European Tour – The Cazoo Open Preview & Tips

After the Collin Morikawa Stripe show at The Open last week its off the Wales this week for the Cazoo Open. The strength of the field OGWR wise looks set to be relatively low but that is expected for the week after The Open & with players going off to Japan for Olympic preparation. Most of the field didn’t play last week so most players will be nice & fresh to kick start their remaining UK Swing of golf & climb the Race to Dubai Leader board. This event came back to the tour last year after last being played in 2014. Romain Langasque victorious last time at Celtic Manor Resort but has opted not to defend this week. Formally known as the Wales Open, Celtic manor has always hosted this event since its inception in 2000.

Course

Celtic Manor hosts this week on the Twenty Ten course. The course is located in Newport, Wales. A nice 4-hour drive West for those playing The Open this week.  The par 71 is made up of 5 Par 3s, 9 par 4s & 4 par 5s. 7315 yards will makes up scorecard, the par 3s average 202 yards this week so accuracy will be key to scoring on the par 3s. The 4 par 5s all reachable with good tee shots. The 2^nd hole might only be reachable for the big guys measuring at over 600 yards a downward breeze will be needed to assist getting there in 2. The forecast on Thursday could hit 28° & after the heat we have had this week the course could already be baked out so should be running quick & firm. Thursday & Friday look set to be hot conditions with little wind, but showers are forecast on Saturday & Sunday with potential Storms.

Previous winners

2020 – Romain Langasque – Score -8 Pre-Event Odds 66-1

2014 – Joost Luiten – Score -14

2013 – Gregory Bourdy – Score -8

2012 – Thongchai Jaidee – Score -6

2011 – Alex Noren – Score -9

Odds unavailable for winners after 2020.

@Golftipster5 Selections:

Sam Horsfield 16-1 Skybet 6 Places

Sam comes into the Cazoo Open of the back of a cut made at The Open but a finish of T67. He managed one round in the 60s last week but can build on the confidence gained from making the cut at The Open on his debut this week. He is one of the best players on tour on his approach to the green. He is 2^nd on approach to the green, 12^th tee to green & hits 70.97% of Greens in regulations which ranks him 16^th. He will look to take apart the par 5s this week with his green under regulation ranking him 4^th & an average par 5 score of 4.52. Sam needs to have a good week with the driver to have a chance on Sunday, currently he hits less than 50% of fairways. Last year he finished T44 but with a 65 in his final round he knows he can now go low round Celtic Manor. Current form Reads 67-MC-WD-5-19

Callum Hill 28-1 Skybet 6 Places

Callum finished 8^th here last year & there’s no reason he can’t go a few better this week. He ranks as one of the best par 3 & par 4 scorers on the tour. He ranks 9^th for par 3 scoring with 2.95 & 12^th for par 4 scoring at 3.97. Callum has the lowest scoring average for somebody playing more than 40 rounds this year with an average of 69.15 for 48 rounds. Bogey avoidance will be key this week & an average of 2.33 bogeys a round should keep Hill’s bad scores to a low this week.  He has missed the last 2 cuts in the events he has played but a short break last week sees him fresh & ready to go again to climb the Race to Dubai leader board.  Current form reads MC-MC-17-29-40

Chan Kim 40-1 Skybet 6 Places

Chan Kim might not be a very familiar name to the hardcore European & PGA tour fans. The world No94 has been on the Japanese Tour & Asia Tour for most of his career.  Chans last 3 events have all been the last 3 Majors where he finished 53^rd at The Open, Missed Cut at the US Open & 23^rd in the PGA. His Tour form before that was 15-9-2-MC-35. He has a win to his name this season with the Golf Nippon Series JT Cup at the back end of the year in December.

Richard Mansell 66-1 Skybet 6 Places

Another player who made his Open debut this week & another player who made the cut. A good week overall for Richard who came into the week with hope of making the weekend which he secured with 2 opening rounds of 72 & 69. A 69 to finish off the weekend will fill him with confidence ahead of this week’s event. The Challenge tour graduate is one of the best green hitters on the tour, a greens in regulation percentage of 69.97 ranks him 23^rd & his greens under regulation he ranks 9^th so he should be able to make easy work of the par 5s this week. Current form reads 74-37-MC-Mc-57

Good Luck with all Bets

@golftipster5