I wasn’t planning a second trip to Spain this summer but with Brooks and Bubba flying home the past two weeks, I might just have to. Can the oracle make it a hat-trick in France?
Favourite Discussion
A visiting Justin Thomas heads the betting at around 10/1 for this year’s Open de France as he does his Ryder Cup recon of Le Golf National. In the win-only market, Rafa Cabrera Bello looks the best value of the favourites at 20/1. The Spaniard didn’t play last year but scored top-5’s in Paris in 2015 and 2016 and has two top-10s (Wentworth and Italy) in his last three starts. It’s a high quality field mind and as always the value lies each-way.
Doc’s Top-5 Each Way Bets
Andy Sullivan 28/1
Consistently high on the leaderboard for the last three years here is Andy Sullivan. Could have finished better than T13 in 2017 if not for a final round of 74 but also has a T5 and T6 on this track which suggests he knows how to handle it. Current form of four top-10 finishes from his last five starts including a T9 in Germany last week says to me that Andy will be there or thereabouts in Paris.
Alex Noren 20/1
You just have to love Alex Noren’s chances of a massive win in one of these Rolex Series events or even The Open over the next month. Top-25’s at The Players and the US Open and a T3 at the Tour’s flagship event at Wentworth indicate he’s poised to strike. T10 here last year and solo 8th in 2016; keep an eye on Alex over the next month.
Thorbjorn Olesen 25/1
I really don’t like tipping Thor pre-tournament ever because he’s not one of these super consistent week in, week out guys. Instead he’s a mercurial talent who blazes in and out of glory. Like winning in Italy or shooting 61 in the final round in Germany last week to finish T2. Having said that, he’s a supreme ball-striker full of confidence coming back to a course where he has a T2 from 2011 and T3 from 2017 so why not!
Graeme McDowell 66/1
The back to back champion from 2013 and 2014 is sure to have happy memories come flooding back at Le Golf National this week and with the Ryder Cup on the horizon he will be grinding hard out there as a hero of matches past. (yes, I know he’s a Vice Captain but sure who isn’t!) The bookies have him at 66’s after missing cuts at The Travelers and the US Open but I saw enough at Wentworth and in Italy where he closed with a 64 (and even a good second round at Shinnecock) to conclude that GMac has found his game again and could be a force this week and next.
Russell Knox 50/1
Russell missed the cut on his debut here in Paris last year but something is drawing me to him this week. He’s been playing much better of late and a T12 at the US Open will have been a big confidence booster. Ok a T38 at River Highlands last week didn’t excite but a Sunday 64 was impressive and I think a little each way flutter might be in order.
Long Odds Glory Shots
With the field so stacked with talent this week there’s a tonne of value at long odds.
Haotong Li can be got at 50/1 and higher odds and he’s coming off a T19 in Italy and T16 at Shinnecock where he hit an amazing 51 greens in regulation, the best in the field. He also finished T7 on his debut here in 2017 when he famously threw his putter into the lake and his mother went in after it!
The Open de France was a big breakthrough for Alexander Bjork 66/1 last year with a T3 finish and he has since become a Tour winner in China.
And if you think a big hammering Kiwi can batter Le Golf National into submission try Ryan Fox at 100/1. He’s coming off a great T8 in Italy and made the cut at the US Open last time out. A solo 6th here last year kicked off a great run of form through Ireland and Scotland.
Leave a comment