Niall Lyons picks out the best value golf betting odds for this week's European Tour event, the British Masters.
British Masters - Winner
The DP World Tour begins to swing into some serious action in the next few months and it must be said the last two weeks in Spain were a success course wise, if not for the weather during week one. Catalunya was a welcome addition back to the tour after a long layoff and it was an enjoyable watch down the stretch, if you could forget about our bets. Arnaus managed an overdue win and it's no surprise it came in Spain where we backed him before when losing in a playoff in his home country.
We move to England now and the Brabazon Course at the Belfry which hosted this event in 2021 and the Uk Championship back in slightly bleaker times during 2020. Upon winning last year Bland finished 2nd on Approach and 1st Tee to Green. Migliozzi and Korhonen who both finished inside the top 5 were 3rd and 4rth Tee to Green. Rasmus was 2nd Tee to Green when winning here two years so we've got clear evidence that this is a ball strikers course and you'll need to be in fine form with the long game to contend.
Danny Willett takes up hosting duties at the Belfry for the second year running and it is worth noting it didn't hinder his prospects last year. 11th was a solid showing from the Englishman who enjoys a challenging tee to green test. We have yet to see a host win one of these events but you certainly could not rule them out. Luke Donald at the Grove has been the only host from the last seven renewals of this event to miss the cut. Poulter managed 33rd at Woburn.
Westwood failed to deliver at Close House finishing 15th and 70th in his two hosting years. Rose and Fleetwood both managed 8th place finishes upon hosting at Walton Heath and Hillside respectively. At the prices we still probably wouldn't have expected a host to win the event yet, but in recent years it doesn't look to have been the millstone around your neck that maybe once previously thought.
Edoardo Molinari at 60/1 (10 Places)
Edoardo Molinari showed exactly what he can do when he has a good week on the greens when finishing 6th last week in Catalunya. He finished 13th from tee to green and as ever his long game remains in fine form. He started the final day here last year one shot behind the 54 hole leader Eddie Pepperell and one could be forgiven for not getting involved with the price in or around the 50/1 mark.
I still think this is worth a bet as his game is trending in the right direction and his 8th place last year came after form not quite as good as what he showed last week in Spain. He hasn't won in five years but almost in the mould of Richard Bland who was successful here last year this would be a well deserved win for someone who works very hard only to be let down usually by the one club.
With two wins in Scotland these type of courses suit the Italian and I fancy him to travel well here once again and we can only hope he responds to the jockey on the greens if in late contention.
1pt each-way E.Molinari 60/1 (1/5 10)
Victor Perez at 50/1 (10 Places)
Victor Perez missed the cut last week in Catalunya but it is worth mentioning that his long game, in particular his irons, were in good nick. A horror show around the greens where he ranked a few spots from last in the field stopped him from making further progress after a lot of positives the first week in Spain.
He finished 8th tee to green that week on route to his first top ten since the Portugal Masters last Autumn. Perez is a classy operator who has won on these shores before and could see a fair upturn in form soon, especially if he cuts out the errors from around the green. He has top five finishes in events much, much stronger than this and should he reach anywhere near his potential may be a tough nut to crack over the weekend.
1pt each-way V.Perez 50/1 (1/5 10)
Jason Scrivener at 66/1 (10 Places)
I was tempted by Jason Scrivener last week in Catalunya following his impressive display with Jason Day at the Zurich the previous week, but was concerned about the trip and whether he'd perform following the PGA Tour jaunt. He didn't suffer however and finished a very credible 18th whilst being 4th from tee to green.
That is excellent preparation for this test at the Belfry. 109th in putting last week shows just how much better he could have been had he managed even a lukewarm putter and with the Richard Bland vibes hanging around from last year he looks one of the more likely maidens who could get off the mark this week.
1pt each-way J.Scrivener 66/1 (1/5 10)
Ewen Feguson at 125/1 (10 Places)
It may be a big ask for Ewen Ferguson to win twice in just over a month but I have been impressed with the Scot this season and I wouldn't rule out more success. His tee to green game has been in solid nick all year and last week in Catalunya he produced his best week on that front all year finishing 10th in that department. His finish of 52nd was down to his work on and around the greens, an area which he has really struggled with all year.
He even lost strokes to the field around the green when winning in Qatar in March. He finished 8th in the field in putting that week though and it shows you what he is capapble of if he can have a good week on the greens. He has struggled badly on that front the two weeks in Spain but this course at the Belfry will allow for some of the more inconsistent putters to figure with the Poa grass. He is capable of tremendous performances from tee to green and is worth the pop at 125/1.
1pt each-way E.Ferguson 125/1 (1/5 10)
Eddie Pepperell at 175/1 (Six Places)
Eddie Pepperell may have missed the cut last week but may be worth another shot returning to England and to a course where he finished 11th on last year when leading heading into the final day. Despite missing the cut in Catalunya on the number, he gained strokes on the field from tee to green and was only three strokes behind the eventual winner at the half way stage. 15th the week before was an encouraging sign and it was mainly his short game that let him down last week.
If he can continue in this fashion from tee to green I believe some better results are on the horizon and the attraction to betting him at this price is that we know his ceiling is an awful lot higher than plenty above him in the market. It may have been a long time since he was in contention and that may show should he reach the final groups on Sunday in the coming weeks, but at 150/1+ I'm more than happy to take the chance in an event he has won and finished 2nd in before.
1pt each-way E.Pepperell 175/1 (1/5 6)
