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In-Running Picks - European Tour

Tipster: Jumbo

Odds: In-Running

 
 
Najeti Golf et Hotels Open
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Brooks Koepka - 1.5 points e/way 20-1 (Corals 1/5 123)

 

Very simply (as this is one busy night), Koepka is 'the man' on Tour this year. The All-American has won twice already in 2013, including a record 10-shot victory in Spain, whilst a further two top-tens and a 7th when following up that media-friendly win reads on a different level to those at the top of the board.

 

Just four shots in front, Simon Thornton hasn't broken 73 in two Sundays here, whilst Tjart Van Der Valt has never won on any Tour and also struggles to bring his top game through to Payday. The rest do not need much more evidence to be marked 'avoid' and so just about the best player under par is Englishman Seve Benson with three wins on this Tour and recent top-10s in Italy and Madeira (another windy tricky course). Benson can also boast a final round 67 in 2008, but at one-quarter the odds of Koepka, he looks comparitively underpriced.

 

To the selection. Koepka is a maturing young golfer who looks like taking the Challenge Tour by storm, just as Kris Broberg did last season. Missing the cut at the Olympic US Open, he turned pro on the Challnge Tour in 2012 and made an instant impression with two top-tens and a win, eventually finishing top-50 in the rankings. Clearly his game has now reached another level and it tells much that he was able to show up in the Czech Open and finish 69/62 after such media attention. Spurred on by his mother, who has beaten life-threatening cancer, he is seen as a very dedicated golfer by those close to him and his improvement throughout this week is clear -  greens in regulation has improved every day whilst his move up the board has come via better scrambling when needed. St.Omer takes some knowing and having flown through the field in tricky windy conditions today, can improve again when it matters. Let's face it, Koepka has only scored in the 70's once in his last ten weekend rounds. 20-1 seriously under-estimates his quality.