OPEN de France

[LeRinkRat]

first of the three Rolex Series tourneys leading up to the British Open July 19th thru 22nd @ Carnoustie, Scotland. the top three players not otherwise qualified who finish in the top 10 and ties get a British Open exemption which is a big deal for "bubble" players like Mikko Korhonen and Lucas Bjerregaard. Matt Wallace qualified last week in Germany with his WIN and also being in current top 20 of Race to Dubai. somewhat surprised that more PGA Tour player NOT in the field this year with the Le Golf National course hosting the Ryder Cup later this season. only "of note" American PGA player Justin Thomas who is the "to win" favorite @ 10-1. other "to win" favorites Jon Rahm @ 12-1, Tommy Fleetwood & Alex Noren both @ 14-1 and Rafael Cabrera-Bello @ 18-1 with both Ian Poulter & Sergio Garcia @ 20-1

last years results
WINNER [-12] Tommy Fleetwood
2nd [-11] Peter Uihlein (not entered this year. he has a British Open qual as a Race to Dubai Top 30 in 2017)
T-3rd [-8] Alex Bjork, Mike Lorenvo-Vera & Thorbjorn Olesen
6th [-7] Ryan Fox
T-7th [-6] Ross Fisher, Haotong Li & Adrian Otaegui
T-10th [-5] Alex Noren, Jon Rahm & Lee Westwood

here are my "to win" players this week (bet/return)
Lucas Bjerregaard 40-1 (12.50/512.50) T-5th BMW International [-8]. T-3rd BMW PGA [-14] 5th Sicilian Open [-14] 6th China Open [-15] was T-1st 3rd round of BMW International [-5]
Matt Wallace 50-1 (10/510) WIN BMW International [-10] T-3rd China Open [-16] WIN Indian Open [-11] playoff
Mikko Korhonen 50-1 (10/510) T-2nd BMW International [-9] WIN Shot Clock Masters in Austria [-16] 3rd Tshwane Open [-15]
Haotong Li 50-1 (10/510) WIN DDC [-23] early season T-19th Italian Open [-14] T-16th US Open [+10] T-7th here last season
Alex Bjork 60-1 (8.50/518.50) WIN China Open [-18] T-3rd Trophee Hassan [-6] T-6th DDC {-16] T-2nd Hong Kong [-10] T-3rd here last season
Alex Levy 60-1 (8.50/518.50) WIN Trophee Hassan [-8] T-14th China Open [-12]
Jorge Campillo 80-1 (6.25/506.25) stroke play leader Belgium Knockout [-8] T-3rd China Open [-16] T-5th Open de Espana [-15] T-4th Oman [-11] 2nd Maybank [-19]
Aaron Rai 80-1 (6.25/506.25) T-1st 3rd round of BMW International [-5] T-12th Open de Espana [-13] T-9th Indian Open [-2] WON three Challenge Tour events 2017
Adrain Otaegui 80-1 (6.25/506.25) 2nd China Open [-7] WIN Belgium Knockout T-7th here last season
Ryan Fox 100-1 (5/505) T-8th Italian Open [-16] 12th Trophee Hassan [-3] T-3rd Maybank [-18] solo 6th here last season
Scott Hend 100-1 (5/505) T-7th BMW International [-7] T-14th Italian Open [-15] was T-1st 3rd round of BMW International [-5]
Chris Paisley 100-1 (5/505) T-1st 3rd round of BMW International [-5] 5th DDC [-17] T-5th Abu Dhabi [-17] & WIN SA Open [-21} early season
Shubhankar Sharma 100-1 (5/505) WIN Joberg Open [-23] WIN Maybank [-21] T-9th WGC-Mexico [-10] (3rd round leader) T-7th Indian Open [-4] (3rd round leader)
Jeunghun Wang 125-1 (4/504) T-7th China Open [-14] T-13th Trophee Hassan [-2]
Thongchai Jaidee 125-1 (4/504) WON in 2016 [-11] recent T-8th BMW PGA [-10]

waiting for tourney match play odds to be listed :shake:

 

[B.A.R.]

Good field.

