English Championship tips and predictions: Westwood value on familiar ground
Our golf tipster Russell Palmer is back with another three selections from this week's European Tour event, the English Championship...
- Lee Westwood - 1pt win @ odds of 18/1 with William Hill.
- Gavin Green - 1pt each-way @ odds of 28/1 with Paddy Power (7 places).
- Jordan Smith - 0.5pts each-way @ odds of 50/1 with Bet365 (5 places).
It might be major week with the USPGA Championship teeing off on Thursday from San Francisco, but the UK Swing continues with the English Championship from Hanbury Manor at the same time and I've got another three golf tips for your perusal.
I was really excited on Sunday as last week's main pick Rasmus Hojgaard went into his fourth round just one shot back. However, a double bogey on 16 and a bogey at the last meant he shot a level par round of 72, finishing five shots behind the eventual winner Sam Horsfield, slipping out of the places as a result to finish 6th (if following the advised bet with Bet365 who paid five places).
Anyway, we dust ourselves off and go again. Horsfield was a good winner in the end and he's 18/1 to follow up at Hanbury Manor, whilst Hojgaard is a 16/1 shot. There's no doubt that the 19-year-old has been in really good form but having missed out on the last two Sunday's he's a short enough price now to leave alone.
Belgium's Thomas Detry heads the betting, missing out by one shot behind Horsfield on Sunday, it was his second top ten finish in three outings but at best price 12/1 he seems really short.
- Class player in the field
- Won here back in 1998
Of the market leaders, the one that has me most interested in is Lee Westwood at 18/1 with William Hill.
I gave myself a really good telling off for putting him up at Close House in the first tournament back after lockdown, the British Masters, where Westwood was an 8/1 favourite.
He's 10 points bigger this week and although he finished last of the players to make the cut three weeks ago, he's still the class player in the field, who has a win on tour earlier in the year and the price looks really inviting, especially given he won on the European Tour at this course, albeit way back in 1998.
Its also worth remembering that Westwood's sitting out the USPGA Championship this week due to concerns travelling to the United States in the current environment and he'll be keen to make up for it here.
- Bosses the stats ranking 1st for stroke average this season
- Hungry for first ET win
With Westwood I'm going to pick Gavin Green to make waves on his first start since lockdown.
The Malaysian is another class act in this field and is prominent in a number of stats I'm looking at this week.
Green is ranked 24th on the Road to Dubai this season having been ultra consistent with six straight cuts made from his six tournaments in 2020, all in the top 30 and a best finish of 3rd in Saudi Arabia.
With no recent form to go on, his stats are really good, top 25 for driving accuracy (21), driving yards (16) and greens in regulation (22), whilst he ranks 4th for stroke average on tour this season and 1st for shots gained total.
At 28/1 with Paddy Power paying seven places he's worth a look at getting his maiden European Tour win.
- Excellent ball-striker just needing short game to click
- Won the European Open three years ago
My last pick is further down the betting in the shape of Jordan Smith at odds of 50/1 with Bet365 who pay five places each-way.
The Englishman missed the cut last week but he's a really good ball-striker who can bounce back here at a big price.
Ranking 4th this season for greens in regulation, he also ranks top 30 for shots gained off the tee and driving accuracy. With some luck with the putter and around the green he could come into play and build on his top ten in Oman earlier in the season and that one career victory on the European Tour which came three years ago in the European Open.
That's my three against the field this week in an event that will seem a far cry from the action across the Atlantic.
Read my USPGA Championship betting preview with three selections who I think have a really good chance. A PGA/Euros double with my two shortest priced picks this week pays 322/1.
As always, enjoy the golf and please gamble responsibly. You can follow me on Twitter @RustyBoy75. Good luck!
