None of the world’s top 50 are here this week in Bahrain, they are all at Pebble Beach on the PGA Tour so this very much takes a backstep. Strangely, the DP World Tour: Bahrain Championships are back on the calendar after 13 years away but money talks, I guess.
The golf course isn’t a popular one with the golf pros. The last time they played here 13 years ago they mostly all said it wasn’t the best. It is a very short golf course and with wind expected this week, it may make it harder than it should be. If the wind doesn’t come it would be a birdie fest.
You will need a hot putter this week to contend. If the putter is cold or even slightly off you just won’t be able to catch up. It is that important. There is a small amount of water on 4 or 5 holes but nothing to majorly worry about. The wide fairways should nullify that threat and with the greens the size they are it should be a birdie fest.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe most valuable thing on this golf course is being long. When this was last played in 2011, nearly all the top 10 were big off the tee and just made some par 4s reachable and all the par 5s.
The favourite
Market leader Rasmus Hojgaard is hard to weigh up for me. He is the in-form player there is no question about it but that is only due to the fact he can’t miss a putt right now. That surely has to stop soon and I think that may be here. Even with a hot putter, he hasn’t converted that into results and that will frustrate Rasmus.
Can Lombard win his maiden tour title?
When length is the key in any event one of the names who springs to mind on the DP World Tour is ZANDER LOMBARD. The South African is consistent on the tour and his 7 consecutive Top 25 finishes are a clear indicator that he belongs at the top of this level.
Embed from Getty ImagesThis week will suit him down to the group. Lombard is huge off the tee. Averaging close to 330 yards and with the wide fairways that makes all 4 par 5s reachable in 2 and a couple of par 4s reachable from the tee.
The rest of his game is pretty good too. He is 24th strokes gained putting so he isn’t a one-trick pony. I would expect him to do well this week. The most shocking stat is that he hasn’t won on the DP World Tour yet and for a player of his quality that is beyond belief. This week could be the week but if he doesn’t, he will go close.
The Chasing Pack
ALEX FITZPATRICK is not the longest off the tee but he is an extremely good putter with putting being key this week. I will take a chance on him here in Bahrain. Saying that he is 30th in strokes gained off the tee but the driving distance isn’t up there with the best. We can forgive him for that though.
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Alex’s current form is good and has top 20 finishes in his last 4 starts with a weakened field this week he could break his DP World Tour duck and lift the trophy here in Bahrain.
FREDERIC LACROIX looks like the stand-out bet to me this week in Bahrain. He has finished in the Top 5 in his last 2 events and will look to continue that form this week. All his stats from tee to green look very solid. The problem lies on the green. He is below average on the greens but I feel like if he can just get slightly better at putting this week, he stands a huge chance of winning.
He has had 2 top 5 finishes in his last 2 starts without putting well. So just a slight improvement in putting may do the job this week.
There is a name that keeps screaming out at me in the stats this week and he is hard to ignore, trust me I have tried but if he does contend this week and I wasn’t on him, I would kick myself. That man is GAVIN GREEN.
Again, he is big off the tee averaging 328 but then comes his accuracy off the tee he doesn’t even hit 50% of his fairways.
This week though, that stat isn’t really important. I mean it would be lovely if he did hit 70% of fairways but if he did, he wouldn’t be the price he is.
Course Information
Courses: Royal GC, Kingdom of Bahrain
Prize Money: $2.5m
Course Length: 7261 yards
Par: 72
Field: 132
Last year: New Tournament
Type of player who suits the course:
When to bet by: 5 am Thursday 1st February
Where to watch: Sky Sports (UK)
Time Difference: Bahrain is 3 hours ahead of the UK
Weather forecast: Windy all 4 days.
Image Credit: Deposit Photos