 

[LeRinkRat]

Open de France tourney match play bets (bet/return)

Thorbjorn Olesen +135 over Tyrrell Hatton (40/94)
Mikko Korhonen even over Haotong Li (50/100)
Lucas Bjerregaard -110 over Thomas Pieters (55/105)
Matt Wallace +105 over Lee Westwood (50/102.50)


Thorbjorn Olesen T-2nd BMW International [-9] (shot [-11] final round) CUT US Open WIN Italian Open [-22] T-60th BMW PGA [+1] CUT Sicilian Open T-37th China Open [-7]
Tyrrell Hatton T-6th US Open [+6] CUT ItalIan Open CUT BMW PGA CUT Players T-42nd Wells Fargo [+1] CUT RBC T-44th Masters [+4]

Mikko Korhonen T-2nd BMW International [-9] WIN Shot Clock Masters - Austria [-16] CUT Italian Open T-15th BMW PGA [-8] T-26th Sicilian Open [-5] T-41st Trophee Hassan [+4]
Haotong Li T-16th US Open [+10] T-19th Italian Open [-14] T-43rd BMW PGA [-3] CUT Players T-32nd China Open [-8] T-32nd Masters [+1]

Lucas Bjerregaard T--5th BMW International [-8] T-71st Italian Open [-4] T-3rd BMW PGA [-14] 5th Sicilain Open [-14] 6th China Open [-15] CUT Trophee Hassan
Thomas Pieters T-18th BMW International [-3] T-14th Italian Open [-15] CUT BMW PGA CUT Belgium Knockout T-66th Trophee Hassan [+11] CUT Masters

Matt Wallace WIN BMW International [-10] CUT US Open T-51st Italian Open [-8] T-20th BMW PGA [-7] T-3rd China Open [-16] CUT Trophee Hassan CUT Open de Espana WIN Indian Open [-11] playoff
Lee Westwood T-5th Italian Open [-17] T-27th BMW PGA [-6] MDF Houston Open T-11th Maybank [-14] CUT DDC CUT Abu Dhabi

btw, "WALL-E" British Open odds 300-1 @ Westgate

 

[LeRinkRat]

good article on HOW the players need to PLAY Le Golf National this week. La Federation Française de Golf is every bit as nasty as the USGA in their course set up with narrow fairways and ankle deep rough. "big bombers" like Jon Rahm and Ryan Fox (13th in Euro Tour driving distance @ average 314 yards) really have NO advantage here unless they can keep the ball IN the fairway.

http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2018/tournamentid=2018054/news/newsid=350781.html

also the Euro Tour site picks these three "fantasy" players for this week. in my opinion they are NO, YES, NO (although I DID "sprinkle" on Fox "to win" @ 100-1)

Favourite: Jon Rahm
Form Horse: Thorbjorn Olesen
Wild Card: Ryan Fox

"of interest" opening round threesomes (start times pacific)

23:00 (#10) Justin Thomas - Tommy Fleetwood - Alex Levy
23:20 (#10) Thorbjorn Olesen - Thomas Pieters - Rafael Cabrera-Bello
04:00 (#1) Jon Rahm - Matthew Fitzpatrick - Tyrrell Hatton
04:10 (#1) Sergio Garcia - Alex Noren - Lee Westwood
04:20 (#1) Matt Wallace - Dylan Frittelli - Martin Kaymer
04:30 (#1) Mikko Korhonen - Alex Bjork - Shane Lowry

Golf Channel TV coverage begins @ 1:30am pacific time :shake:

 

[LeRinkRat]

well watching the 1st round late last night the early groups definitely had the wind advantage. was fairly light in the early morning BUT increased to 15-20 mph later in the round. LOT of players ending up in the tall fescue and just having to hack it back out to the fairway. judging from the scores it looks like the CUT should be about [+3] the best 1st round Bradley Dredge @ [-4] with just 15 golfers under par.

