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0-4; -6.00pts Bernd Wiesberger - 1.25 points each-way 14/1 (1/5 8 places Bet365) 19th Ross Fisher - 0.75 points each-way 70/1 (1/5 8 places Bet365) mc Christoffer Bring - 0.25 points each-way 375/1 (1/5 6 places Power/betfair) mc Christoffer Bring - 0.5 points top-20 12/1 (BetVictor/Betfred) mc
A mixed card for sure, but David Ravetto had already rewarded support when 3rd at the SDC Championship in March, a selection based very much on his driving prowess. Previously a winner at the Di-Data, an event that screams 'Big Dog', the Frenchman would surely have had a modicum of support at last week's Czech Masters had been held at regular haunt, the huge Albatross.
As it was, despite ranking outside the top-100 for accuracy for the event, a stunning tee-to-green game saw him overcome an overnight one-shot deficit, turning it into a four-stroke victory by the close of play, and making the new course seem very much like the one punters trusted in for years.
With Tommy Fleetwood's game perfectly suited to the inaugural Dubai Invitational at the start of the year and Marcel Siem backing up some consistent Italian form at new track, Adriatic GC, perhaps the move this week from old favourite Himmerland will see the Danish Open land in more familiar hands than might be expected.
From a quirky tree-lined track that screamed links-bias we travel 66 miles south-east to Lubker Golf Resort in Aarhus, in the middle of our street. That's a poor pun that is there to see if anyone is paying attention.
The old par-70 with just a pair of par-5s and a silly-short 10th (down to under 100-yards on many a round) gives way to a 7000-odd yard par-71 with a more traditional set of four longer holes (two of which are listed over 630-yards) but three par-3s, the 11th of only 137 steps that will no doubt attempt to wow the crowds in the same fashion as its predecessor.
The course, designed by Robert Trent-Jones II looks to take in the family's much-heralded thinking - let nature influence the track.
The club website describes the property as being, "designed on the basis of respect for nature and wildlife, so the land is put to optimal use. The undulating terrain creates natural challenges for the players. The exciting variety created by the natural curves and bends calls for great commitment." In that regard, thoughts turn very much to the likes of Congressional, Firestone and Valderrama, the latter in particular linking the likes of Renaissance, Crans and various sites of the British Masters, all featuring in the resumes of past winners at Himmerland - Rasmus Hojgaard, Bernd Wiesberger (twice), and Matt Wallace. Even outlier Oliver Wilson, who performed heroics with the short stick to defeat ewen Ferguson, has some of his best efforts at the Dunhill Links and Wentworth.
Fast-forward a generation to give Trent-Jones Jnr a shot and his design of Chambers Bay led to a 2015 top-three of Jordan Speith, Dustin Johnson and Louis Oosthuizen. Can you get any more links than that?
Points to note
Par-5 scoring/Performance
Nothing in this game is an exact science but whilst Bob MacIntyre scored almost half his 11-under on the longer holes last year, the three that finished in front of him scored level-par (Ramsay) 3-under (Elvira) and 4-under (eventual champ Rasmus). Expect that to be more of a factor this week, though, with those two monster holes surely a factor.
Nevertheless, pure bombs are not necessarily the only way to make ground - even Ravetto had to put in a sterling four days of approach work to take advantage of length. Indeed, of the current top-15 for driving distance, only three of those place inside the top-15 for par-5 performance although that includes Rory McIlroy.
Correlative form
As above, previous winners here are of a 'type' holding form at similar locations. Looking at those with top-10 finishes also sees a connection - Ross Fisher, Lucas Bjerregaard and Matthew Southgate all love windy, coastal conditions - whilst the likes of David Horsey and Adrian Otaegui play well around tricky, thinkers tracks, such as in Morocco or Valderrama.
If needing an even bigger boost, enthusiastic Danish legend Thomas Bjorn becomes Chairman of this event for the first time, a player for whom wind and links golf were made. Oh, and the two wins at Crans helps too...
Home players
Wherever the event, it always seems that home players get that, not unexpected lift, from knowing the area, being closer to their childhood family and friends. Marcus Helligkilde and Jeff Winther both spoke of the joy of playing at home, backing it up with consistently good efforts, even if unable to keep it going for four rounds. With Danish golf in a good place - Jacob Skov Olesen winning The Amateur Championship, Nicolai Hojgaard consistent on the PGA Tour and 7th at the Olympics - one of the not-yet-knowns could easily be inspired to put up a good week.
