KPMG Trophy

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Sebastian Heisele - 1.5 point each-way @ 45-1 (Corals)

Bernd Ritthammer - 1 point each-way @ 66-1 (Corals)

Hugues Joannes - 0.75 points each-way @ 125-1 (Corals)

Filippo Bergamaschi - 0.5 points each-way @ 140-1 (365) 

For the second time in three years, the Belgian event is held at Cleydael GC and whilst players are saying the recent wet weather is making the course seem longer, that wouldn't be tough.

At only 6548 yards, the par-71 should still see a winning score around that of 2014 victor William Harrold at 18-under and it will be a test of wedge play and confident putting that wins the day.

Most at the top of the market bring obvious claims with recent form aplenty but betting at around 2-1 the top seven means having to look elsewhere on this unpredictable tour.

It's about time Sebastian Heisele added to his two ProGolf wins, the last of which was 2014 and after a decent run of form he may be able to finally stick his head in front. One of the best youngsters in his adopted Dubai, he was only the second amateur (besides compatriot Martin Kaymer) to win on the development ProGolfTour, narrowly missed out on his CT card the following season, and progressed through to 2014 when winning his second professional title amidst an impressive run that saw him gain his card after ranking second on the OOM.

A mid-season run of missed-cuts disguise a decent enough first full season but the player himself recognised this was fatigue and too much golf, so the further seven top-25s reads well enough and whilst 41st at Gloria is a mid-table finish, that venue appears in Harrold's form.

2016 has been very promising, gaining his card for the Asian Tour with two top-5s at the qualifying events whilst the five events on this tour have produced an opening 4th, again at Karen, three top-20s and a worst result of 24th at the shortened Montecchia. Again, the 12th place finish at Gloria reads very well alongside that opener and he will love the chance to attack the pins round here. I rated him as highly as a few that are 20 points shorter and expect him to challenge strongly this weekend.     

I would have expected fellow German Bernd Ritthammer to have won at this level by now and following top-5s at Karen and last time in the Swiss, this accurate 29-year-old will hopefully carry that form into this week. Winner of the Progolf OOM in 2009, he ranked 4th on the same some four years later and although he can list numerous top finishes at this level - 15 top-10s, 5 further top-20s, his biggest result in the early days was probably the 22nd at the home BMW International in 2013. Further evidence of his ability were seen at the top level with top-10 finishes in Portugal, Sweden and Mauritius alongside 17th at the Trophee Hassan, all as recently as last season and if that effort in his last event is any guide to a return to form, he is too big at 55-1, let alone the sole 66-1.

Last year held high hopes for Hugues Joannes after a very promising first full season at this level. Three top-5s including a closing 2nd at the Fred Olsen gave notice, whilst he could never be disappointed at the 15th place finish in his home open, around here, just two weeks after he must have felt a closing round 63 was enough to win in La Gomera.

I made him a bet in the 2015 Race To Oman after a couple of wins on the Algarve Tour but he was never doing enough to get close to his previous ranking of 35th, although four top-10s does not show his ability to shoot low. A birdie machine, he again won on the Algarve Tour during the close-season, gagging up in far windier conditions and taking advantage of his wedge play and confidence, something he will have plenty of this week. If anyone decries the standard of the Algarve events, last season was dominated by the selection and eventual R2O winner Ricardo Gouveia, whilst Jordan Smith dominated the 2016 mini-season, current leader of this years rankings.

Back at home, encouraged by last week's 69/66 opening rounds when he specifically stated he took advantage of the shorter holes - something he will have plenty of this week- he looks a bet at anything approaching three-figures.

Final wager is the unpredicatble Fillipo Bergamaschi. I am not sure anyone can say what this youngster will do in any given week but he did give me a huge thrill at 250-1 when leading the Karnten Open last season before dropping away. Two-time winner on the Alps Tour, he has a miriad of missed-cuts against a few jewels - 2nd and 3rd in Austria and three further top-10s - and his only worthwhile form this season is 16th at the Czech. However, off the card he did win his home International in April from a decent field including Nino Bertasio (fancied by a few this week in Austria), Gagli, Delpodio and Matteo Mannessaro, and surely it can't be that long before he strings a couple of events together, Deciding factor was that 6th over course and distance in 2014, when coming from the clouds to nick a high placing and he just made the cut at the prices.

My regular reader will now be expecting to see a certain name appear as a bet, but I have to leave him out this week after an unexplained poor effort and withdrawal in Switzerland. 100-1 is very tempting though!