REALLY disappointed in the my "Great Dane" Lucas Bjerregaard shooting [+5] he had a triple on the par 5 #9 and a double on the par 3 #16 in his round. NASTY surprise for me after his top 6 finishes 4 of his last 5 tourneys including a tied 5th last week in Germany. that match play with Thomas "Salt" Pieters @ [-2] probably dead this week :hang:

"name players" Justin Thomas and Jon Rahm both [-1] with "The Matthew Mouse" Fitzpatrick [even}, Sergio Garcia [+1] and Tommy Fleetwood [+3] Euro Tour commentators saying "Cocker Tommy" looked like he was pooped out after playing B2B US Open and in Germany last week

 

[LeRinkRat]

well the 21 year old Swedish rookie kid Marcus Kinhult the 2nd round leader with a [-6] for tourney [-6] and a two shot lead on Chris Wood [-3] for [-4] first time Wood have shown up since his 2nd in the Oman Open back in February. 1st round leader Bradley Dredge [+1] for [-3] and Jon Rahm [-2] for [-3] two shots back while "The Matthew Mouse" Fitzpatrick [-2], Justin Thomas [-1], Julian Suri [-1] and Frenchman Gregory Havret [-1] all four back at [-2]

the CUT came at [+4] and three of my four tourney match plays did NOT make it BUT I lucked out with a Lee Westwood WD on #5 2nd round with a shoulder injury [+12] SO I get the WIN with Matt Wallace even though he was a CUT at [+6]. both Olesen and Korhonen CUT losers BUT Lucas Bjerregaard came back with a 2nd round [-5] for tourney [even] tied with Thomas Pieters so that still has a chance

really anyone's tourney going into Saturday. Le Golf National still a real BEAST of a course and anyone around par could shoot a round and steal it OR the leaders could fall back. have to think the pre-tourney favorites Jon Rahm and Justin Thomas the obvious players to watch. Tommy Fleetwood a CUT with [+2] for [+5] along with Rafael Cabrera-Bello [+3] for [+5]. Sergio Garcia shot [-1] for tourney [even]

Oh and "Rahmbo's" tourney kind of begs the question "WHY could you NOT do THIS @ Shinnecock you big Basque bugger when I had the BOODLE on you ???

 

[LeRinkRat]

after Saturday young Marcus Kinhult hanging in with a 7 birdie, 1 bogie 1 double [-4] for tourney [-10] and a two shot lead over Chris Wood. Sergio Garcia with the low round of the day [-7] to get to tourney [-7] and Jon Rahm still "lurking" in 4th with [-3] for [-6].

Kinhult, Julian Suri [-2] for [-4]. Adrian Otaegui [-5] for [-3] and Pedro Oriol [-1] for [-2] all fighting for the "three places to the leading three players (not otherwise exempt) who finish in the top 10 and ties" British Open exemptions

I do NOT know WHAT happened to my "Great Dane" Lucas Bjerregaard this week. after a nice recovery [-5] Friday he "blows up" with a [+11] for tourney [+11] to hand Thomas Pieters [+2] for [+2] that match. means I go 1-3 this week in match plays. STILL pissed that Westgate or William-Hill did NOT have Kinhult odds this week like they usually do. he is normally 100-1 or higher like last week in Germany. IF he hangs on would be just a 4-1 "field" win :golffrustrated:

 

[LeRinkRat]

well I'll be swizzled. Alex Noren with a final 4 birdie 1 bogie [-4] for tourney [-7] the winner one shot over Russell Knox [-6] and Julien Suri [-2] and Chris Wood [+2] for tourney [-6]. my boy Marcus Kinhult "blows up" with a triple on #4 and double on #15 along with 1 birdie and 1 bogie for a final [+5] and tourney [-5] tied 5th with Jon Rahm and Matthew Southgate

Marcus Kinhult, Russell Knox and Julien Suri get the "three places to the leading three players (not otherwise exempt) who finish in the top 10 and ties" British Open exemptions

on to the Irish Open next week @ the Ballyliffin Golf Club, County Donegal, Ireland. Jon Rahm last years winner BUT on a different course :shake:

 

[LeRinkRat]

OMG!!! just got finished watching my DVR of the final round back side and didn't realize that Julien Suri HAD the tourney WON with a [-8] BUT knocks his tee shot in the water on #18 and goes on to make double to GIVE it to Noren!!! Chris Wood had a shot too but bogied #15 & #17. make Alex Noren's birdies on #16 & #17 and par on #18 just that much more amazing!!!