Selections
Picking between the top lot looks like a very difficult task.
The Hojgaard twins dispute favouritism, with Nicolai perhaps favoured on his overall links form, plus his proven driving ability. However, the drop in class means that they are around 15/2 coupled and I'd rather look to the next two for what I believe are rock-solid each-way bets.
After an excellent effort at the Czech Masters last week, Bernd Wiesberger recorded his sixth top-10 ranking for tee-to-green in just nine starts and returns to a country at which he's won the national event on both sides of Lockdown.
The case for the 38-year-old Austrian is pretty much clear and will depend on finishing better than field-average with the short stick, something he did when runner-up at the European Open behind bomber Laurie Canter, in seventh place at the KLM (mixing it with current market rivals Rasmus and Tom McKibbin) and when 16th at the BMW International, when 3rd at halfway before losing his way on Saturday.
Those efforts certainly show an ability in all types of length and track, whilst past wins at the inaugural event at the Renaissance Club, and results at Crans and Qatar give enough boost to his chance this week.
He's in form, flying from tee-to-green and probably has just as much entitlement to be the same price as the front pair. Eight places looks like a steal.
I would have liked to row along with Thorbjorn Olesen as well, but will look further down.
Backing 40-plus-year-old veterans isn't necessarily the way to the Monaco lifestyle, but we might have said that about Richard Bland and look at him now!
Second selection Ross Fisher is certainly not in that bracket, having won five times on tour, and whilst it's been over 10 years since that last trophy at the Tshwane Open (the only non-South African to win, by the way) he is currently playing some excellent golf and is another back on his favourite type of track.
The Englishman's past form reads like a who's-who of wind form with wins at the Irish Open, KLM, European Open (beating Sergio Garcia at The London Club) high finishes at the Dunhill Links, Abu Dhabi, Wentworth, Portugal, Nordea and so on (and it's a lot of so on). But can he do that in 2024?
Current form suggests that Fisher is simply enjoying his twilight years on tour and the results are showing it.
2022 saw a runner-up behind Ryan Fox at Ras, before finishing the year with five straight top-25 finishes (four in the top-20) whilst 2023 form consists of another top-10 at Ras, 8th at Himmerland (his second top-10 in three years) 12th and 17th at Joburg and Blair Atholl, two contrasting tracks that, combined, could well turn into a similar test to Lubker.
This season started a lot slower but it's all clicked into place since Belgium in May. He may have had just six outings from the Soudal to Czech but form figures of 13/25/23/mc/9/12 read very nicely, particularly as Fisher has ranked no worse than 14th for tee-to-green throughout that sequence.
Putting isn't Fisher's forte at the moment, but I'd rather take the chance on someone that needs to find a putt here and there (see Wilson, Canter et al) than someone struggling with finding greens with their approaches.
For the final selection, I'm staying in Denmark with a home player in Christoffer Bring, a bet tweeted earlier today.
The 25-year-old may not currently have the status of his compatriots as yet but there has been much promise in his short 18-month spell on the main tour and he might be one of those players that finds that bit extra now back in Denmark.
A star amateur, losing the Brabazon Trophy in a play-off to David Ravetto (you know him now) before beating superstar Ludvig Aberg at the European Amateur, he had a spell on his home Nordic Golf League before taking part at the 2022 DP World Tour Q-School.
After recording 61 in the fourth round of the six-day grind, Bring finished in tied-7th with compatriot John Axelsen and subsequent French Open champion and Wyndhan third-placed Ryo Hisatsune.
The Japanese star wasn't the only winner to come from that q-school, with winner Simon Forsstrom winning the Soudal Open, Ravetto finishing runner-up and third-placed Dan Brown winning at Galgorm Castle - it's an excellent formline.
Form so far is sporadic but he finished 13th in Thailand, ranking 12th off-the-tee and 17th for putting, 16th at the co-sanctioned Barbasol (Ravetto in ninth place) and ranked 8th off-the-tee when down the field in Spain. All that took place before his demotion to the Challenge Tour for the current season, where again there is promise in a 16th at the UAE Challenge and, perhaps significantly, a 6th at Le Vaudreuil, an event previously won by Siem and Alexander Bjork, a big hitter that thrives at various tracks in Denmark.
Clearly capable of a performance at higher grade, I'll take the chance of a top-20 and an each-way bet at the best place terms available.
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