Alps Accuracy Key Factor For Ramsay

The European Tour moves to the idyllic Crans-sur-Sierre course set in the Swiss Alps this week where Jamie Donaldson heads the betting at 12/1.

The Tournament

Established in 1923, this was the first event to be co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour, and is one of the more prestigious tournaments on the European circuit. There are two million Euros in prize money and valuable points in the Race to Dubai on offer, and although some of the bigger names in European golf will be on the other side of the Atlantic, the field for this year’s renewal looks pretty competitive.

The Course

Set in the Swiss Alps, the Crans-sur-Sierre course is the most spectacular golf venue in Europe. The high altitude means that shots travel further, although if the weather turns rough, the wind can be a problem. With narrow fairways, thick rough, and the recent addition of strategically-placed water hazards, the key at this course is accuracy to fairway and green, and players in good touch with their irons should do well.

In The Bunker

Jamie Donaldson tops the antepost betting after securing his Ryder Cup spot with victory in the Czech Masters last time out. He also has two top tens in this event in his last three visits, so clearly goes well at the course, but I’ll be opposing him at odds of 12/1. He’s comfortably placed in the Race to Dubai and his season-long target – a place at Gleneagles – has been achieved. He took a week off after his Czech triumph and I’m not sure how motivated he will be in Switzerland.

Recommended Bets

Richie Ramsay hasn’t had a great 2014 but this tournament provided him with his biggest win on the Tour two years ago, and he goes to Switzerland in decent form. He registered three sub-70 rounds, including a 66 and a 67 to finish fourth in the Italian Open last week,

but topped the Greens In Regulation stats and that bodes well for a course where accuracy is key. Back him at 35/1.

Ross Fisher also cracked the top ten in Italy, his first decent finish in a Tour event since the Irish Open back in June. Like Ramsay, he was hitting the greens consistently last week and whilst he’s never won this event, he did finish fifth in Switzerland last year. At 40/1 he’s good value to pick up his sixth Tour event.

The shortlist is completed by a couple of newcomers. Kristoffer Broberg has been improving steadily in his second full season and although he finished outside the top ten in Italy last week, he was finding the fairway with regularity and is a decent bet at 50/1. And at even bigger odds, take an each way chance on rookie Daan Huizing. He’s yet to crack the top ten this season, but ranked in the top five for both Greens In Regulation and Driving Accuracy in Italy and is worth backing at 150/1 each way to make the top five in Switzerland.