Westwood worthy Open de France favourite

Bookmakers have installed Lee Westwood as the Open de France favourite and, even though the Englishman is trading at around 13-2, he is hard to leave out of staking plans.

Westwood, currently ranked third in the world behind Luke Donald and Rory McIlroy, is the best golfer in the Open de France field and the course, Le Golf National, is one that suits his strengths, which are getting from tee to green.

Le Golf National is one of the European Tour`s toughest tests. Recently announced as the venue for the 2018 Ryder Cup between Europe and the United States of America, it is difficult to negotiate at the best of times. These are not the best of times; Paris has experienced its wettest June in 60 years, weather that has left the fairways of its premier golf layout soft and the rough extremely thick and penal.

So the field is likely to encounter a US Open-style course. Given Westwood has strong form both in the second major of the year - three top 10s in the last five years, including two podium finishes - and previous editions of Open de France, he is worth supporting even though he is 13-2.

Runner-up in the 2009 Open de France and regularly near the top of the leaderboard in other years, Westwood arrives in Paris off the back of one of those US Open top 10s. And his last European Tour outing resulted in victory, with the 39-year-old taking out the Nordea Masters in Stockholm.

There are a host of Open de France contenders based on the combination of course and recent form. It is easy to see why bookmakers are offering only around 14-1 about Martin Kaymer since the former world number one has won the event - he was the man who pipped Westwood three years ago - prospers on testing layouts and, apart from missing the cut of the BMW International Open, brings some decent results with him.

Since winning the 2009 Open de France, Kaymer has placed joint sixth in 2010 and fourth on his own in 2011. However, one note of warning: his 2009 victory was built off the back of an opening round of 62, which was a little bit freakish.

Admittedly, it does not take a genius to pick out the two favourites. But there a couple of bigger priced golfers who are worth following, either in the tournament betting itself or exotics such as head-to-heads and three-balls.

Mark Foster is one of them. Available at around 50-1, the Englishman was in contention throughout the Irish Open last week, shooting an impressive 13-under-par total of 275 to end the event tied for fifth with Sweden`s Mikael Lundberg.

Foster has not been outside the top six at the conclusion of the last two Open de France tournaments in which he has taken part, including being a one-shot runner-up to home hero Thomas Levet in 2011. The 2003 dunhill championship winner led the field going into the final round.

Another man of which to keep on the right side is Danny Willett. The BMW International Open champion is on the upgrade and he has two recent Open de France top 10s to his credit. He is not the worst 66-1 chance ever to tee it up.

Go To bet365

#Ad

03/07/2012     © Frixo 2024