Ras Al Khaimah - Winner

It was back in February of 2022 when this Al Hamra golf course made its debut on the DPWT with a double header holding back to back tournaments. Nicolai Hojgaard and Ryan Fox won both those renewals with a plethora of other big hitters making up the places both times.

There is little doubt wind can play it's part around here and results last year were a little different with two shorter hitters making the 1-2 in the shape of Daniel Gavins and Alexander Bjork.

Tucked in behind though were Zander Lombard and Adrian Meronk and I'd still prefer to go the route of longer hitters, especially those with good results in coastal conditions.

Steyn City in South Africa would be a venue to concentrate on the bombers, as would the Albatross course in Prague, but I'd say Al Hamra isn't quite in that category, but it isn't far behind.

Ras Al Khaimah Championship Tips

 

Yannick Paul at 22/1 (Seven Places)

Some tastier prices on Wiesberger have unfortunately vanished over the last 24 hours and the 50/1 left just sticks in the throat a little to advise. Watch out for the angry tweet on Sunday should be back to where he belongs. Instead I'm happy to get on board with Yannik Paul at anything above 20/1.

The German wasn't that far away from qualifying outright for the Ryder Cup last term narrowly missing out to Bob MacIntyre in 4th place. It was no surprise he got that close given the quality of his approach play all season as there would have been golfers that made that final 12 that would have bitten his hand off for his iron play figures.

That department continued where it left off a couple of weeks ago in Dubai where he ranked 4th with his irons when finishing 8th. His missed cut last week was almost solely down to the putter but his approach play certainly did dip also.

Nevertheless I expect him to bounce back and I'd argue there is little that separates the top five in this market and although Rasmus quite rightly deserves the jolly tag I'd far rather play Yannik at double the price. As I type Lombard is heading shorter than Paul too, which I can't understand despite the polar opposites in the two course form narratives here. Paul has gone close numerous times since his win in Mallorca and he has all the tools in the bag to trouble Rasmus this week.

2pts each-way Y.Paul 22/1 (1/5 7) Coral, Ladbrokes

Frederic Lacroix at 70/1 (Six Places)

I was hoping for a little bigger on Frederic Lacroix but the price is fair and I'm happy to include him. He is winless on the Challenge Tour but graduated once again and although his three Alps Tour wins suggest he may have a better time of it in mainland Europe, there is every chance a coastal test such as this will suit.

The Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final in Mallorca was one of the windiest events last year on the circuit and the Frenchman coped extremely well eventually finishing 3rd but a full seven shots behind winner Marco Penge.

Wind usually gets up here at some stage during the event and with Ryan Fox winning on this layout in 2022 he is one with an abundance of good results in windy conditions.

Lacroix hits the ball a mile and should be able to take full advantage of the par 5s here. After that effort in Mallorca he produced two fine weeks on the main stage finishing 17th in Joburg and 5th in South Africa and if he can pick up where he left off he'll be a danger on this layout.

1pt each-way F.Lacroix 70/1 (1/5 6) Unibet

Jesper Svensson at 75/1 (Eight Places)

I'd have loved Brandon Stone to get a run out before this as two solid enough efforts before on this track suggest he could go even better at some stage. You can't expect him to do it on the first week of the year, but the 150/1 definitely did get me second guessing.

Tom Lewis is another in that bracket where this will be his return to action and although he's tempting at 125/1 also it's probably best left for another day. Instead I'll make opt for a third Challenge Tour graduate, this time Swede Jesper Svensson.

Svensson was one of the standout performers on the Challenge Tour last year winning on his first appearance at the B-NL Challenge following an eye catching spell in the Nordic Golf League. Having made the grade it didn't take him long to get into contention finishing runner up to Burmester in the South African Open Championship.

A six week break was quickly forgotten about with a solid 31st in the Dubai Desert where his ball striking was particularly impressive. Bar a nightmare around the greens the Swede would have started the year off in style but there is every chance his prowess off the tee counts for a lot more this week in Al Hamra and anything of 80/1 or above looks an ounce of value. 

1pt each-way J.Svensson 75/1 (1/5 8) Bet365 8 place market

Marco Penge at 100/1 (Six Places)

Similar to Lacroix in terms of what he showed in Mallorca, I find it very difficult to leave Marco Penge off the staking plan at triple figures. Winning by six shots in Mallorca set down a marker and the 25-year-old looks like he means business. Since then he has shown plenty, overcoming a poor 75 on day one at Blair Atholl to eventually finish 12th.

4th the following week at Leopard Creek was even better mixing it with Tour veterans on their home patch. Last week was always going to be a question mark given it was his first outing and an opening 77 maybe could have been predicted.

However, he bounced back to shoot nine shots better the following day and that bodes well heading to a venue that should be much more suitable to possibly the longest hitter of the ball in the field. 

0.75pt each-way M.Penge 100/1 (1/5 6) William Hill

Rafa Cabrera Bello at 140/1 (Eight Places)

Rafa Cabrera Bello has lost a fair bit of distance off the tee in recent years and there is no doubt that has contributed a little to his downfall. However, there are signs of life and having won in the Desert before and a links win in Scotland under his belt there is a small chance that he continues his improvement here in Al Hamra.

Since Wentworth he has made seven cuts on the trot with late November being the peak whenever he managed a 7th place in the Australian PGA Championship in behind the likes of Min Woo Lee, Adam Scott and Joaquin Niemann.

With nearly seven weeks off his 31st placed finish last week in Dubai was another encouraging sign. Bello's career could do either of two ways from this junction but there is a lot more consistency these days and the triple figure quotes in this environment look worth grabbing. 

0.75pt each-way R.Cabrera-Bello 140/1 (1/5 8) Bet365 8 place market