Niall Lyons has four tips for the Austrian Open this week at Gut Altentann Golf Course.
Austrian Open
After a four year break the Austrian Open returns to the DPWT schedule having had somewhat of a chequered history down the last decade or so.
Formlerly the Lyoness Open the tournament took a turn and held the Shot Clock Masters in 2018 before returning it's standard 72 hole strokeplay won by Marc Warren in 2020.
Catlin was the last winner at Diamond CC in 2021 and this year sees the return to Austria and Salzburg in particular for the Jack Nicklaus designed Gut Altentann Golf and CC.
The last time this course held the event was in the 90s and after a redesign we have very little to go on in terms of how it will play.
What we can deduce is that Nicklaus tracks tend to be wide open from the tee with a premium on approach play.
Irons will more than likely be key with plenty of water to navigate throughout this course but it'll take the first few days of play here for us to be certain of its attributes.
Austrian Open Tips
2.5pts each-way H.Li 20/1 (1/5 8) Bet365 8 place market
1.75pts each-way E.Chaccara 33/1 (1/5 6) Paddypower
1pt each-way L.Masaveu 125/1 (1/5 6) Paddypower
1pt each-way S.Soderberg 80/1 (1/5 6) Paddypower, WilliamHIll
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Haotong Li at 20/1 (Eight Places)
As I wrote a couple of weeks ago I have really high hopes for Rasmus Neergaard Petersen and last time out at the PGA he missed the cut largely down another poor week on the greens.
That has been the problem this year and any weeks where he struggles is usually at the fault of the flat stick. Given the form between him and Haotong Li I am inclined to favour the China man having posted his third top four finish in as four starts.
Having won in Qatar in February Li hasn't let up and he looks almost certain to land one of those coveted PGA Tour cards on offer for the Race to Dubai rankings.
Whether that will work out for him in the long run is anyone's guess but it'll be interesting to see how he goes on the PGA Tour. In the meantime he has plenty left on his plate on the DPWT and he is the form player in the field without a doubt.
Approach play figures the last month read 4th, 12th, 2nd and 6th which is a huge feather in his cap heading to Nicklaus design.
Given the amount of these that he has collectively beat week after week this last month or so the 22/1 on offer looks quite generous.
Eugenio Chacarra at 33/1 (Six Places)
Big hitters could go well here on this Nicklaus layout and I'm happy to get involved with Eugenio Chacarra who can gain his second victory of the season here in Austria.
The Spaniard has taken to the DPWT like a duck to water since his ejection from LIV Golf and an impressive victory at the very tough Indian Open had been on the cards following solid form shown on the Asian Tour.
Chacarra hits the ball a long way but he is another hitting his irons really well this last month ranking 20th, 1st and 13th in that department in three of his last four starts.
This looks the perfect recipe for a title tilt at a Nicklaus course and I can't help but feel bigger things lie in wait for this kid.
He is another in a strong position to land a PGA Tour card for next season but unlike Haotong Li he still has plenty of work to do from now until November time to manage to secure his spot.
Events such as this before the action ramps up on this tour are extremely important and generally taking 33/1 about this lad in these fields I feel will pay dividends in t he long run.
Luis Masaveu at 125/1 (Six Places)
One you simply can not leave off your staking plan this week is Luis Masaveu who takes to the DPWT this week and could easily make his presence felt.
The Spaniard was Chacarra's replacement this time around and his last three finishes of 24-30-20 whilst not overly eye catching can certainly be of note when landing back on the DPWT.
Levels are often important in this grade and we can't let this one go without betting at triple figure prices.
Masaveu played on the Challenge Tour a few weeks ago when finishing 3rd and even a repeat of that type of performance will see him go relatively close here.
The week prior he finished 20th in Korea on the LIV circuit and a final round 69 beat Rahm's final round total by a single shot.
Masaveu is currently top price of 175/1 for LIV Washington in a few weeks time when up against favs such as Dechambeau and Rahm so theoretically you shouldn't see anything bigger than 50/1 for this affair.
Sebastian Soderberg at 80/1 (Six Places)
My final bet of the week in this event will be on Sebastian Soderberg. The Swede has found it a real struggle to add to his DPWT tally since winning in Crans back in 2019.
Numerous close calls have followed not least in the Scandinavian Mixed last summer when he really ought to have won by a mile but compiled a nightmare final nine holes.
Ever since a 5th placed finish in Ras Al Khaimah in January Soderberg has struggled but now having made three cuts on the trot he will have gained some confidence and go a shade better than recent weeks.
Sometimes wild off the tee he should be suited by a Nicklaus layout that generally grants some grace off the tee. In recent weeks his iron play has come together ranking 5th in the field last week in Belgium and 11th in his previous start in Turkey.
Another week like those here in Salzburg should see him rewarded that little bit more and any upturn with the putter could see him go close. 80/1 looks more than generous.
1pt each-way S.Soderberg 80/1 (1/5 6) Paddypower, WilliamHIll
