Andalucia Masters Each-Way Tips: Take one direction with Ferguson

Main Bet: Ewen Ferguson 1pt each-way @ 66/1

In last Sunday's Open de Espana the final blow of the week, a short birdie conversion by the winner Jon Rahm, was greeted by a raucous cry of "Viva Seve!"

A few days later the great golfer is again in everyone's thoughts as the circuit heads to Valderrama for the Andalucia Masters.

It was there 25 years ago that Ballesteros captained Europe to victory in the Ryder Cup, a leadership campaign that was equal parts inspiration and chaos.

The Costa del Sol is all set for another trans-Atlantic battle, with next year's Solheim Cup heading to Finca Cortesin, a few miles up the coast from Valderrama.

The local organisers will be hoping that this week acts as a fine opportunity to publicise the big match because 12 months ago Rahm somewhat awkwardly revealed that he was oblivious to the upcoming tussle.

That will be a project for the PR team. The players will have their hands full with a Robert Trent Jones Sr. layout that is enormously well-liked by its fans and disdained by those who consider it a nasty confection.

It is a par-71 at a touch over 7,000 yards which tests ball striking in particular.

Tee shots are made difficult by tight fairways which twist between cork trees and approaches need to be precise with the greens on the small side.

There are then other problems, ones that provoke the ire of those who aren't fans.

For example, there are not just trees lining the fairways; sometimes they have been left plumb in the middle of them.

It's hard to account for such a quirky factor, but the notion of wanting a trio of golfers who are at home when looking down an avenue of trees is very straightforward.

First pick is the Scotsman Ewen Ferguson who the column selected for the Made in Himmerland at the start of last month and who very nearly landed the win for us.

He eventually had to settle for second place, but it was more proof of just what a fine season he's had coming hot on the heels of his second win of the campaign.

The first had come in Doha at the Qatar Masters, but the second in August was at Galgorm Castle in the ISPS Handa World Invitational.

Since that course graduated to hosting DP World Tour events players with fine Valderrama records have thrived there - the likes of Aaron Rai, Jordan Smith, Alejandro Canizares, David Horsey and Daniel Gavins.

The American John Catlin has even completed Galgorm-Valderrama double and Ferguson can emulate him.

His first top five on the second tier was at the tight Gloria in Turkey, his first top three at this level was at the tree-lined Rinkven International in Belgium, he's been fourth at the tighter of the two Royal Dar es Salam tracks in Morocco, eighth at the wooded Muthaiga in Kenya this year and he has multiple top 10s at both Adamstal and Galgorm.

With conditions to suit and two wins for the year this is a good price.

Next Best: Guido Migliozzi 1pt each-way @ 50/1

There's a lot that links second pick Guido Migliozzi with first pick Ferguson.

Both are managed by Niall Horan's agency, both wasted no time landing a second DP World Tour title after winning their first, and both like bashing balls between the trees.

The Italian claimed his first win at the Karen Country Club in Kenya in early 2019 and within three months had added the Belgian Knockout at Rinkven International.

He's also missed out in a play-off at the wooded Belfry and finished seventh in Crans.

He's missed two cuts at Valderrama but in-between he finished sixth in 2020.

In recent weeks he has landed top 20s at Galgorm Castle and Wentworth ahead of winning in sensational style at Le Golf National in the Open de France.

He missed the cut the following week at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship but that's not great surprise in the week after a win.

And the final thing he has in common with Ferguson? He's also a nice price, in this case for a fellow who likes winning, likes the conditions and has a result to prove it.

Final Bet: Thomas Detry 1pt each-way @ 28/1

A first for me this week: I like Thomas Detry's chances.

Ordinarily, I've always considered him the type who is understandably highly rated, but whose price puts me off.

There's just enough to sway me this time around.

The first point is that very little needs to be said about his undoubted skills.

He won in his first season on the second tier (at the wooded Heythrop Park) and landed third place at Leopard Creek in his first start as a full member of the main tour.

That was a hint that he'd have little difficulty holding onto his card and it proved a good hint.

He's good enough to have recorded 30 top 10s at this level and in all conditions.

But for this week it bears pointing out that he's been second at Eichenried, seventh at Silkeborg, third at Carya, ninth at Royal Dar, third at Gary Player CC and second at Forest of Arden.

All of them came within trees, not always so narrowly as at Valderrama but he has been eighth there, too.

He's in a nice trot of form starting with fifth at Wentworth and then three cuts made in his rookie year on the PGA Tour. Those latter three results include a ninth, 12th and two 65s last week.

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