Having mugged Brooks Koepka to win the $15million FedEx Cup at East Lake last week, you could have forgiven Rory McIlroy if he decided to put his feet up for a few weeks to count his earnings.
The fact that McIlroy’s unlikely victory came on the same day as Ben Stokes’ cricketing miracle at Headingley meant that the Northern Irishman didn’t get the column inches on the back pages that his exploits deserved.
McIlroy hasn’t managed to win a Major this year but it’s not been through want of trying. He’s still managed to accumulate a record-breaking amount of prize money on the US PGA Tour in 2019, however, and now switches his attention to what’s left of the European PGA Tour, starting with this week’s European Masters at Crans-sur-Sierre in Switzerland.
The Course
Crans-sur-Sierre boasts arguably the most spectacular setting on the European Tour.
A almost 5,000ft above sea level, Crans Montana is famous in winter for its skiing with 140km of pistes running through the resort. But in the summer months, the resort turns into a golfers’ paradise.
Surrounded by the snow-capped Valais and Bernese Alps, including the 14,873ft Weisshorn, it’s possible to see Mont Blanc on a clear day from the closing holes.
The rareified air encourage players to find extra yards from off the tee but ball travel can take some getting used it, as can the much smaller than normal greens, so it’s no accident that the course can favour those who are familiar with its quirks.
Six of the last 10 winners of the European Masters had finished in the top 10 in their previous tournament so this is generally not an event for shock results.
European Masters Recent Winners
| Year | Winner | Country | Score | To par | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Matthew Fitzpatrick (2) | England | 263 | −17 | Playoff | Lucas Bjerregaard |
| 2017 | Matthew Fitzpatrick | England | 266 | −14 | Playoff | Scott Hend |
| 2016 | Alexander Norén (2) | Sweden | 263 | −17 | Playoff | Scott Hend |
| 2015 | Danny Willett | England | 263 | −17 | 1 stroke | Matthew Fitzpatrick |
| 2014 | David Lipsky | United States | 262 | −18 | Playoff | Graeme Storm |
| 2013 | Thomas Bjørn (2) | Denmark | 264 | −20 | Playoff | Craig Lee |
| 2012 | Richie Ramsay | Scotland | 267 | −16 | 4 strokes | Fredrik Andersson Hed Marcus Fraser Romain Wattel Danny Willett |
| 2011 | Thomas Bjørn | Denmark | 264 | −20 | 4 strokes | Martin Kaymer |
| 2010 | Miguel Ángel Jiménez | Spain | 263 | −21 | 3 strokes | Edoardo Molinari |
| 2009 | Alexander Norén | Sweden | 264 | −20 | 2 strokes | Bradley Dredge |
European Masters Leading Contenders – will Rory still be celebrating FedEx success?
RORY MCILROY is a very short-priced favourite at 4/1 considering he’s flown straight from celebrations in the States, where he boosted his bank balance to the tune of $15million last week. That said, he has only played Crans-sur-Sierre three times before and has yet to finish worse that seventh so he clearly loves the Swiss air. If he’s fully recovered, McIlroy would be the one to beat but he is a short price considering he may not be at his very best mentally or physically.
MATTHEW FITZPATRICK has won the last two European Masters and is only a general 8/1 to complete the hat-trick. The young Englishman is certainly overdue another win on the European Tour having finished second three times, including in last week’s Hong Kong Open. To win any tournament for three years in succession would be an unbelievable effort, however, and he may also be short enough in the betting.
DANNY WILLETT won the European Masters in 2015, having tied for second in 2012, and nearly always brings his ‘A’ game to Crans-sur-Sierre. Attractively priced at 25/1 with Betfair for each-way purposes, the 32-year-old from Sheffield has had an up-and-down year but did finish 12th in the US Open and sixth in the Open at Royal Portrush. With that sort of pedigree, he is overpriced for a tournament like this considering he is already proven at the venue.
TOMMY FLEETWOOD was, of course, runner-up in the Open. He has since finished alongside McIlroy and Fitzpatrick in the St Jude Invitational in Memphis. He’s available at 12/1 with Bet365 and is currently fourth in the European Tour rankings. With the Race To Dubai still wide open, Fleetwood will be looking to consolidate his position and this event carries plenty of prize money.
MATT WALLACE is a general 25/1 but it’s fair to say his overall form has been indifferent since he finished third in the BMW International Open in June. The European Masters has gone to a play-off in five of the last six years and Wallace has shown a tendency to waver under real pressure in the past.
ALEX NOREN is without a win on the European Tour in more than 12 months but the reason he is only a best 25/1 this week is that he’s won twice at Crans-sur-Sierre. The Swede was back in the groove in his homeland last week but he has been let down by his putting this year and that would be a worry on these miniscule greens on which every mistake is punished.
The selection is BERND WEISBERGER.
Currently second in the Race To Dubai, the Austrian has remained in top form since winning the Scottish Open last month. Second earlier in the Irish Open, the 33-year-old is fully recovered from the injury problems that hampered him in the first five months of the year and his consistency is remarkable. He has probably sacrificed a bit of driving accuracy for more assured approach play this year but it is paying dividends and ability to plant iron shots on the green at Crans-sure Sierre is a major plus.
European Masters 2019 Current Best Odds
Rory McIlroy 4/1
Matthew Fitzpatrick 8/1
Tommy Fleetwood 12/1
Matt Wallace, Alex Noren, Erik van Rooyen and Danny Willett 25/1
Rory Sabbatini, Bernd Wiesberger, Sergio Garcia and Thomas Pieters 33/1
Andrea Pavan and Lucas Bjerregaard 40/1
Mike Lorenzo Vera and Lee Westwood 45/1
Joost Luiten 55/1
Andrew Johnston 60/1
Thomas Detry and Andy Sullivan 66/1
Eddie Pepperell 70/1
Troy Merritt, Gavin Green, Robert MacIntyre, Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Alexander Bjork 80/1
Matthias Schwab and Sam Horsfield 90/1
Marcus Kinhult and Romain Langasque 100/1
(Odds correct at 3.15pm August 27)
