Golf Betting: The Vivendi Cup
Mike Norman at Betfair has had a quick look at the upcoming Vivendi Cup golf betting action. This is the last tournament the European Tour will play before the Ryder CUp and Padraig Harrington will be looking to rediscvoer some form whilst the Americans finish the FedEx Cup.
There’s a huge sense of déjà vu about this week’s European Tour event. Like last week’s Austrian Golf Open, the Vivendi Cup has an extremely weak line-up and will be played at a venue that allows for no previous course form analysis.
That venue is Golf de Joyenval in Paris, a golf club that boasts two courses, both of which will be used this week. The Marly Course is a par-72 set-up that measures just 6,7,29 yards whilst the Retz Course is just a little longer at 6,811 yards and also has a par of 72. Both courses will be used for the first two rounds with every golfer playing each course once, though only the Marly Course will be used over the weekend.
It’s not very often that you get someone who hasn’t won in over 50 outings, spanning more than two years, head the market for a European Tour event but that’s exactly what we’ve got this week. Ryder Cup member Padraig Harrington is available to back at just 11.0 to triumph this week having not tasted victory on any of the main Tours since winning the US PGA Championship in 2008. There’s no denying Harrington’s ability but if he wins this week he will do so without the weight of my money. His form of late has been nothing to write home about and it doesn’t matter how weak the opposition is, if you can’t find fairways or greens in regulation then you’re not going to win golf tournaments.
The other Ryder Cup member in the field this week is Sweden’s Peter Hanson (12.0). Hanson was in good form last month, winning the Czech Open which effectively secured his place on Colin Montgomerie’s team. Whilst I believe he will go well this week, his win odds are just too short for my liking and I prefer to look elsewhere.
Two players stand out in the Winner market for me this week, Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano - available to back at 20.0 – and Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin (28.0).
I selected Fernandez-Castano last week (along with eventual winner Jose Manuel Lara may I add) and he put in a solid performance, always being on the fringe of contention before eventually finishing in a tie for 15th. That was the Spaniard’s third top-15 finish from his last four starts and I see absolutely no reason to desert him here in a similarly ‘low-on-quality’ line-up. His putting has looked far more assured in the last couple of months and I believe Gonzo is nailed on to win one of these weak end-of-season contests.
Jacquelin has hinted at a return to form in his last two outings, finishing 26th at the KLM Open before recording a top-10 finish last week in Austria. He strikes me as a player who – a bit like Lara perhaps – needs the confidence of a good finish before believing he can win again, so after his recent good performance I’m fully expecting the Frenchman to go well in his homeland. A win of course will mean an end to Jacquelin’s ever-growing beard as he has vowed not to shave it off until he next wins a tournament!
Confidence plays a huge part in all sports, but as I’ve alluded to in the last fortnight it can play a major role in golf. Two players that might just have some renewed confidence after some recent good performances are Scottish pair Alastair Forsyth (160.0) and Marc Warren (180.0).
Forsyth has been steadily improving in recent weeks and has now made five cuts from his last six tournaments. He finished in a tie for 20th in Austria last week, just a few shots shy of a top-10 finish and he won’t have to step up much to be in contention this time around. The same can be said for Warren. He finished in a highly respectable ninth place at last month’s Omega European Masters and just needs one good week with the putter to get back into serious contention.
Both Forsyth and Warren are multiple winners on the European Tour and that alone gives them more chance the most this week. Back them both at 28.0 and 32.0 respectively in the Top 5 Finish market is my advice. Good luck.
Recommended Bets
Back Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano @ 20.0 in Winner market
Back Raphael Jacquelin @ 28.0 in Winner market
Back Alastair Forsyth @ 28.0 in Top 5 Finish market
Back Marc Warren @ 32.0 in Top 5 Finish market
MrSportsbook Says: Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano has been on great form recently ultimately falling short in three of his last four tournaments. At 20.0 with betfair he’s definitely worth a punt.
