Karnten Golf Open

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Dylan Fritelli - 0.75 points each-way @ 40-1 

Firstly, huge congratulations to Brooks Koepka, now three-time winner on the Challenge Tour (from just ten starts) and winner of the qualifying event for this year's Open. I asked earlier in the season if he was this year's Broberg and the answer has to be 'yes...and some'. It will be interesting to see how he gets on amongst the big boys but he is clearly a man to have in your notebook (as still are last seasons top three of Hansen, Koftead and Broberg) and his future looks very bright indeed.

Given the American seems to adapt to any course, the rest of the field at the Karnten Golf Club will be glad to see his name missing from the starting list, but it makes a tough event even harder to predict.

The only real clue we have is that very experienced Austrian Marcus Brier says that 'From what I have heard they are small greens, so it’s quite a tricky test. There will be a few tight holes and the course is in a little valley. I know the area well so it will be fun.' Not sure about the last part but the best form comparison looks to be the early season event at Karen Country Club, Kenya, another tournament that had narrow approaches and small greens.

Taking that as the best approach and never ignoring current form 23-year-old Dylan Fritelli makes appeal at the 40-1 on offer.

Being born in South Africa, a country that continually produces Champions, yet at college in Texas Fritelli clearly has the background for success and his fledgling career produced a win in the Callaway Boys at Torrey Pines in 2007 before a host of top college golf placings. Easily making the cut in the South African Open 2010, his next best result on the main Tour was an excellent 33rd in Danny Willett's BMW victory last season. Qualifying for the CT in 2nd place at one of the schools, Fritelli's results look to have settled down with five top-20s this season and a progressive profile. If the Kenya link is not spurious then his opening 7th is a clue, whilst last weeks 13th could have been so much better but for a poor final round. Having shot 65/68/67 to lie 5th, he will be disappointed not to have made more of that hopeful position, but this is a learning curve for all these youngsters and they can find that extra putt at anytime. Like all of these players, there is no course form of any note, but he played well enough on his only try in Austria when opening with 72 before being disqualified for over-sleeping for his 1.30 pm tee -time due to jet lag. If his alarm clock is working this week I'm hopeful that formline works.

Others making appeal were Andrea Pavan and Tim Sluiter, both with decent form this year and 22ns and 2nd respectively in Kenya but they just miss out purely on value grounds.