Omega European Masters 2025: Course and current form stats

• Greens in regulation a key stat at Crans

• Nicolai [18/1] ready to win again

• Alex Fitzpatrick [55/1] has strong each-way credentials

Tournament and Course Notes

The DP World Tour has journeyed almost 800 miles to tee-up at Crans Montana in the Swiss Alps. This week's course has been a Tour regular for more than 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 ever-present on the Tour's annual schedule.

The event is staged over Crans-sur-Sierre's Severiano Ballesteros Course. Located in the Alps, approximately 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 26 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 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 - while 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. In 2023, the course underwent some further modifications with a number of putting surfaces redesigned to create more challenging and more numerous pin positions.

At just over 6,800 yards, Crans-sur-Sierre is one of the shorter venues on Tour. And at an altitude of more than 4,000 feet, the ball will fly further in this rarefied air, making the layout even shorter than the official yardage.

Betfair Exchange market for the 2025 Omega European Masters

Six To Watch

Crans-sur-Sierre has certainly been a happy hunting ground for golf professionals from Sheffield.

Both Matt Fitzpatrick 9/110.00 and Danny Willett have triumphed here. Matt won back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018, while posting two other podium finishes in the Alps. Willett, meanwhile, won in 2015, just a few months before he triumphed at Augusta.

And Matt's younger brother Alex has also enjoyed his visits to Crans, with top-six finishes these past two years.

The 26-year-old Alex Fitzpatrick 55/156.00 travels to Switzerland on the back of his tied-eighth at The Belfry on Sunday, which is his best finish of 2025 so far. His eight rounds at Crans average an impressive 67.25.

Betfair Sportsbook latest for 2025 Omega European Masters

Three other former champions teeing-up this week are Rasmus Hojgaard 20/121.00, Alex Noren 14/115.00 and Matt Wallace 25/126.00.

Noren, who triumphed here nine years ago, won at The Belfry on Sunday when Rasmus clinched his spot in this year's European Ryder Cup team.

With no more Ryder Cup qualifying concerns to worry about, Rasmus should feel more relaxed when he returns to a venue where he has previously held aloft the trophy.

Wallace, who may well have missed out on joining skipper Luke Donald's European team in September, is the defending champion at Crans where he was also runner-up in 2022.

And remaining on the family theme, Nicolai Hojgaard 18/119.00 will fancy his chances. As the twin brother of Rasmus, Nicolai finished second at The Belfry on Sunday and he will tee-off in Switzerland hungry to claim a first Tour triumph in over 21 months.

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Stroke Averages

Lowest Eight At Crans-sur-Sierre (2019-24)
Average .... (Rounds)
67.50: Matt Wallace (14)
67.55: Alexander Bjork (20)
67.75: Sebastian Soderberg (20)
67.81: Antoine Rozner (16)
67.83: Thriston Lawrence (12)
67.85: Guido Migliozzi (20)
67.90: Erik Van Rooyen (10)
68.00: Scott Jamieson (20)
Min. No. of Rounds = 8
Only those entered this week are included in table

The Punter's preview for the 2025 Omega European Masters

MC* - Missed Additional 54-Hole Cut

Note: List Contains Leading Reserves