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Outright Picks - European Challenge Tour

Tipster: Jumbo

Odds: Outright

 
 
Kharkov Superior Cup
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Wow - what an event.

Whilst I can understand the Tour wishing to promote in new areas, I do not get that it all starts now, a time when players are jostling for position for the 'biggie' in a few weeks time.

As such, there is basically nothing to go on except current form and positive thoughts about their game.

 

Oliver Bekker - 0.50 points each-way @ 125-1 (Bet365 and Skybet) 

 

Agustin Domingo - 0.30 points each-way @ 80-1 (Skybet) 

 

I have always had a soft spot for 28-year-old South African and often have a few shekels when he plays the co-sanctioned events in the early season, especially when 66-1 and bigger.

 

Winner of three events on his home Tour, they include the Dimension Data, the status of which increased after the winner from 2012 onwards was exempted into the WGC Bridgestone event. This season, Bekker started with a bang with a win at the Telkom in January before a recent 12th and 6th at home. Bekker chose to come onto the Challenge Tour to try and earn his card for the main tour and whilst he has a bit to do with just a few weeks left to make the top-45 that will challenge at Dubai, he seems very hungry to succeed. Bekker seems to be always in-and-out but that is reflected in his price and with a recent 12th at the Norwegian Challenge in August is coming into this event with some positive thoughts. There are a huge number of players above Bekker in the odds lists this week who are simply out of form or too far back for them to relax as they approach a possible huge payday. Given we know nothing about the course, current form counts, as does a winning mentality and not many are in better shape, certainly not at 125-1.

 

32-year-old Domingo is another to appeal simply as he looks better than his price. Given that he hasn't ever won on Tour, it is tough to be confident but he is another with some decent recent form and could easily play better than the 80-1 quote. Currently 19th in the rankings, a few more Euros will lift him to safety and he will be one of the group of players attempting to ensure his qualification for Dubai before needing to travel far away over the next few weeks.  The Spaniard does possess some decent placings over the past two seasons. Four top-10s in 2012 assured a best-ever ranking of 60th but this season he has improved with a runner-up in Podova, Italy - miles behind the brilliant Koepka but well in front of the third,- a 7th in the Czech (he was top-10 there last season so maybe an early 'watch' for next year) and at the Nejati (St.Omer) , and a couple of top-12s including the prestigious Rolex. All that indicates he can play on tight courses as well as in wind, or on a low-scoring track, so we pretty much have everything covered, and he arrives here off a latest 11th in France when always prominent.

 

Given the appalling price of some of those at the top of the market, and that some who have already qualified may not exactly try that hard, the price on both selections makes enough appeal to play.