Czech Masters

The Albatross course that held this event down the years was most welcome on the DPWT from a punting perspective as we had a clear profile of what was needed to succeed around there. A change in venue this year just makes it that little bit harder, especially as we have no previous form here to feed on. 

Kyle Phillips is the designer and therein lies maybe the only clue we have to some future form around this Oaks Course in Prague.

A few recent editions of the KLM Open were held at a Phillips track the Bernardus whilst the 2017 Scottish Open at Dundonald Links and the Grove are other venues worth casting an eye over. 

Many of his designs have been links style, with the Yas Links in Abu Dhabi being the most recently used Phillips design on tour. 

This looks a lot more parkland from the little we can find online but I wouldn't be surprised to see some sort of cross over between these events and the results this week in Prague.

Czech Masters Golf Betting Tips

 

Sami Valimaki @ 40/1 (Seven Places)

I'm happy to give Sami Valimaki a chance this week having taken an early bath ahead of the FedEx playoff events in the States. He finished inside the top 100 there which is a reasonable return for his maiden season on the PGA Tour. 

The high point of the year came in Mexico when he went toe to toe with Jake Knapp only to be pipped into second. Nothing much materialised after that, the best being a 12th place finish in the John Deere in early July. 

It's worth noting though that a repeat of that effort would see him go very close in this company. The field is littered with maiden types and Valimaki has shown on a handful of occasions that he can mix it in much better circles. 

1pt each-way S.Valimaki  40/1  (1/5 7) Coral, Ladbrokes

Nacho Elvira @ 125/1 (Five Places)

Nacho Elvira is only six starts out from his last victory yet there are plenty of triple figure quotes about him winning in Prague this week and I'm happy to take the chance.

The Spaniard finished 7th a couple of week after his win in the Soudal Open and although three missed cuts have followed he can consider himself a little unlucky.

He was one of the worst putters in the field at the BMW International Open yet played quite well with his irons. The next two weeks at the Scottish and Open Championships he missed the cut on both occasions on the number. 

Both those fields were considerably stronger than this so I suspect even though two missed cuts are on the record that the bookies haven't quite taken into account how close he was to making the weekend on both occasions there. 

He has had three top three finishes in the last 10 months so even though a shade inconsistent his ceiling can often be enough to contend in tournaments of this strength. 

1pt each-way N.Elvira  125/1  (1/4 5) BetVictor, Betfred

Matthis Besard @ 90/1 (Eight Places)

Matthis Besard is still in the throes of his first full season as a professional and although it hasn't all been sunshine and rainbows, there are signs that he has picked up the baton and could be ready to run with it here in Prague. The talented young Belgian didn't take long to land his first top 15 finish in only his 4th start on tour when finishing 13th in Ras in January. 

Not much happened since then until a 6th place finish in the BMW International Open, a field that was stronger than the one assembled this week. He managed his first hole in one on tour that week at Eichenreid and followed it up the following week with a top 25 finish on the PGA Tour at the Isco Championship. 

He took the lead briefly on day two there following a second round of 63 and sat 2nd at the halfway stage. Maybe it was a little too soon to be seated that lofty on the PGA Tour, but he will learn plenty from that appearance and it'd be no surprise should he put that to good use and go well in Prague.

1pt each-way M.Besard  90/1  (1/5 8) Bet365 8 place market

Francesco Molinari @ 75/1 (Eight Places)

Francesco Molinari wouldn't have been overly suited to the previous venue here in Prague but this one may play more to his strengths.

He struggles with a lack of length off the tee these days but despite some average results on paper of late there are small glimpses that he could figure in one of these events soon enough. 

He ranked 23rd on approach at the US Open a couple of months ago and 14th in the same statistic at the Scottish Open last month. Two made cuts on those occasions were fair efforts but even though he missed the weekends on events either side of those efforts, his iron play as been solid throughout. 

A more parkland setup should suit the Italian and he may get away with being below average in terms of length with the driver. He continues to putt reasonably well also and it's only a matter of putting all these aspects together in one week and he may spring back into life.

In this field I'm prepared to back him close to 80/1.

1pt each-way F.Molinari  75/1  (1/5 8) Bet365 8 place market