Niall Lyons has five tips for the Indian Open in New Delhi.
Indian Open
The Indian Open will be played at the DLF Golf and Country Club Gary Player Couse, Gurgaon, India. It will be the second event on the DP World Tours Asian Swing following last week's Singapore Classic.
Indian Open tips
- 1.5pts each-way Y.Paul 30/1 (1/4 5) Betfred
- 1.5pts each-way S.Soderberg 28/1 (1/5 7) Paddypower
- 1.5pts each-way B.Wiesberger 28/1 (1/5 7) Paddypower
- 1.25pts each-way G.Migliozzi 55/1 (1/5 7) Coral, Ladbrokes
- 1pt each-way T.Lewis 200/1 (1/5 7) Paddypower
This track plays by many yardages and it's anyone's guess as to how what tees they will use on which days. It can play at 7500+ yards, but also plenty shorter and although driving distance didn't matter much back in 2019, it certainly did last year with three of the top 10 in that statistic making the topfive, including the winner Marcel Siem.
There is trouble everywhere on this course and double bogeys will be plentiful across the course of the week. Maybe a clue as to the winner could be in the tenacity and demeanour of Marcel Siem who is one who never gives up and gives 100% to every shot.
The mental side of the game is as important here as any as you can't avoid mistakes and the best temperaments need only apply if you want to be in the mix over the weekend here.
Below are the stats from the top placed golfers in 2023 and 2019.
Indian Open Previous Winners & Winning Score
- 2023 - Marcel Siem (-14)
- 2019 - Stephen Gallacher (-9)
- 2018 - Matt Wallace (-11)
Yannik Paul at 30/1 (Five Places)
Yannik Paul missed the cut last week in Singapore but this is a totally different test and it's no surprise he close he came last year given the quality of his iron play.
The two German's fought it out and if you had have priced up the Greens in Regulation market for the week pre tournament, Paul would have been among the favourites. He ended up hitting the most greens, ranking 1st in approach and 1st in scrambling.
He can count himself a tad unlucky he bumped into Siem playing as he did. Nevertheless, it wouldn't surprise me should Paul sit very close to the top of the Greens in Regulation rankings once again and in turn give himself another huge chance of landing his second tour victory.
His performances following missed cuts have been extremely good, including most recently finishing 4th in the Ras Al Khaimah Championship following a missed cut in the Dubai Desert.
His iron play has been consistent throughout and gives him a huge advantage over the rest of the field here. Strokes gained approach has to be the first port of call here and Yannick Paul ticks that box more consistently over the last year than anyone else.
1.5pts each-way Y.Paul 30/1 (1/4 5) Betfred
Sebastian Soderberg at 28/1 (Seven Places)
Sebastian Soderberg is no doubt feeling very frustrated with his form on the greens but this week provides an opportunity where minimising mistakes with the long game is highly important and he can possibly get away with an average week with the putter.
That's been the story of the last few months with top tens in the Bahrain Championship and Ras Al Khaimah Championship being compiled with a misbehaving putter. An excellent long game week once again in Qatar was undone by a horror show on the greens whilst his 21st place in Singapore last week was largely the same story.
He ranked 1st in strokes gained tee to green last week and his iron play was once again spectacular. This Gary Player course plays right into his hands right now and he should be licking his chops at the prospect of a victory here.
Mistakes will more than likely happen regardless, but similar to Yannick Paul he holds the key to unlocking this course with his current sparkling irons. 5th place in the Dunhill Links is another positive given the patience needed there in the conditions to complete that 54 hole event last October.
1.5pts each-way S.Soderberg 28/1 (1/5 7) Paddypower
Bernd Wiesberger at 28/1 (Seven Places)
Oliver Bekker is playing extremely well with a fair upturn in his iron play these last few weeks and he must be considered at triple figure prices. Rafa Cabrera Bello is another who could get into the conversation following a second round of 67 last week in Singapore to narrowly miss the cut.
I prefer to keep things relatively simple this week and concentrate on those who have been playing well from tee to green without getting the joy on the greens and for that reason I'll back Bernd Wiesberger once again.
The Austrian continued his solid return since his return to this tour with another top 20 in Singapore ranking 6th in approach play and 10th from tee to green. It was another bad week with the putter though and that makes it three weeks on the trot where his results could have been much better.
Focus remains on the long game here and without a solid tee to green game you simply won't contend here. This represents Wiesberger's best chance since his return and he can make it pay this time around with his classy long game.
1.5pts each-way B.Wiesberger 28/1 (1/5 7) Paddypower
Guido Migliozzi at 55/1 (Seven Places)
When considering golfers in this field with a great attitude and patience to deal with what this course will throw at you, one of the best candidates looks to be Guido Migliozzi.
The Italian missed the cut here last year with a poor score but came into it off the back of three missed cuts. This time around he arrives after a top 20 in Singapore, and he should relish this test.
His last victory came at Le Golf National, another course with danger lurking around every corner, and that week he managed to beat into second this weeks 12/1 tournament favourite Rasmus Hojgaard.
Guido has already shown what he is capable of on the toughest tests with 4th place at Torrey Pines in the 2021 US Open and following that up with a top 20 at the Country Club in the 2022 US Open. We know what he is capable of and four times the price of Rasmus doesn't look quite right.
1.25pts each-way G.Migliozzi 55/1 (1/5 7) Coral, Ladbrokes
Tom Lewis at 200/1 (Seven Places)
One I'm happy to take a swipe at with prices of 200/1 and better is Tom Lewis. The Englishman has had a roller coaster of a career and the price looks worthy enough of supporting another high given how he played last week in Singapore.
He ranked 27th off the tee last week, and 18th on approach on route to finishing just inside the top 50. He could use that as a springboard to better things and should he manage to improve a little bit more in those departments he could manage a solid effort here in India.
A win in Portugal looks relevant given the course and conditions there and it's important to remember he is a former winner of the Korn Ferry Tour Championship.
Svensson was a max price of 66/1 last Monday for Singapore, and it's worth remembering him and Tom Lewis went off the same price for the season ending Grand Final on the Challenge Tour last November.
1pt each-way T.Lewis 200/1 (1/5 7) Paddypower
