STAR PREVIEW Thurs: 150th Open Championship

I can’t quite believe we are at the last major of the year already. It doesn’t quite seem fair somehow. But at least we’re at St. Andrews, the home of golf, for the 150^th Anniversary of The Open. 

Hopefully, the weather plays ball and we have a tournament not ruled by the luck of the draw around the elements. Apparently it’s meant to blow fairly hard on Saturday, but at least by that stage we’ll be through the cut mark.

Once again, I’m not going to look at the slew of short-priced favourites. They’ve all got the game to win here and I wouldn’t talk you out of any of them if you had a strong feeling for one of the market leaders. As always, I’m all about trying to turn up a bit of each way value, or players that I think the market has missed slightly.

Blue Horseshoe Loves:

Joaquin Niemann – Currently ? with starsports.bet

Niemann put on a solid display at the Scottish Open and should be well primed for this event. His game suits links golf. He can shape it well both ways into any prevailing wind and if conditions demand a ball striking game with a low ball flight, he is strong in that discipline as well. Niemann is also sneaky long and on a course that is fairly short by today’s standards, he should be able to get into birdie positions as long as his accuracy off the tee doesn’t desert him.

Cameron Smith – Currently ? with starsports.bet

Driving accuracy is Smith’s biggest issue at present. He has been a fairly ragged off the tees in his last few starts, but I’m still going to take him in my selections because his short game is just so imperious and that’s a vital attribute around a links course like St. Andrews. A consistently good putting stroke from distance is also a very valuable asset to have at this tournament, and Smith has been putting the lights out from all over the greens all season.

Sam Burns – Currently ? with starsports.bet

Someone who is also having a spectacular year with the putter, and in general is Sam Burns. Burns is in the middle of a break-out multiple win season. He has vaulted well inside the world’s top 20 and I can’t see him moving out of there in a hurry. Burns is super long off the tee and is not afraid to put the foot down and go for scoring opportunities if he sees them. In benign conditions Sam Burns could tear this course apart. There is no weakness in this man’s game. He looks great value to me here.

Max Homa – Currently ? with starsports.bet    

I have been massively impressed by the evolution of Max Homa this year. He has gone from someone who looked like he was going to spend his career being a talented occasional winner to someone who believes he belongs in the majors and can win them. I found it fascinating that straight after his second round of the Scottish Open, Homa went straight out to another notable links course nearby and played another 18 holes! I don’t think he was just doing that for sightseeing. I think he was doing that to get in as much links golf homework as possible, to get himself fine-tuned to the local playing conditions. Remember, these are not courses or conditions they get to play in back home in the States. I think all these little bits of experience and information will stand to him come this week. He is generally very straight with the driver and as long as you are out of the hay at St. Andrews, you have a chance to get it close for birdie looks. Homa made the cut at the Scottish Open, but this is what he is to win, and I think now he knows he can do it.

RECOMMENDED BETS
BACK Joaquin Niemann 0.5pt each/way at 45/1 (Latest Star Price ? CLICK TO BET NOW)
BACK Cameron Smith 1pt each/way at 25/1 (Latest Star Price ? CLICK TO BET NOW)
BACK Sam Burns 0.5pt each/way at 40/1 (Latest Star Price ? CLICK TO BET NOW)
BACK Max Homa 0.5pt each/way at 40/1 (Latest Star Price ? CLICK TO BET NOW)

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