Bitter disappointment last week as Fleetwood and Schwab who had been in or around the lead all week crumbled on the back 9 and let a bunch swoop past them to force a mammoth playoff. Crans has been the scene of a few heartbreaks for me down the years and although it is an event that lends itself to the punter, it has rarely treated me well at the business end. This week we roll into Green Eagle Golf Course just south of Hamburg which has held this event for the past two years. 13 under and 11 under have been the winning totals so we can conclude it isn't such a straightforward scoring event like last week. Length off the tee is certainly a factor with some rain forecast and with wide fairways the golfers among the longest in the field should gain a significant advantage. Par 5 scoring will be key if you wish to contend over the weekend.

A bunch of high quality golfers who play the bulk of their year in Trump's playground head the field with Schauffele heading the market. With german family connections Xander may the one most motivated to perform here and having traveled extremely well before is worthy of the jolly tag. Along with Casey they finished 2nd and 3rd at East Lake and it is difficult to convey in print just how good that form is compared to the field. 95% of this field can barely dream of playing at East Lake never mind finishing runner up so it'd be no surprise if one of these two romped to victory here. Nevertheless there is a degree of volatility and vulnerability to these at short prices and we're not talking about the richest of events prize money wise. I'd be inclined to get involved in more high profile events with guys like these and I'll go in search of some value further down the list.

One who should relish this test is Thomas Pieters and I'm willing to give him a go this week. The Belgian has returned to some solid form with a win in Czech Republic a few weeks ago. His 12th spot last week in Crans is a sure sign he is playing some solid stuff given the claustrophobic nature of that track. The Green Eagle should be right up his street and his ability to open the shoulders and make hay on the par 5s should give him a fair advantage over the week. It's difficult to tell just how good his form is and whether he will soon return to the heights that saw him perform very well in a Ryder Cup team. If on the precipice of such form this presents a solid opportunity and among the favourites he looks the most backable one to me.

2.5pts each-way T.Pieters 16/1 (1/5 7)

T Pieters - 2.5pts e/w @ 16/1

Sam Horsfield was well placed here last year after round 3 before succumbing to a final round 78 and slipping down roughly 40 spots. With four top 5s in the last 18 months it may not be long before Horsfield gets off the mark. With 10 rounds in the 60s out of his last 12 he is hitting a solid run of form which included a final round 62 in Sweden to catapult him into the top 10. He is long enough off the tee to score well on the par 5s and looks an interesting outsider. 3rd in thr Czech republic was backed up by a top 10 in Sweden and a made cut is certainly no negative on a track that doesn't exactly suit. I expect the Englishman to go well.

1.5pts each-way S.Horsfield 55/1 (1/5 7)

Horsfield - 1.5pts e/w @ 55/1

Ryan Fox hasn't put his best foot forward in recent times but a top 20 at the Open 2 starts ago is a sign of what he is capable of. Last week in Crans doesn't suit his game and with wide fairways and receptive greens he should perform a fair bit better in Germany. The Kiwi has struggled to hit the heights I expected but it would e easy to forget that he is already a winner on the tour this season with a win in Perth. He won in a wet slog at Galgorm a few years ago and a similar test awaits this week. A gamble no doubt considering how inconsistent he is but at these odds I'm happy enough to play.

1pt each-way R.Fox 80/1 (1/5 8)

Ryan Fox - 1pt e/w @ 80/1

Min Woo Lee is another who can hit the ball an absolute mile and despite some average form of late may be worth chancing that the course will represent a chance to figure on the leaderboard. The 21 year old Aussie burst onto our screens at the start of the year with top 5s in Saudi Arabia and Perth. He hasn't performed as well since but sitting 11th in Par 5 scoring and 1st in driving Distance on the tour this year means this track should play into his hands. A talented sort who has been somewhat underestimated by the market.

1pt each-way Min Woo Lee 175/1 (1/5 7)

Min Woo Lee - 1pt e/w @ 175/1