Korea Championship

For the second week on the trot another Nicklaus design takes centre stage as the DPWT teams up with the KPGA to host the inaugural Korea Championship. This course has hosted plenty of events from LPGA, KPGA to the Seniors as well as the 2015 edition of the Presidents Cup where the event travelled to Asia for the first time.

It's a par 72 and like last week has enough room off the tee to suit the longer hitters. From there it's a matter of strong approach play, as it is on many Nicklaus designs. What has been evident throughout previous events held here is the impact wind can have on the course. Forecast suggests it will play its part once again and I wouldn't be surprised should we see players contend who have played well at any Open Championships or indeed the Dunhill Links.

Adrian Meronk at 20/1 (Eight Places)

Adrian Meronk has won two of his last fourteen events on the DPWT and I'm somewhat surprised the Polish star doesn't head the betting, or at least be alongside the others. With the greatest respect to those above him on the leaderboard Meronk dispatched of a much better opponent when defeating Adam Scott on his home turf last December by winning the Australian Open.

In the last number of years that event has been won by many great players including Spieth (twice) and McIlroy. Add Abraham Ancer, Matt Jones and Cameron Davis to that recent list of Champions and we have players who tend to achieve plenty in the game. Meronk will be no different and he could prove to be a different class to the golfers who have been chalked up slightly shorter than him this week.

He saw off another highly talented sort in Ryan Fox when winning at Mount Juliet last July so there is every reason to suggest he should be favourite in this field. His missed cut at the Masters can be largely attributed to being on the wrong side of the draw whilst a playoff defeat in the group stage of the Match Play was no disgrace.

He led in Ras al Khaimah in February at halfway whilst a solid effort throughout at the Honda in Florida was another sign his best can't be too far away. 

2.5pts each-way A.Meronk  20/1  1/5 8 (Bet365 Each Way Extra)

Adrian Meronk - 2.5pts e/w @ 20/1

Robert MacIntyre at 18/1 (Seven Places)

Marcus Helligkilde certainly looks one to keep a close eye on with three top 20s in his last four appearances. Nick Bachem's win was somewhat telegraphed and Helligkilde could also be about to strike with bags of talent in his Danish hands. 33/1 is only fair though and given the class of some of those above him it's maybe best to wait for either a bigger price, or a slightly weaker event before getting involved.

With the class of Lucas Herbert telling last week I'm keen to get one or two of the best on board and following the last few weeks I believe Robert MacIntyre can't be too far away from a victory. We can take stats with a fair bit of caution from last week but the Scot looked to play well through the bag and with an emphasis on Links golf being part of my focus this week he sticks out like an injured thumb. It must be said this is certainly not a links course but I do believe form on these tracks, or coastal courses hold the key.

When the wind gets going putting becomes so much more important and MacIntyre on his day can be lethal in that department. In three Open appearances he has finished 6th, 8th and 34th whilst he has collected two top 20s at the Renaissance, as well as a top 20 in the Dunhill Links. Should the wind play a fair part in proceedings here the Scot should rise to the top.

2pts each-way R.MacIntyre  18/1  1/5 7 (Coral, Ladbrokes)

Robert MacIntyre - 2pts e/w @ 18/1

Sebastian Soderberg at 80/1 (Eight Places)

I've always believed Sebastian Soderberg's strengths lie in more difficult conditions and he looks one to have on side at 70/1+. In 2019 he pulled off a fabulous victory by defeating Rory McIlroy and three others in a five man playoff at Crans Sur Sierre. That win is a big feather in his cap and I suspect at some stage he will reap the rewards for that victory and have confidence to pull off another.

This event is a much weaker contest than that one of course but there has been enough lately to suggest he could contend here. During the last two events at the Nicklaus designed courses in SA and Japan he has only twice been outside the top 10 at the end of the eight rounds.

They were both Saturday and Sunday last week as he plummeted from 8th on Friday to finish outside the top 60 shooting 75-73 over the weekend. 5th in the Nedbank at the back end of last year, then 2nd in Abu Dhabi in January he went off the boil a little for a couple of months but despite those two poor rounds last weekend he looks to have found some of that form what had him riding high last November and January.

1pt each-way S.Soderberg  80/1 1/5 8 (Bet365 Each Way Extra)

Sebastian Soderberg - 1pt e/w @ 80/1

Hao Tong Li at 125/1 (Six Places)

Hao Tong Li struggles are real but if there are any signs that this talented 27-year-old could be emerging from a slump then it is worth getting involved. The Chinese star is an enigma on course, and his rollercoaster journey on the course almost signals to a similar personality.

After a spectacular 63 second round last week he lay 8th at halfway and looked booked for a really solid finish before dropping five shots in the space of six holes in the middle of the final round. That isn't enough to put me off backing this great talent at triple figures though and given he has a 3rd place in an Open Championship, a top six in the Dunhill Links and two other top 20s on Links tracks he should strip fitter for a 72 hole knock around Incheon.

1pt each-way Haotong Li  125/1  1/5 6 (Skybet, Unibet, Bet UK)

Hao Tong Li - 1pt e/w @ 125/1

Robin Sciot Siegrist at 300/1 (Eight Places)

At bigger odds I'm keen to have Robin Sciot Siegrist on the staking plan this week. After a difficult start to his season he has finally found some form making five cuts in a row which included a never nearer 13th in the Jonsson Workwear Open then a handy 31st on reappearing last week in the Japan Handa Championship.

That's a couple of decent efforts in a row and he was lying 13th last week heading into the final day before shooting a 73 to tumble a little bit down the board. There are reasons to suggest he could enjoy this track with the weather forecasted. Two of the Frenchman's three top 10s on the DPWT have come on coastal tracks in Mauritius and 13th Beach.

That renewal of the Vic Open was particularly windy, an event won by Min Woo Lee where Siegrist managed 3rd place behind him and Ryan Fox. It's not concrete evidence that he likes a windy test, but it's a fair positive, and at 300/1+ given some fair recent form looks the pick of the big numbers.

1pt each-way R.Sciot Siegrist  300/1  1/5 8 (Bet365 Each Way Extra)