Record setting rookie Thomas Pieters +750 and defending champion Andy Sullivan +1500 headline this week’s Portugal Masters. Pieters was brilliant in his Ryder Cup debut earning the most points by any player and this course should be perfect for his game. Sullivan has struggled. He played horrible in the Ryder Cup and has played poorly most of the year. Last week’s winner Alex Noren is also in the field. The former Oklahoma State Cowboy picked up his third win of the year and seventh of his career. The Swede climbed to No. 20 in the world rankings and is quietly becoming one of the best players in the world.
Other notable players include Alexander Levy +1450, Jamie Donaldson, Tommy Fleetwood +1200, Thongchai Jaidee +2200 and Nicolas Colsaerts +2000.
With only a few weeks left until the Race to Dubai starts, this week provides a great opportunity for the lesser names to grab some much needed points and jump into the race. Time is running out for the players that are not in the top 100 and with a good finish, a few may jump into contention. The field is ripe for the taking this week. The stars are absent and the depth is lame - it’s perfect for an unknown or grizzled veteran to claim the title.
Oceanico Victoria Golf Club is an Arnold Palmer design that opened in 2004. It’s more like a resort course and the scoring is always low. It’s flat and exposed rather than tree-lined. There is plenty of room off the tee giving a huge advantage to the big hitters who can happily bomb away with little rough to punish errant drives. Expect at least 20-under par to win.
Portugal Masters Golf Odds courtesy of BookMaker Sportsbook:
Alex Noren +650
Thomas Pieters +750
Tommy Fleetwood +1200
Alexander Levy +1450
Andy Sullivan +1500
Nicolas Colsaerts +2000
Thongchai Jaidee +2200
Peter Hanson +2450
David Horsey +2670
Anthony Wall +3000
Florian Fritsch +3250
Marc Warren +3500
Thomas Aiken +3575
Joakim Lagergren +3750
Pablo Larrazabal +4000
Renato Paratore +4250
Robert Karlsson +4500
Stephen Gallacher +4750
Alejandro Canizares +5000
George Coetzee +5050
Jorge Campillo +5500
Marcel Siem +5745
Matthew Southgate +6000
Robert Rock +6250
Romain Wattel +6500
David Howell +6550
James Morrison +7000
Julien Quesne +7100
Lee Slattery +7500
Paul Dunne +7550
Padraig Harrington +8000
David Lipsky +8000
Eddie Pepperell +8500
Thorbjorn Olesen +8550
Richard Green +10000
Richie Ramsay +10000
Matteo Manassero +11000
Paul Lawrie +11500
Alvaro Quiros +12500 VALUE
Jason Scrivener +12500
Daniel Im +15000
FIELD - Any Other Player +250
ODDS ANALYSIS
You are not getting much value by taking Alex Noren at +650 but how can you not like his chances against a watered down field. His confidence has to be high and his game is solid. He has won three times already this year and after this week, it might climb to four.
FADE: ANDY SULLIVAN +1500
He is the defending champion, but his game is in a funk and has been for a long time. He played horrible at the Ryder Cup and returned to action last week by finishing T40. The last time he defended a title, he missed the cut. Until he shows me some sort of form, I am fading the Englishman.
FLIER - ALVARO QUIROS +12500
He hasn’t played well in a long time and has no current form, BUT he has played the course more than anyone in the field, represents the club and may surprise this week. The wide open fairways will bode well for his length off the tee.
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