European Masters 2024 First-Round Leader Tips: Picks from 55/1 to 100/1

• 55/156.00 Joost Luiten loves this setting and is showing good signs

• 100/1101.00 Max Kieffer was FRL the last time he played Crans

• 90/191.00 Richie Ramsay is a former winner here

Weather forecast for Thursday

The views are spectacular but it's not the best day weather-wise up in the Swiss mountains.

The forecast suggests cloud and a chance of light rain throughout the day. Wind speeds are around 8mph while temperatures are struggling in the 50s, making it the coldest day of the week.

But at least it's consistently average so there's no tee-time bias to speak of.

Joost Luiten @ 55/156.00

"What a great event and one of the most beautiful courses you will ever see."

"I just love to play golf in the mountains."

"Nevers gets boring! Best views in golf?"

It's fair to say that Joost Luiten is a huge fan of this event. Those quotes are from his Instagram page which also includes a more recent picture of him (with harness and crash helmet) climbing in Spain.

Which is all lovely but how about his actual record in this tournament?

Well, it's impressive with six top 30s in his last seven visits and fifth place last year.

As for fast starts, he opened with a 65 to sit second after 18 holes in 2022 while he opened with a 66 when making the top five 12 months ago.

Luiten is finding form again and comes in off a pair of top 25s, including 18th at The Belfry last week where he was eighth at halfway.

He hits his first shot of the day, from the 10th, at 08.50.

Max Kieffer @ 100/1101.00

Max Kieffer has made four of his six cuts at Crans and the last time he played it, the German shot a 64 to take a piece of the first-round lead.

That was back in 2018 so it's a little strange that he's kept it off his schedule since.

Still, he returns this week and a couple of fast starts in his last four outings suggest he can hit the ground running.

Kieffer fired a first-round 64 at July's Scottish Open to sit third after 18 holes while a Thursday 65 at the Czech Masters a few weeks ago put him in second spot.

The 34-year-old's form is certainly patchy but this market is all about pulling out a low one and, amid the average stuff, Kieffer has two 64s, a 65 and a 66 in his last 14 rounds on the DP World Tour.

The 100/1 shot (1/4, 5 places) tees off in the afternoon at 13.10 local time from the 10th.

Richie Ramsay @ 90/191.00

Richie Ramsay is a former winner of this event and the Scot certainly won't be thrown by the cool temperatures.

Ramsay won this title 12 years ago now and has added two further top 10s at Crans.

He's also been the first-round leader thanks to a 62 in 2014 while he was 19th after day one in 2022 via a 67.

The strong memories are one element; the other is his third place at the Czech Masters just two starts ago.

Ramsay, who had been showing decent FRL form with opening 68s at the Italian Open and Scottish Open, shot a 65 on day one in Prague to lie second and his top three was his best finish since last summer when he followed a fifth at the Scandinavian Mixed with third at the Made In Himmerland two starts later.

Two starts on from his strong performance in the Czech Masters - he was a solid 39th at The Belfry last week - hopefully Ramsay starts fast to set the tone for another good week on the European mainland.

He opens his bid at 13.50 from the 1st.

Now read Steve Rawlings on the European Masters