Made in HimmerLand: Wallace a worthy favourite to double up
The DP World Tour stops off in Denmark this week for the eighth renewal of the Made in HimmerLand and our man's here with the lowdown ahead of Thursday's start...
Steve Rawlings says: "We only have six editions here to evaluate and frustratingly, no stats were issued for the winner here five years ago, Julian Suri, but an examination of what stats we do have for those six renewals suggest the putting and scrambling metrics are the stats to consider.
"Bernd Wiesberger ranked seventh for Putting Average last year and the runner-up, Guido Migliozzi, ranked six. Wiesberger topped the PA stats when he won here for the first time in 2019 and the 2018 winner at Silkeborg, Matt Wallace, topped the PA stats here when he finished tied for sixth in 2017. Ben Evans, who finished third, ranked third...
"Wallace topped both the scrambling and Putting Average stats last week and he also topped the Strokes Gained Putting and Around the Green stats, gaining more than nine strokes with the flatstick. With course, current and the relevant statistical form all in place, he's a worthy favourite."
Steve's bet: Back Matt Wallace @ 27.026/1
Made in HimmerLand First-Round Leader Tips: Pepperell can set the pace
Who has the form to make a strong start on Thursday? Dave Tindall has three picks to be First-Round Leader in Farso...
Dave says: "Eddie Pepperell heads out at 08.30 from the 10th so may have a couple of holes to play before it warms up a little. But from there he should be able to flourish and continue the fine form he's shown over the last four starts: 11-2-20-8.
"He's opened with a round in the 60s in all four, sitting fourth after 18 holes in the Cazoo Open earlier this month and 10th following the first lap of the Cazoo Classic. At this week's course, he was fourth in the inaugural event in 2014 and has made his last three cuts, posting tied 28th in 2017 and firing middle rounds of 67 last year when tied 37th.
"His recent Strokes Gained: Approach numbers are brilliant and the putter has heated up too: he's been in the top 25 for Putting Average in the four events he played in the second half of July and August."
Dave's bet: Back Eddie Pepperell each-way at 41.040/1
Made in Himmerland Each-Way Tips: Catlin can be Prince of Denmark
Matt Cooper, who landed a 33/1 winner last week, has three selections with the Betfair Sportsbook paying seven places...
Matt says: "This week's first selection is the American John Catlin. The last two renewals of this event have been won by Bernd Wiesberger, the Austrian who has also finished first, second and fifth at Diamond Country Club in Vienna (in fact he's 6-for-7 at finishing top 15).
"Scotland's Marc Warren has won at both courses and so has Sweden's Mikael Lundberg. England's Dave Horsey has finished first and second at Himmerland, and second, seventh and ninth at Diamond. And Catlin? He was eighth at Diamond on debut in 2020 and this column's pick when winning the 2021 Austrian Open there.
"Moreover, while I like this course link, I also like that when he played this layout for the first (and only previous) time in 2019 he was T12th, opening with a 67 and closing with a 66."
Matt's bet: Back John Catlin each-way @ 41.040/1
Find Me a 100 Winner: Hop on Hansen at a tasty price
our man has a pair of outsiders to trade in Farsø as he continues his quest to land a winner at enormous odds...
Steve Rawlings says: "In addition to staging this event for six of the seven renewals, HimmerLand has also hosted some Nordic Golf League events and the Made in Denmark Challenge on the Challenge Tour in 2018 and that event was won in very impressive fashion by home hero - J.B Hansen - who won by five strokes!
"Hansen hasn't performed here in this event yet but that doesn't unduly put me off. He's an in-and-out performer and long periods of nothing are nothing new. Indeed, he's endured quite a slump this year since finishing fifth in South Africa in March, but he caught the eye in Switzerland last week after a slow start with rounds of 65, 68 and 64 to finish 14th.
"The 32-year-old Dane is in search of his third DP World Tour event in as many years following impressive enough successes in the Joburg Open in 2020 and the Dubai Championship last year and I'm pleased to see Matt Cooper's keen on his chances too."
Steve's bet: Back 2u J.B Hansen @ 140.0139/1
Place order to lay 8u @ 10.09/1 & 10u @ 2.35/4
Made in HimmerLand 2022: Course and current form stats
Andy Swales has the players' form stats, the key course info and his ones to watch at this week's event...
Andy says: "Situated around 16 miles south-west of Aalborg - Denmark's fourth largest town - HimmerLand has undulating fairways and greens, with water coming into play on five holes.
"Wind is usually a factor at this fairly exposed location, while fairway lies on the Creeping Bent and Festuca turf can sometimes be described as tight. Although there are few trees for the pros to worry about, the course certainly has plenty of sand...
"Alexander Bjork, the former world number 59, tied-for-6th here last year and has posted five top-25 finishes from his last eight starts. Not scintillating, I agree, but neither is the quality of DP World Tour fields right now."
Steve's bet: Back Alexander Bjork @ 34.033/1
LIV Golf Invitational Boston Tips: DJ's Boston tee party
Matt Cooper has tipped two winners and two placed finishers from just six picks in the first three LIV Golf Invitationals. He's got two more selections for the Boston event with the Betfair Sportsbook paying five places...
Matt says: "The International's Oaks Course is a Tom Fazio original design notable for having five par-3s, but also two short par-4s on the front nine and three par-5s, none of which reach 570-yards in length.
"Two of the back nine par-4s are also over 500-yards, all of which suggests to me that this course might be favourable for the big-hitters and one whose wedge game is high quality. That introduces Dustin Johnson into the equation and his form has been getting better in recent times and he's even looked like he actually wants the win again.
"He was eighth in the first LIV event in London, 24th after a bright start at the US Open, fourth in LIV's second outing in Portland, sixth in the Open, and then second last time out at Bedminster."
Matt's bet: Back Dustin Johnson @ 6.5011/2