Omega European Masters 2024: Course and current form stats

• Precision is the key to success on short course

• Wallace 25/126.00 can claim first win in 17 months

• Saddier 66/167.00 could offer good each-way value

Tournament and Course Notes

• From one iconic European golfing venue to another, the DP World Tour departs The Belfry in the West Midlands, and travels approximately 770 miles south-east to tee-up in the Swiss Alps. This week's Omega European Masters takes place at possibly the most scenic venue anywhere in professional golf. Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club has been a regular Tour stop for over 50 years;

• Formerly known as the Swiss Open, the Omega European Masters has been part of the annual schedule since the European Tour was officially launched in 1972. Apart from 2020, when the tournament was cancelled due to the pandemic, it has been held every year since;

• The event is staged over Crans-sur-Sierre's Severiano Ballesteros Course. Located in the Swiss Alps, around 120 miles east of Geneva and a similar distance south of Berne, Crans-sur-Sierre is one of the most photogenic courses in world golf;

• Opened in 1908, and upgraded on a number of occasions since then, the most recent major renovation was carried out by the late Seve Ballesteros 25 years ago. The Spaniard created a number of run-off areas close to greens, which puts a greater emphasis on a golfer's short game;

• The course, which sits more than 4,000 feet above sea level, has reasonably small putting surfaces and steep surrounding slopes which can sweep the ball into numerous tricky spots;

• Its tree-lined fairways are severely undulating - both uphill and downhill - and water comes into play on six holes (all on the back nine). The key to success at Crans is not to wander off the fairways, while hitting plenty of greens in regulation. Achieve this, and there should be plenty of birdies up for grabs;

• Crans-sur-Sierre is one of the shorter venues on Tour and over the last 14 instalments the average-winning 72-hole total is 263.93. Ten of the most recent 14 champions have carded winning scores of 264 or less.

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Good Current Form

Among the Tour's in-form golfers are Romain Langasque 35/136.00, Thriston Lawrence 20/121.00, Adrien Saddier 66/167.00 and Jesper Svensson 35/136.00.

Langasque has posted three top 10s in his most recent five starts, including a brace of podiums; while Lawrence followed a victory on South Africa's Sunshine Tour by finishing runner-up at The Belfry on Sunday. He is also a former champion at Crans.

The lowly-ranked Frenchman Saddier (250) has gone 5th-3rd, and has a best finish of tied-7th at Crans, while Svensson is currently a career-high No 97 in the world.

During 2024, the 28-year-old Swede secured a maiden Tour title in Singapore, and has twice finished runner-up.

He is currently third in this season's Race to Dubai standings and he was fifth at the British Masters on Sunday.

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Good Course Form

The 'top seed' this week is one-time major winner Matt Fitzpatrick 9/110.00 who has stood on the Crans podium on four occasions, including twice as champion.

Although his form on the PGA Tour this year has been below his normal recent standards, the 30-year-old from Sheffield will certainly start as the player to beat this Thursday.

His best results of 2024, so far, came at Muirfield Village (T5) and TPC Sawgrass (5).

Another Englishman who will fancy his chances is 34-year-old Londoner Matt Wallace 25/126.00.

Wallace was runner-up here two years ago and he arrives in Switzerland on the back of a top-10 finish at The Belfry.

Three others with solid Swiss histories are Alexander Bjork 60/161.00, Erik Van Rooyen 25/126.00 and Antoine Rozner 35/136.00.

Of this trio, Van Rooyen might offer the best chance of a victory this Sunday.

The South African qualified for the first of three play-off events in this year's FedEx Cup, which came to a conclusion in Atlanta over the weekend.

Stroke Averages

Lowest 10 At Crans-sur-Sierre (2017-23)
Average .... (Rounds)
67.06: Matt Fitzpatrick (16)
67.17: Antoine Rozner (12)
67.50: Sebastian Soderberg (16)
67.52: Alexander Bjork (21)
67.56: Joost Luiten (16)
67.67: Erik Van Rooyen (12)
67.69: Guido Migliozzi (16)
67.80: Gavin Green (20)
68.15: Nacho Elvira (20)
68.20: Darren Fichardt (20)
68.20: Eddie Pepperell (10)
Min. No. of Rounds = 10
Only those entered this week are included in table

MC* - Missed Additional 54-Hole Cut

NB: No event in 2020 due to pandemic.

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