KLM Open First-Round Leader Tips: 100/1 Sullivan to shine early

Dave Tindall
24 May 2023
3:00 min read

Andy Sullivan can hit the heights early

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The DP World Tour heads to the Netherlands and Dave Tindall has three each-way bets to be first-round leader at Bernardus Golf...

100/1 Andy Sullivan is a proven fast starter
50/1 Eddie Pepperell is a tournament specialist
50/1 Richard Mansell is a course horse

Weather forecast for Thursday

It's a sunny but coldish day to begin with in Cromvoirt with temperatures only about 50 degrees for the very early starters.

Winds are fairly light but as the temperatures pick up so do the gusts for the p.m. wave.

Things could change but morning looks best so I'll select a trio of players with early tee-times.

Andy Sullivan @ 100/1

Andy Sullivan once won a trip to space after making a hole-in-one in this event.

As far as I know, he never claimed it after admitting he was terrified of heights.

Still, this event has some special memories even though that Michael Block moment came back in 2014.

Sullivan started with a 65 on his return to the tournament in 2015 and although his one appearance at this week's course - Bernardus Golf - ended in a missed cut, it's the sort of track (links feel) that should suit him.

In the last four starts, Sullivan was the first-round leader at the ISPS Handa Championship in Japan and second after 18 holes the following week in the Korea Championship.

Also the first-round leader at Wentworth in September, Sullivan is worth a poke at 100/1 to set the pace again.

He heads out at 08.00 from the 10th tee.

Back Andy Sullivan each way @

100/1

Eddie Pepperell @ 50/1

Eddie Pepperell has a superb record in this event and a recent uptick in form points to another strong week.

The Englishman was fourth and fifth at Kennemer, third and sixth at The Dutch and 14th on his first look at this week's course last year.

Pepperell has opened with 66s in his last two appearances. Those fast starts put him third after day one in 2018 and second after lap one here at Bernardus 12 months ago.

His appeal grows further due to a strong return to action in May.

Pepperell was ninth at the Italian Open and backed that up with 22nd at the Soudal Open in Belgium. He was 18th on the final Thursday leaderboard in both events.

The KLM Open specialist gets going at 07.50 from the 10th.

Back Eddie Pepperell each way @

50/1

Richard Mansell @ 50/1

Richard Mansell is the only player in the field with two top 10s to his name at Bernardus.

The Englishman was sixth on debut in 2021 and added ninth last year. Those two fine performances included a Friday 64 two years ago.

Back in October, Mansell led for 54 holes of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship to show he likes this sort of examination.

Indeed, Bernardus was designed by Kyle Phillips, the man responsible for Kingsbarns where Mansell opened his week in Scotland with a 66.

He hasn't missed a cut since then and showed he can shoot low scores with 65s during the DP World Tour's recent visits to Singapore and Japan.

The course specialist looks to have an ideal tee time of 09.30 from the 10th. It will have warmed up by then and he won't really run into the increased afternoon winds.

Back Richard Mansell each way @

50/1