GOLF: NORDEA MASTERS TIPS

I'VE had Bernd Wiesberger in mind for this tournament for a long time as he has just the right game for the venue.

The 2012 Ballantine's champion started the year sluggishly but following a fifth-placed finish in Morocco, with a respectable defence in Korea (31st) and a win in Indonesia, where he ranked first for driving distance and greens hit and sixth for putting, he's finally starting to show some form.

Last week's top-12 finish at Wentworth was a more than satisfactory effort, given the course probably isn't an ideal fit for the big-hitting Austrian and he'd missed the cut there in 2012 when his game was in fine fettle.

I don't know what happened at Walton Heath on Monday where he followed up a solid 67 with a sorry 77 to miss out on qualification but I'm happy to overlook one bad round and I was happy enough to take 34.0. He missed the cut on debut here in 2011 and finished tied 17th 12 months ago.

I came unstuck with an American-based Swede last year when I backed Jonas Blixt who missed the cut but I'm going to try another one.

Henrik Norlander plies his trade on the PGA Tour, having gained his card at the PGA's Qualifying School last year. He averages 295 yards off the tee in the States this year so he fits the bill for a long course and should know the course really well, as Bro Hof is his affiliated club.

With two missed cuts from two starts in the event he hasn't exactly demonstrated his course knowledge yet but he'll be a more confident and accomplished player this year after playing on the biggest stage of all and at a triple-figure price I thought he was worth a small wager.

Third up is the fast-improving young Dane, Morten Orum Madsen, who's had quite a couple of weeks. After winning the DAT Masters on the little-known ECCO Tour, shooting 63 in the final round to win by four, he came up just shy at the Madeira Islands Open two weeks ago where he hit an unfortunate double bogey at the final hole to lose by two.

But his biggest achievement over the last few weeks, and one that will surely give him a huge boost, is his qualification at Walton Heath on Monday.

I'm not sure I'm getting a fantastic price at 110.0 but he has the right game for the course, is in brilliant form and is improving fast. That might look big in a few months time but I'm hoping it looks big on Sunday!

Recommended Bets

Bernd Wiesberger @ 34.0
Henrik Norlander @ 100.0
Morten Orum Madsen @ 110.0

Milesey (Betfair)

🔗 Share on Social Media