finished tied 15th on a very demanding layout.

NAP – MATTHEW FITZPATRICK 20/1 (Coral, Ladbrokes & BetFred) 2.5 pts EW

Last year’s runner up, Matt arrives back here to a course he openly loves. His 16 under par total last year included rounds of 69, 65, 64 and a 66, showing great low scoring consistency around the Crans Sur Sierre course. With two top 10 finishes to his name already this month, I’d be surprised not to see Matt in contention once again. Also, with Matthew Fitzpatrick set to be a rookie at the upcoming Ryder Cup, he will keen to show his game is in good shape ready for the off.

NB – BERND WIESBERGER 30/1 (BetFred) 1.5 pts EW

With a number of solid finishes to his name at this event behind him, Bernd arrives here off the back of a good showing at the recent event at the Olympics. Being an Austrian himself, and this event being from Switzerland, the impact of the before mentioned altitude differences will not be as big of an adjustment as it will be for most this week, in terms of club selection and the extra distances the ball will travel.

IWAC – TOMMY FLEETWOOD 66/1 (Coral, BetFred & BoyleSports) 1 pt EW

Somewhat of a horse’s for courses selection here, which sometimes do pay dividends! However, there are signs of recent form too, to aid the chances. When doing the homework behind this week, at the odds available Tommy Fleetwood was the one name that leaped out to me. Three times inside the top 20 including 5^th and a 9^th place finishes at this event around the same course all within the last 4 years, show a clear liking towards the conditions and set up of this Crans Sur Sierre course. A top 20 finish also, at this year’s recent Czech Masters could point towards another more than respectable performance this week.

NOTE: As per usual, please do be careful and aware of who you are betting with for the golf, amazingly a lot of the higer profile companies change week by week on what place terms they offer. This week at The Deuche Bank Campionship StanJames are still offering 1/4 odds for places in the top 6. For the European Tour event, PaddyPower are offering top 7 places at 1/5 odds. All odds include in the above artivle are simply the highest odds available at the time of writing sourced via OddsChecker.com.

This Week’s Outlay – 20 pts

Thanks again to everyone for passing on your positive comments over my articles. Hope you have a nice week, and good luck to all those following,

Stu

@PriestleyStuart

sjpriestley_pga@btinternet.com