Coetzee To Coast Hassan II In Agadir

The European Tour moves to North Africa where a quality field takes to the course in Agadir for the Trophee Hassan II.

The Tournament

The Hassan II Trophy was first played back in 1971 but hadn’t always been a fixture on the calendar, until it was co-sanctioned by the European Tour in 2010. The prize fund is a modest 1.5 million Euros, but with the Masters just two weeks away, this event offers the last chance for some European players to propel themselves into the world top fifty ranking and earn that coveted Augusta invitation.

The Course

The tournament moved from Rabat to the Golf du Palais Royal in Agadir in 2011 and this venue is hosting the event for the tenth time overall. At a touch under 7000 metres, it isn’t a long, and the wide fairways offer plenty of leeway. But the small greens are well defended by bunkers and the Atlantic gales can be tough to contend with, so accurate iron-play and scrambling ability are the keys to success there.

In The Bunker

Alexander Levy is one of a number of players prominent in the betting who have one eye on a Masters place, but he makes less appeal than some of those around him at the top of the antepost market. He hasn’t made the top twenty in any of his outings so far this year, and missed the cut in the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week. He’s finished down the field in both visits to Morocco and he’s one to avoid at 25/1.

Recommended Bets

Two weeks after picking up his second European Tour title at the Tshwane Open, George Coetzee should be feeling pretty good about life at the moment and is the deserved antepost favourite this week.

Victory in Morocco would lift him into the top fifty and earn him a spot at Augusta, and he has some solid form in Agadir, finishing fourth and eleventh in his two visits there.

Back him at 16/1 to lift the trophy.

Andy Sullivan is another player hoping to do enough in Morocco to get into the Masters, and few golfers are in better form at the moment. He’s won twice already in 2015 and although he has struggled in his last two outings, it is worth noting that the last time he played in Agadir, he hit a superb final round of 63 to finish second. At 22/1 he’s a solid bet.

Gregory Bourdy has yet to make an impact in five attempts at this tournament, but last year produced his best effort yet to finish inside the top twenty and there were positive signs at the Tshwane Open last time, where he shot a final round of 66 to make the top ten. If he can carry that form into this week he should be competitive and offers some value at odds of 28/1.