GOLF analyst Lewis Blain (@LewisBlainSport) shares his betting thoughts ahead of the KLM Open from Amsterdam.
KLM Open | 12th-15th September 2019 | Sky Sports
This year's tournament changes venue after three years at the Dutch as the International, about 30 minutes outside of Amsterdam plays host to the 2019 edition of the KLM Open.
Last week we were so close to landing a 200/1 place but it wasn't to be in what was only our fourth or fifth week in four months or so without much return.
The Course
- Par 73, 7,000ish yards.
- Open, short, undulating parklands – very linksy feel.
- Narrow fairways and tough bunkering.
- 5 x par-5s, all eagle opportunities.
Key Pointers
- First time here so not much to go off.
- Strategic, plodder-type course.
- Driving Accuracy, GIR/Scrambling and SG: Approach meets the above.
- This tournament tends to be high-scoring so Birdie or Better %.
- Par-5 scoring as these are all easy scoring chances.
In some ways, all of our picks from last week are viable here, apart from that sad case Dubuisson (never again) and you'll soon see that one man makes our staking plan yet again, for very good reason of course.
Romain Langasque (50/1 Betfair)
The first of two Frenchmen this week, Romain Langasque was a consistent choice at the start of the season but has since slipped off the boil a little. He seems to really contend or be some way off and he's someone I expect to pick up a European Tour win so maybe it can be here. He was third not too long ago behind our winner Bernd Wiesberger at the Scottish Open.
This course has a linksy feel so it makes sense to back him – he's also a fantastic all-round player… 13th for scrambling, 17th for GIR and can score on par-5s. He would rate out so much better if he was more consistent but golf is hard and he's worth a bet this week.
Victor Perez (66/1 Betfair)
Straight up with the same country, we're going to back Victor Perez, who broke through from the Challenge Tour with the likes of Adri Arnaus, etc, so that only emphasises the talent he possesses. He's another one who will certainly win on Tour at some point. Just two weeks ago he finished T10 at the Scandinavian Masters, where at one point he had a share of the lead and should have done better to convert.
He's just as all-rounded as his fellow countryman, if not more so. He ranks 26th for GIR, 28th for SG:T2G, 30th for SG:APP and inside the top-50 for DA/Par-5 scoring/BoB%. A T15 at the British Masters and a string of cuts made across the Links season + at Valderrama, shows he has the quality to contend here on an easier track.
Jamie Donaldson (80/1 Betfair)
The Welshman, Jamie Donaldson, has been playing sneakily well and at these odds it is time to jump on him and chance his game. He's gone T9-MC-T5-T35, the two top-10s at a similar feel to the International here this week, which is only positive. He's not won since 2015 but he's had injury troubles for a long time and he now seems finally past that. He has decent pedigree and has won/contended on Links courses.
Donaldson has also done well at Celtic Manor in the past and that course feels ever so similar to this too – a place Joost Luiten has won at, as well as winning the KLM Open twice in the past. It's always been a sign. He's one of the best in the field on the par-5s, ranking 16th on top of being 17th for SG:T2G, 21st for GIR, 24th for SG:APP and 25th for DA. The 43-year-old is 80/1… on.
Ashley Chesters (80/1 Betfair)
We stick with Ashley Chesters this week, he's an accurate-type with both the driver and the irons. Most of the reasoning will echo last week but the most important is that he needs to continue to perform so he can fully ensure he keeps his Tour card.
He was 200/1 last week and was one shot off placing for us – he ranked 6th in the field for GIR and I'm sure he'll keep that up this week. Happy to go again.
Jack Singh Brar (150/1 Betfair)
Here's an interesting long-shot for this week's test. A winner on both the Alps Tour and the Challenge Tour, and Matt Wallace has shown why the former competition can help find us a winner on this sort of course on the ET.
The young Englishman has popped at some tough courses this season like Valderrama whilst also making the cuts in the two Links events he played. He's another accurate type with pretty much every club in his bag and despite missing the cut last week he still ranked 35th for GIR in the field as well as 10th for DA – it was putting that let him down and that can change any random week. He's worth a play at three figures.
Best Bets
KLM Open – Romain Langasque (50/1 each-way Betfair)
KLM Open – Victor Perez (66/1 each-way Betfair)
KLM Open – Jamie Donaldson (80/1 each-way Betfair)
KLM Open – Ashley Chesters (80/1 each-way Betfair)
KLM Open – Jack Singh Brar (150/1 each-way Betfair)
