Omega European Masters Preview – Golf Odds September 6-9

Willett looks way too big for Swiss test

Golf Betting

The Omega European Masters is one of the oldest tournaments on the European Tour if you include its past life as the Swiss Open. It’s venue is also one of the most spectacular. Crans-sur-Sierre is a high-altitude course in the Swiss Alps. Jack Nicklaus and Seve Ballesteros were both involved in its design and, because of the thin air, the ball travels much further than it does on other major European courses. It’s only a par-70 but no player since 2000 has won with a four-round score greater than -13 so you are unlikely to be up with the pace if you don’t breach par in every round.

Australian SCOTT HEND plays mostly on the Asian Tour but has won twice on the European Tour, though both tournaments were in the Far East. However, the 45-year-old has finished runner-up after a play-off in the last two stagings of the European Masters so clearly likes the mountain air – is it a coincidence that he’s a big-hitter? Hend looks overpriced this year at 80/1 with Sportingbet and one or two bookmakers are paying places down the seventh for each-way purposes.

Defending champion MATTHEW FITZPATRICK of England is the general 12/1 favourite. Also runner-up in 2015, 2018 was meant to be a breakthrough year for the Sheffield-born pro but, apart from a good run in the US Open, things haven’t quite worked out and he currently finds himself outside of the top 20 in the European Order Of Merit. He needs a good performance in Switzerland to boost his Ryder Cup claims and was better in the Made In Denmark last week, though looks short enough in the betting.

DANNY WILLETT is another Sheffield golfer with a pretty good record at Crans-sur-Sierre and much more attractive at odds of 35/1 with Sportingbet. The 30-year-old has not won a tournament since his surprise victory in the US Masters in 2016 but he has broken par in four of his last tournament appearances, including the Open at Carnoustie in July. As well as his win in the European Masters in 2015, he was also joint runner-up in 2012.

South Africa’s CHARL SCHWARTZEL (a general 25/1) is bidding for a 12th European Tour title and the 2011 Masters champion gives this tournament further strength-in-depth alongside last week’s winner in Denmark, MATT WALLACE, and LEE WESTWOOD (a general 28/1). The latter won in Switzerland back in 1999 but has also finished in the top 10 on four occasions.

Omega European Masters Current Best Odds

Matthew Fitzpatrick 12/1
Thomas Pieters 22/1
Charl Schwartzel 25/1
Matt Wallace 25/1
Lucas Bjerregaard 28/1
Lee Westwood 28/1
Ryan Fox 33/1
Haotong Li 33/1
Danny Willett 35/1
Kiradech Aphibarnrat 40/1
Thomas Detry 40/1
Ross Fisher 40/1
Erik van Rooyen 40/1
Andy Sullivan 45/1
Alexander Bjork 50/1
Andrea Pavan 50/1
Chris Wood 50/1
Robert Rock 55/1
Matthew Southgate 55/1
Richie Ramsay 60/1
Richard Sterne 60/1
Alexander Levy 66/1
Adrian Otaegui 66/1
Martin Kaymer 66/1
Paul Dunne 66/1
Andrew Johnston 66/1
Aaron Rai 70/1
Sam Horsfield 70/1
Fabrizio Zanotti 70/1
Joakim Lagergren 70/1
Miguel Angel Jimenez 80/1
Lee Slattery 80/1
Scott Hend 80/1
Jorge Campillo 80/1
Nacho Elvira 80/1

(Odds correct at 2.45pm September 4)