It’s back to the Middle East for the European Tour when the field tees it up for the second playing of the Oman Open this week. While the host course Al Mouj is not even 10-years-old, it has been the sight of numerous Challenge Tour events and certainly is no stranger to many competitors in the field. Defending champion Joost Luiten tamed the layout last year to a -16 in the inaugural event and is the betting favorite at +1000 at BookMaker.eu. Several of the more high-profile golfers are taking the week off, leaving the field wide open and giving value to players lower on the odds board. Below is a list of matchup odds for the 72-hole event at the 7,365-yard, par-72 track in Muscat, Oman.
Oman Open Matchup Odds at BookMaker.eu
Andrew Johnston -140 vs. Gaganjeet Bhullar +110
Lucas Herbert -135 vs. Romain Langasque +106
Andrea Pavan -130 vs. Scott Hend +100
Robert Rock -135 vs. Bernd Wiesberger +105
Matthieu Pavon -135 vs. Jeff Winther +105
Matthias Schwab -140 vs. Chris Paisley +110
Victor Perez -109 vs. Matthew Southgate -119
Fabrizio Zanotti -115 vs. Dean Burmester -115
Bradley Dredge -105 vs. Nicolas Colsaerts -125
Mike Lorenzo-Vera -105 vs. Chris Wood -125
Paul Waring -119 vs. Victor Dubuisson -110
David Lipsky -103 vs. Paul Dunne -125
Adri Arnaus +100 vs. Scott Vincent -130
Jorge Campillo -130 vs. Pablo Larrazabal +100
Ross Fisher -150 vs. Thomas Detry +120
Justin Harding -115 vs. Marcus Kinhult -115
Minwoo Lee -130 vs. Marcus Kinhult +100
Andy Sullivan -130 vs. Clement Sordet +100
Joost Luiten -187 vs. Alexander Levy +149
Jordan L Smith -115 vs. Ross Fisher -115
Jordan L Smith -115 vs. Thomas Detry -115
Thomas Pieters -160 vs. Alexander Levy +127
Justin Harding -103 vs. Minwoo Lee -124
Joost Luiten -115 vs. Thomas Pieters -115
Callum Shinkwin -130 vs. Zander Lombard +100
Need to Know
The course is young, and though it’s hosted a number of Challenge Tour events there isn’t much to go on in terms of form. And considering the field is diluted from earlier playings in the Middle East desert, it wouldn’t be a shock to see a player rise from down the odds board. Spanning the coast of the Indian Ocean and overlooking the Gulf of Oman, the layout is flat and exposed with a traditional links-style appeal. Wind could be a factor with gusts off the Gulf always unpredictable. The course plays long at approximately 7,365 yards, but strategy is required to navigate around the numerous water hazards and strategically placed bunkers. Outside of possible wind gusts, the conditions are expected to be favorable.
Oman Open Matchup Picks
Joost Luiten -115 vs. Thomas Pieters
It’s always tempting to reach down the odds board with a field like this. On the other hand, the favorites have longer odds and a higher payout themselves, so why not stick with a guy like Luiten. He is after all the defending champion and riding a nice run of recent form. Making up for lost time due to an injury, Luiten returned with a T11 at Valderrama and had a nice run during the earlier Middle East swing. He missed the cut in Dubai but backed that up with a solo third in Abu Dhabi and a T6 in Saudi Arabia. To prove that wasn’t a fluke he grabbed at top-10 at last week’s WGC. Pieters is making waves again after his career derailed, but he’s not there yet.
Bernd Wiesberger +105 vs. Robert Rock
I’ve been talking about Wiesberger off and on for the past few months about how he’s ready to breakthrough now that the debilitating wrist injury has healed. He was on the fast track prior to getting shelved and the recovery has been long and arduous. He will be making his seventh start after being out of action for seven months, and while he hasn’t challenged the top of the leaderboard in any of those events, he is a six-time Euro Tour winner and posted six top-10s, including a title, in his last full season. He’s ready to breakthrough and this is the kind of field that will allow him to do that.
David Lipsky -103 vs. Paul Dunne
Much like tournament favorite Luiten, Lipsky is making the long flight to Oman on the heels of an impressive outing at the WGC in Mexico last week. Jet lag could be an issue for both golfers, but it’s not like they haven’t done it before. And making the trip after a top-10 is always more uplifting. Lipsky has a win already this season, capturing the Alfred Dunhill Championship in December, and he placed in a tie for 10th alongside Tiger Woods and Luiten last week. He’ll be playing Al Mouj for the first time, but he’s familiar with the Middle East terrain snatching a T16 in Abu Dhabi and a T24 in Saudi Arabia.
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Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker.eu. The Oman Open is scheduled for February 28 – March 3 and can be seen on Golf Channel.
