The European Tour has toyed with the Austrian Golf Open since the first playing in 1990. The name and format have changed, though the host course has been the same Diamond Country Club since 2010. The tournament was first up last year when the Tour resumed play after the COVID shutdown and it’s moved to its earliest start on the calendar this year to make up for the shuttered Portugal Masters. This was a dual ranking tournament last year when Marc Warren toppled the field. However, we will have a new champion since Warren isn’t among the 144 players teeing it up on Thursday. Visit BookMaker.eu for a complete list of tournament matchup odds when you’re ready to place a wager.
Austrian Golf Open Matchup Odds at BookMaker.eu
Masahiro Kawamura -143 vs. Ross Fisher +113
Jacques Kruyswijk +116 vs. John Catlin -146
Scott Jamieson -124 vs. Niklas Lemke -106
David Horsey -132 vs. Wil Besseling +102
Pep Angles +109 vs. Sebastian Heisele -139
Louis De Jager -121 vs. Justin Walters -109
Maximilian Kieffer -137 vs. Adrian Meronk +107
Grant Forrest +120 vs. Ashley Chesters -150
James Morrison -139 vs. Marcel Schneider +109
Garrick Higgo -105 vs. Callum Shinkwin -125
Matthieu Pavon -138 vs. Gonzalo Fdez-Castano +108
Matthew Jordan -125 vs. Ashun Wu -105
Rasmus Hojgaard -122 vs. Dean Burmester -108
Jack Senior -146 vs. Richard McEvoy +116
Thomas Detry -170 vs. Justin Harding +135
Alexander Bjork -114 vs. Marcus Armitage -116
Rasmus Hojgaard -122 vs. Adri Arnaus -108
Thomas Detry -216 vs. Sam Horsfield +169
Sean Crocker -164 vs. Garrick Higgo +131
Sean Crocker -150 vs. Callum Shinkwin +120
Maverick Antcliff +121 vs. Darius Van Driel -151
Dean Burmester -116 vs. Adri Arnaus -114
Kurt Kitayama +105 vs. Joost Luiten -135
Sebastian Garcia Rodriguez +108 vs. Richard Bland -138
Need to Know
It’s back to being a stand-alone ET event this year though the field doesn’t necessarily reflect that. Since this was a late addition to the schedule and we’re just a few days removed from The Masters, the roster of players is thin. That won’t affect the wagering opportunities, though. Located just outside of Vienna, Diamond Country Club has hosted since 2010. It’s a relatively long course at over 7,450 yards and straightforward with flat exposed fairways and greens on the smallish side. Water is a prominent feature throughout with a lake nestled up against the right side of the 18th hole, which should add excitement to the finish. Though the course is long, distance off the tee hasn’t been a crucial stat for past winners. A combination of distance and accuracy along with strong iron play is needed to compete this week.
Austrian Golf Open Matchup Picks
Kurt Kitayama +105 vs. Joost Luiten
He’s one of the few players ranked in the OWGR top-100 and he’s been playing solid golf, except for that missed cut at the Kenya Savannah Classic a few weeks back. That’s even more reason to back Kitayama in this matchup. And at plus odds I’ll take him over one of the bigger names in the field. Prior to that MC Kitayama had a run of four straight top-20s, including a sole second at the Magical Kenya Open and a T9 in Qatar where he went sub-70 in six of eight rounds.
Wil Besseling +102 vs. David Horsey
This is a risky pick but I like Besseling to have fond memories of last year’s visit to Diamond Country Club when he finished third just two shots off the lead. He’s never won on Tour and his best showing is third, which he’s accomplished four times in his career. He hasn’t been horrible this season, just not good enough to contend. Besseling has made the cut in two of three starts, so that’s a plus. And at plus odds I see plenty of value in this selection.
Ashley Chesters -150 vs. Grant Forrest
Now I’m getting off the plus odds picks and going with a more conventional player. Chesters’ game fits the Diamond layout with long, accurate drives and solid iron play. He also enters the week in decent form after capturing a top-15 at the Kenya Savannah Classic last month.
Ashun Wu -105 vs. Matthew Jordan
Wu is a former winner of this event who has been playing solid golf. His price in this matchup is surprising given those reasons, making Wu a value pick in my book. He took the title here in 2016 and followed up with a top-10, so he’s familiar and successful on the layout. He has a top-10 and three finishes among the top-33 in three of his last four ET starts, so the game isn’t far off either.
Justin Harding +135 vs. Thomas Detry
Detry may be the favorite, but he has a way of playing himself out of contention when things get tight. That’s probably why he’s never won on Tour. Harding has something Detry doesn’t – a title. Harding went 21-under to win the Magical Kenya Open last month and followed that with a T14 at the Kenya Savannah Classic. The South African leaves his homeland and I expect his game will follow, making Harding a nice payday on the matchup picks.
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