Stenson Solid Bet To Shine In Munich

Henrik Stenson heads the betting for the BMW International Open which returns to Munich this year.

The Tournament
The BMW International Open was founded in 1989 and remains the only European Tour event to be staged in Germany. At around two million Euros, the prize fund is modest by Tour standards, but this year’s edition has managed to attract more of the top European stars than it usually does. Ernie Els is the only non-European to win this event in the last ten years, and three of the last six winners were Englishmen.

The Course
After moving to Cologne again for the 2014 renewal, the tournament returns to its usual venue this year, the Golfclub Munchen Eichenried, Munich. The course is of average length, and fairly exposed, so the ability to cope with strong winds is important. The fairways are firm and narrow, and the rough is punishing. It favours accuracy over distance, with extra difficulty provided by water hazards on nine holes.

In The Bunker
Martin Kaymer started the year in fine form on the Desert Swing, but hasn’t been at the races since, a top twenty at Wentworth being the best he’s managed in recent weeks. As the winner of this tournament in 2008 he’s probably the star draw in the field, and he did crack the top five when it was last held in Munich, but he comes into this event having missed the cut at both the Irish Open and the US Open, hardly looks like a man about to rediscover his mojo and is best avoided at 9/1.

Recommended Bets
If you’re looking for a reliable star at the top of the antepost betting market then you might as well plump for the favourite, Henrik Stenson. His form hasn’t been spectacular, but he has managed six top-twenties in 2015 and he kicked off the US Open last week with an excellent 65.

This should give him some confidence ahead of a tournament that he won in 2006 and in which he has managed five top tens in his last six visits. At 15/2 he looks a solid bet this week.

Bernd Wiesberger’s second at the Irish Open was his fourth top-four finish of the year and having tipped him to do well at the Lyoness Open, it was disappointing to see him ruin his chances with a poor first round. But given his generally solid form this year I think he’s worth another chance in Munich, where he finished fourth in 2013, and odds of 25/1 look tempting.

Thomas Bjorn’s season had been meandering along in an unremarkable way but his eleventh-placed finish at Wentworth suggested that he was finding some form and after a solid effort at the Nordea Masters, he could be worth sticking with in Munich. He won this event in 2000 and 2002 and has five other top tens, including last year, and at 40/1 he offers a touch of value.