AFTER two brilliant each-way shouts last weekend The Caddy is back for a look ahead to the action from the south-east of Scotland this weekend.
For golfing enthusiasts this week it’s home soil for the Scottish Open Championship at The Renaissance Club, North Berwick.
Last week at the Irish Open I selected both Aaron Rai 50/1 and Joakim Lagergren 40/1 for each-way value picks with both finishing in the top 5, Rai who was leader almost from start to finish, finishing second to eventual winner John Catlin and Lagergren finishing 5th. Well done to anyone who backed either of them. I will definitely be keeping an eye on them both again this week.
This fantastic par 71 semi-links course on the scenic east coast of Scotland sees Bernd Wiesberger return to defend the title he won with a winning score of -22 last year but organisers have promised the course will be much tougher this year, especially after Rory McIlroy commenting it was too easy.
If it’s windy, rainy and cold as the forecast predicts then I definitely can’t imagine such a low-scoring outcome this time around in such testing conditions.
This event is usually a warm-up the week before The Open but again with this Championship being rescheduled we will be missing a whole host of big names looking to brush up just before a Major so again I’ll be looking for some value.
Matt Wallace
One player who I like the look of this week is Matt Wallace 33/1 888.com. The Englishman has started to show much improvement and positive signs that once again he’s heading in the right direction and his focused, grinding mentality may well prove invaluable, especially if the conditions do indeed prove testing over the weekend.
Wallace was 4th at the Memorial Tournament when the PGA restarted in an almost Major-like field. He also finished a respectable 43rd at the US Open, form that not many of the 136 competitors here can claim.
Nineteenth on Driving Accuracy, 6th on Greens in Regulation and 14th for his short game approach with the latter the figures that may prove critical over the next four days.
Wallace, 14th here last year, led the field on short game putting on these fescue putting surfaces and if he can bring his much-improved ball striking as well as his short game and putting statistics then he definitely is a leading contender and should be thereabouts come Sunday.
Romain Langasque
Another selection I like the look of value wise is Romain Langasque at 45/1 with bet365. The Frenchman narrowly missed out last year finishing 3rd, two shots off the pace on -20.
Considering he has won lately at the Welsh Open at Celtic Manor last month then surely 45/1 represents good value each way?
He can back that form up with his last two outings; 17th at Valderrama and 34th at the US Open. Langasque is bringing his amateur form to his profession game and has already reached the top 100 rankings for the first time.
I can only see him improving on his ranking figures and this could be the event to help him on his way.
Joakim Lagergren v Jordan Smith
My final selection is again a match bet between Joakim Lagergren and Jordan Smith, a 10/11 NAP at bet365.
Lagergren has finished in the top 5 in his last two tournaments, enough to say he definitely can get the better of the up and down form of Jordan Smith.
Recommended Bets
- Matt Wallace 33/1 each-way 888.com
- Romain Langasque 45/1 each-way bet365
- Joakim Lagergren to beat Jordan Smith 72 hole match bet 10/11 NAP bet365
