It might be simple to only lay into Rory at this level. His playoff defeat finally week’s BMW PGA Championship felt like a dagger within the coronary heart of European golf.
Truthfully, he has been six or seven strokes away from having one of the vital wonderful seasons of his profession. However I don’t suppose that he has something to be ashamed of following that slim Wentworth defeat.
Billy Horschel was unimaginable over that ultimate stretch, pushing each McIlroy and Thirston Lawrence to absolutely the brink. It was an electrifying spectacle that did wonders for the considerably fragile model that’s DP World Tour golf.
Open de Espana
This week, the tour strikes again to continental Europe for one of many oldest occasions on tour: the Open de Espana.
The outing dates all the way in which again to 1912 and has been a mainstay of the tour since its inception in 1972. It was absent from the schedule in 2017 and was cancelled in 2020 (because of the pandemic).
This occasion has a fabled historical past, with European legend Seve Ballesteros successful three titles between 1981 and 1995. Spanish famous person Jon Rahm will lead the sector after efficiently (and maybe controversially) interesting these LIV sanctions.
Membership de Campo Villa de Madrid
This would be the fifth consecutive time that the Membership de Campo Villa de Madrid hosts this occasion. It additionally hosted a number of editions of the now-defunct Madrid Masters.
The Membership de Campo Villa de Madrid is a picturesque course that’s weak to low scoring. The tree-lined fairways are comparatively vast, and the undulating greens are surrounded by bunkers.
The course is situated round 2,500 toes above sea stage, making a mockery of the proposed 7,154 yardage. What you do off the tee seems to be largely irrelevant right here. The fairways are extraordinarily inviting, and the size of the course invitations a large number of doable winners.
It is a low-scoring check that requires surgical iron play and adroit scrambling. The small bent/poa annua greens are fairly tough and the final 4 winners have completed inside the highest seven for scrambling.
The Contenders
Not too long ago topped LIV Golf champion Jon Rahm will likely be trying to win his 4th Open de Espana title in seven years. He’s a real behemoth who will suck up loads of this week’s oxygen.
Fellow LIV aficionado Tyrell Hatton will add additional gloss to proceedings whereas Tommy Fleetwood will little question appeal to loads of help. Shane Lowry has been in fairly good nick of late whereas Aaron Rai performs nice golf, week-in, week-out.
Patrick Reed will likely be determined for a powerful displaying to realize treasured world rating factors whereas defending champion Mathieu Pavon will look to construct on what has been a formidable PGA Tour season.
That is fairly a powerful discipline for a post-Rolex Sequence Tour occasion (one can solely think about the looks charges being dished out this week).
Previous Winners
2023: Mathieu Pavon (-23)
2022: Jon Rahm (-25)
2021: Rafa Cabrera-Bello (-19) *playoff
2020: occasion cancelled
2019: Jon Rahm (-22)
To Win Outright:
Jon Rahm 7/2 | Tommy Fleetwood 8/1 | Tyrell Hatton 8/1 | Shane Lowry 12/1 | Aaron Rai 12/1
Worth Bets
Matt Wallace – To Win 25/1 | To Place 11/2
Matt Wallace appears like a strong exterior guess this week. He gained at Crans-sur-Sierre a fortnight in the past and he adopted that up with a commendable twelfth at Wentworth (his greatest end on the flagship European occasion).
This has been a part of a broader profession renaissance that began with a breakthrough PGA Tour victory finally yr’s Corales Championship. He hit extra greens than another participant on Sunday at Wentworth, signing off with a formidable 64.
He might actually make an announcement this week as he appears to drag forward within the early levels of Ryder Cup qualifying.
Ugo Coussaud – To Win 175/1 | To Place 38/1
That is purely a case of attempting to strike whereas the iron is scorching. Qatar Masters runner-up Ugo Coussard has loved a good rookie season on tour and appears like glorious worth on this week’s place markets.
He completed in a tie for 2nd final week, ending the event with a formidable 16-under-par rating.
The Man to Beat – Mathieu Pavon – To Win 25/1 | To Place 11/2
Defending champion Mathieu Pavon simply screams worth at 25/1. The Frenchman was fortieth at Wentworth however has by no means actually performed effectively on the Harry Colt traditional.
Pavon has been unimaginable right here over the previous two seasons, enhancing from a runner-up end in 2022 to successful the title final yr (in a mixed complete of 42-under-par).
Pavon gained at Torrey Pines this yr and was deep within the combine at Pinehurst No.2, finally settling for a T5 end. His beautiful iron play and silky contact across the greens make him excellent worth at 25/1.
