Italian Open

The 2024 Italian Open will be held at the Adriatic Golf Club Cervia, Ravenna, Italy. Having hosted the Ryder Cup last year we move from Marco Simone further North this time around to the Adriatic coast and this will be our first look at this golf course.

There is a mixture of long and short par 4s and a par 70 meaning we only have two par 5s this week, one of which is extremely long on the scorecard.

That scorecard on the DPWT website can't always be relied upon of course. The course looks like a typical parkland affair with water dotted throughout to catch some wayward drives and approach shots.

Although a lot more linksy in feel and looks, the Verdura Golf course in Sicily that held the Rocco Forte Sicilian Open in 2012, 2017 and 2018 may prove to be a beneficial form guide with both being played by the coast in this country. 

Italian Open Tips

 

Rikuya Hoshino at 66/1 (Eight Places)

I'm surprised Rikuya Hoshino has been priced around the 80/1 mark and bigger and he looks worthy of some each way money given his performance last week at the KLM.

The Japanese star finished 10th at the International track in Amsterdam ranking 3rd in approach play for the week.

He was first in tee to green for the week also but 70th out of 74 in putting which scuppered any chance of contending for the victory.

It was an interesting week for Hoshino though and you can't rule out a return to form now, the form which saw him win in Qatar earlier this year.

Doha has long since been a haven for good wind players and he should be suited by this venue on the coast.

A couple of runner ups in strong fields in Australia in December and a top 25 at Wentworth when the entire European Ryder Cup team was attendance was a sign of his class and it didn't take him long to win.

He could add another soon and looked in good nick last week.

1pt each-way R.Hoshino  66/1  (1/5 8) Bet365 8 place market

Andy Sullivan at 75/1 (Eight Places)

Andy Sullivan, like a couple of others in my staking plan this week, is seeking a victory to get his career back on the straight and narrow and at 66/1 or bigger looks worth adding to the list.

The Englishman certainly has struggled the last few years but 2024 has proven a little more fruitful and he may just enjoy the switch in venue here.

Three top 4 finishes this year have been somewhat of a welcome return to form with the latest of those coming in Sweden on his last outing.

He ranked 11th from tee to green that week and a continuation of that long game could see him go close here.

I mentioned Verdura as a possible link here and Sullivan finished 3rd there in 2018 one shot shy of the playoff. 

1pt each-way A.Sullivan  75/1  (1/5 8) Bet365 8 place market

Danny Willett at 80/1 (Eight Places)

Another I'm happy to take a swing at towards the bottom of the odds board is Danny Willett. The Englishman has eased himself slowly back into action following shoulder surgery last September and has fared reasonably well since.

A solid return in the Masters finishing 45th was a surprise to many and then missing the cut on the number at Green Eagle was no disaster.

29th on approach and 14th on the greens amounted to a top 30 finish last week at the International and all in all the former Masters Champion is looking fairly good after a lengthy lay off.

Willett is still only 36 years old and has plenty of mileage left in a career dotted with impressive victories.

Willett was runner up to Molinari in this event back in 2016 and is showing enough for me lately to warrant some respect at the price.

1pt each-way D.Willett  80/1  (1/5 8) Bet365 8 place market

Angel Ayora at 150/1 (Six Places)

Matt Wallace showed last week that nobody finds it easy to win on this tour, and Rasmus Hojgaard was another who spurned plenty of chances to win an event that was there for the taking.

I considered Wallace's price all wrong and I was proven right with his SP, but it goes to show that quality certainly doesn't secure results in these events and often it pays to look further down the betting board.

One at triple figures I'm happy to include this week is the Spanish star Angel Ayora. The teenager had an eye catching amateur career which included a win in the Portuguese Amateur Championship in February of 2023 and turned pro later that year.

So far he has acquitted himself well in decent fields finishing 21st in the Australian Open and 33rd in Mauritius last December. 6 top 20s on the Challenge Tour have followed as well as a made cut on the PGA Tour in Puerto Rico.

Last week at the KLM he finished 21st whilst ranking 8th in approach play. Hailing from Andalucia he will be used to coastal golf and this looks like an assignment on paper that could suit.

Who knows what the future holds, but it has been a fast start to his professional career and any triple figure prices are worth gobbling up.

0.75pt each-way Angel Ayora  150/1  (1/5 6) Unibet, Betuk

Rafa Cabrera Bello at 110/1 (Eight Places)

There have been glimpses of a return to form for Rafa Cabrera Bello and I'll have a small bet that he can revive his career this week with a victory by the Adriatic coast.

He has always played links tracks well and with a Scottish Open bagged and numerous other fine efforts by the sea he should be suited by this change in venue.

He is slowly but surely figuring out all parts of the game with improvements in all departments lately. His putting ranks the last 3 weeks read 6-8-43. His iron play rankings read 15-28-15 and tee to green he has ranked 20-12-40.

It is certainly not anywhere near a return to his former best, but it's going in the right direction. June has been a kind month making all 3 cuts (5 in a row now) finishing 7th at the European Open, 25th in Sweden then 29th last week.

Should he find some form with the driver then we could see him on the leaderboard on Sunday. 

0.75pt each-way R.Cabrera-Bello  110/1  (1/5 8) Bet365 8 place market