Favourite Watch
Sad to see how the Open De France has fallen to a lowly European Tour stop devoid of big stars after the high of the 2018 Ryder Cup, but that’s life, that’s golf and that’s business. Alex Noren, the 12/1 favourite, defends this week and is the only player to have top-10 finishes in his last three visits. Erik Van Rooyen and Joost Luiten are next at 18/1 with the bookies but this is a week where anything can happen and often does.
Doc’s Top–5 Each Way Bets
Matthew Southgate 45/1
Seems to miss the cut every second week at the moment so we should be good in Paris! Italy aside, Matthew showed good form at the Alfred Dunhill where he was T5 in fairways and T3 in greens hit on his way to a solo second. Paris National has a linksy tone so I expect the Southend man to contend again after a T5 last year.
Marcus Kinhult 28/1
The Swede was the surprise winner of the British Masters at Hillside in Southport this year and looks to be finding some form of late with top-20 finishes in Switzerland and Italy last week. Was in command here after three rounds last year, but a triple on four and double on 15 Sunday dropped him to a T5 finish. A year older and wiser now, Marcus will be looking for payback.
Jordan Smith 22/1
Traditionally, the winners in Paris are not necessarily the guys who putt the best, but the ones who hit the most greens in regulation. It is incredibly tricky. Nine to 10–under par is the average winning score since 2010 and that’s why I like Jordan Smith this week. T24 at Wentworth, T5 in Scotland and 24th in Italy last week were underpinned by excellent greens in regulation stats. A continuation of that form will reap rewards here.
Matthias Schwab 18/1
Three top-5 finishes in his last six starts and you cannot take your eye off Matthias Schwab. The most consistent player on Tour at the moment bounced back from a missed Sunday in Scotland to score another T4 in Italy last week. The Austrian is up to 31st in the Race To Dubai and if he keeps pumping in these incredible greens in regulation numbers, he’ll place again.
Juenghun Wang 70/1
After a God-awful season, Wang is finally seeing some light at the end of the tunnel. A T5 in Scotland and T10 in Italy and suddenly he’s making some real money. Odds are about right given his game is not best suited to this track but confidence is an amazing thing!
Long Odds Glory Shot
Soren Kjeldsen 85/1
Slipped from sixth to T25 on Sunday in Italy last week but lots of positives to be taken from it by the old warrior. This will be Soren’s 20th French Open, he’s only missed three cuts and if things turn into a slog (although the weather suggests otherwise), the wily Dane will thrive in it.
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