Niall Lyons picks out four to follow at this week's Nexo Championship.
Nexo ChampionshipSee All Odds
The DPWT heads back to Scotland this week for the second renewal of this event at the Trump International Golf Links. The course got rave reviews last year and resulted in a very tough test that Grant Forrest came out on top in at a total of 8 under par.
The PGA Championship on the Staysure tour has been held here the last four years and winning totals have been -12, -4, -3 and -8. You would imagine a similar story in the scoring will play out once again this year.
Length nor accuracy from the tee played a major part and instead greens in regulation was where the contenders really stood out.
Whoever can control their ball in the wind to hit these greens will have a significant advantage.
The Dunhill Links as well as the Irish and Scottish Opens will prove to be a fair pointer towards who may contend here with the UK players and Scandinavians dominating the leaderboard last year.
Nexo Championshop Winner Profile
Nexo Championship Betting Tips
| Player | Bet | Odds | Stake | Terms | Bookmaker | Bet Here |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Todd Clements | Each-way | 30/1 | 2pts E/W | 1/5 odds, 7 places | Ladbrokes, Coral | Click Here |
| Marcus Kinhult | Each-way | 90/1 | 1pt E/W | 1/5 odds, 8 places | Bet365 | Click Here |
| Brandon Stone | Each-way | 55/1 | 1pt E/W | 1/5 odds, 7 places | Ladbrokes, Coral | Click Here |
| Pablo Ereno | Each-way | 66/1 | 1pt E/W | 1/5 odds, 7 places | Ladbrokes, Coral | Click Here |
Todd Clements at 30/1 (Seven Places)
It's a difficult tournament to figure out and I don't think I'll be going in too heavy but top selection goes the way of Todd Clements. Prior to the Danish Championship Clements had rankings of 7th and 2nd in the strokes gained approach category in two of his last four outings.
His irons weren't in the best shape last week in Denmark but he hit the ball really well off the tee. He is combining many good numbers in different areas of the game without managing to get them all together on the one week.
It almost happened in Punta Cana when Stefano Mazzoli beat him by a solitary shot. He should take a ton of confidence from that outing and maybe wasn't his best last week following three weeks off.
This week could be a whole deal better and I'd be surprised if he doesn't give a much better account himself. He lay in 2nd spot here last year heading into the final round only to shoot a 76 to finish in a tie for 7th place.
He won at the K Club back in 2022 and already has a DPWT victory to his name at the Czech Masters. His game looks like it is leading up to something special and he is well equipped to make a big challenge here in Aberdeen.
Marcus Kinhult at 90/1 (Eight Places)
I'll back Marcus Kinhult to put his best foot forward in a test that should suit here in Scotland. 25th here on first look at the course last year was a respectable return and he could fare a little better this year on a course that didn't look to demand too much length off the tee last year.
Runner up at Rinkven in May is extremely relevant given the nature of that golf course. Since then he has made a couple of cuts before heading to the States and finishing 59th in the ISCO then missing the cut by two strokes at the Corales.
He is clearly playing some decent stuff and this type of test suits him best. He has a victory and a top 3 to his name at Hillside, a runner up at the International that hosts the KLM Open, a top 3 in Doha and a top 6 at the Renaissance.
With a recent close call on this tour just under three months ago I quite like his chances to go well once again.
Jacob Skov Olesen at 55/1 (Seven Places)
Jacob Skov Olesen has some of the best credentials in the field for this test but it's difficult to weigh in on the 27 year old maiden at these types of prices. Top 10s in Punta Cana and in Denmark means he arrives with one of the most solid form lines but it's a leap to get involved around the 16/1 mark.
One I'm happy to chance following a good week in Denmark is Brandon Stone. A better week around the greens at the Great Northern would have seen the South African go closer than his finishing position of 13th.
That was his first top 20 finish on the DPWT since last December in Mauritius, another venue that rewards good wind players. Stone's long game was in excellent shape last week in Denmark and two starts prior even though he missed the cut at the ISCO his approach play was really good.
A former winner of the Scottish Open at Gullane he may just take a lot of confidence from last week and deliver once again.
Pablo Ereno at 66/1 (Seven Places)
Pablo Ereno leads the rankings on the Hotel Planner Tour right now and will be playing a full schedule on the DPWT next year. The Spaniard looks a really decent prospect and he has shown he can mix it on the big stage already. He finished 27th in this event las year and has since gone on to win on the Hotel Planner Tour in his home country. He took part in another DPWT event in June at the aforementioned International Golf course that hosts the KLM Open and finished 14th there. He surprisingly missed the cut in the Scottish Challenge two weeks ago but with his potential I feel he is worth chancing here at 60/1+.
