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Yannik Paul is currently flying from the traps
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Flying Finn Tapio Pulkannen love the course
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Thriston Lawrence goes low when up high
Weather forecast for Thursday
It's going to be a warm day in Vysoký Újezd with temperatures in the high 80s and, while rain is expected during the final three tournament days, Thursday is forecast to be dry and sunny with very little wind.
It might be worth considering that in eight tournament visits to Albatross Golf Resort the first round leader (and ties) have emerged from the afternoon wave six times.
What's more, the two exceptions also had exceptional circumstances: in 2018 there was a four-way tie at the top, they all played in the morning, their rounds were disrupted and the PM wave was badly delayed; the year before Callum Shinkwin went low early and then rain impacted on the later starters.
Fluke or reasonable? I'm far from convinced but it is expected to be cool early on so perhaps the warmer conditions help scoring.
Main Bet: Yannik Paul 1pt each-way @ 50/1
Germany's Yannik Paul has been on my short-list longer than anyone in the field after a DP World Tour caddie told me he considered him a great fit for Albatross during a chat at the Open last month.
The bagman added that he considered it entirely possible that Paul could revitalise his bid for the European Ryder Cup on the Czech layout.
A course and tournament debutant, he's logged five top six finishes in his last 12 starts.
But his first round efforts in those dozen appearances are even more striking: one solo lead, one shared lead and another four top five finishes.
He's boom or bust because three times in that stretch he ended the first lap outside the top 100 but he tees off at 12:50 and the promise of boom at this price is the clincher.
Next Best: Tapio Pulkannen 1pt each-way @ 80/1
Nice and simple this one: Tapio Pulkannen loves Albatross.
So much so, in fact, that he's ended 10 of his 15 rounds there inside the top 10.
He's yet to land a first round lead but he was fifth on debut in 2018 (one blow back), third in 2021 (one back) and third again last year (two back). Even in 2019 he carded a Thursday 69.
Should we be concerned that he has no top 30 since early May? Not really - he was in the same form in 2018, 2019 and last year, and in only slightly better nick in 2021.
He's something of a regional specialist because he was third after 18 holes in the 2017 Czech Challenge, three back of the early pace in round one of the 2014 Slovakia Challenge (both on the second tier), and second on Thursday night in the 2018 Shotclock Masters in Vienna.
He's out at 13:10 and Steve Rawlings also likes him this week.
Final Bet: Thriston Lawrence 1pt each-way @ 50/1
Thriston Lawrence is the headline pick in my each-way column for the straightforward reason that he keeps delivering when playing at any kind of altitude.
And that stands up to scrutiny over the first 18 holes, too.
He earned his card at this level with two rounds of 65 to win the Joburg Open, the first sharing the early pace.
He again tied the first round lead when winning last year's European Masters in Crans, high up in the Alps.
He was fifth after 18 holes when defending the Joburg Open and one shot clear at that stage when winning the South African Open a week later.
When he won the BMW International Open in Munich two months ago (which, like this week, is at low altitude in the 450-550 metres range) he kept his low score to a second-best of the third round 66 but it again reiterated he can go low when up high.
And last week he returned to action after the summer break with a rust removal operation in Pretoria - like all the other South African venues mentioned here at altitude - and carded a second round 65.
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