The European Tour travels to Italy this week for the 2016 Italian Open. The tournament is one of the oldest on the European Tour. The event was first played 90 years ago and joined the European Tour in 1972.
The tournament has a knack for producing first time winners. At the turn of the century, the Italian Open became a launch pad for young talent, including a maiden European Tour title for Ian Poulter in 2000. Poulter would win it again in 2002.
In 2006, Francesco Molinari claimed the seventh home victory, 26 years after the previous one.
In 2011, Robert Rock secured his first win on the European Tour.
Last year Rikard Karlberg earned his maiden victory on the European Tour. The list goes on and on. If history repeats itself, we may be looking at another first time winner in Italy this week.
The field is set and it looks strong at the top and weak in depth. Martin Kaymer +1100 , Lee Westwood +2000 , Matthew Fitzpatrick +1800, and Masters Champion Danny Willett +1400 headline this week’s Italian Open. The Ryder Cup is only two weeks away and the Europeans need to elevate their games in order to compete with the American squad. Kaymer lost in a playoff a year ago, Westwood is always solid and a contender, Fitzpatrick should thrive on a course that fits his game and Willett has under achieved since his epic win at Augusta in April.
Others to consider this week include Chris Wood +5500 , Thongchai Jaidee +6000 and the flashy Frenchman, Victor Dubuisson +10000.
Italian Golf Odds courtesy of BookMaker Sportsbook:
Martin Kaymer +1100
Danny Willett +1400
Byeong Hun An +1650
Joost Luiten +1700
Matthew Fitzpatrick +1800
Lee Westwood +2000
Rafa Cabrera-Bello +2100
Francesco Molinari +2450
Soren Kjeldsen +2900
Scott Hend +3100
Fabrizio Zanotti +4000
Tyrrell Hatton +4050
Andy Sullivan +4650
Alejandro Canizares +5500
Chris Wood +5500
Nicolas Colsaerts +5050
Pablo Larrazabal +5000
Thongchai Jaidee +6000
Brandon Stone +6050
David Lipsky +6000
Julien Quesne +6500
Richard Bland +6600
Bradley Dredge +6700
Miguel Angel Jimenez +6800
Peter Hanson +6200
Rikard Karlberg +7000
Tommy Fleetwood +6900
David Horsey +8000
Matteo Manassero +8500
Mikko Ilonen +8000
Padraig Harrington +8000
Richard Sterne +8550
Thorbjorn Olesen +8700
Alexander Levy +9000
Jamie Donaldson +9000
Romain Wattel +9500
Marcus Fraser +9550
David Howell +10000
George Coetzee +10000
James Morrison +10000
Paul Dunne +10050
Peter Uihlein +10500
Richie Ramsay +11000
Robert Rock +9500
Victor Dubuisson +10000
FIELD - Any other player not listed above +175
ODDS ANALYSIS
Martin Kaymer +1100 is having a really consistent year on tour. The wins aren't there, but week after week, he contends and is in the mix. The German was three clear at one stage on Sunday last year but couldn’t get it done, eventually losing to Karlberg in a playoff. He was also fifth in his previous start at the Italian Open in 2012. He is in good form, his latest showing was a top six in Denmark. The German is due to pick up a win this year and it could very well be this week on a course he plays well on.
Andy Sullivan +4650 has lost his game at the wrong time. His confidence is gone. He has missed three cuts in a row and is searching to regain the form that he had earlier in the year. He was recently named to the Ryder Cup team and must prove that his game is back before I use him in any kind of format. FADE Sullivan!
Scott Hend +3100 is having arguably the best season in his career. The Aussie has two top 10’s in his last two starts, BUT he has never played well in Italy and the tight, tree-lined course this week will have Hend scrambling to make the cut. Bet AGAINST Hend in the weekly golf matchups.
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