With time rapidly running out on the DP World Tour season, those bidding to make the DP World Tour Championship will be heading back to Spain for the Andalucia Masters.
Another iconic stop on the DP World Tour calendar, the tournament was first played back in 2010 and used to be held at one of Europe’s premier courses, Valderamma.
Over the years the tournament has been captured by Spanish players. Sergio Garcia is a three time winner, whilst back in 2022 Adrian Otaegui delighted the home fans with a memorable win.
This year Jon Rahm will head back to Spain and will start as the overwhelming favourite for victory. Playing to make up his quota of tournaments to be eligible for next year’s Ryder Cup, the former Masters Champion will hope to go one place better than at the Spanish Open when he lost in agonising fashion in a playoff.
Ahead of the tournament starting later this week, here are the main talking points.
The Course
The action this week will take place at the Real Club de Golf Sotogrande.
Rolled out for the first time for the 2023 event, the players will be greeted with wide open fairways and spacious greens. There to be attacked, the winning score by Adrian Meronk was -19 and with heavy rain having fallen in the build up to the tournament starting, the soft conditions should mean that the course is ripe for the picking.
More so than most weeks, the key to success will be accuracy. With more than 100 bunkers littered about the course, any player that errs with either their tee or approach shots could find it difficult to live up to the relentless scoring that is likely to take place over the next four days.
The Favourites
With Jon Rahm the main attraction this week it isn’t surprising that the Spaniard is clear the favourite for victory.
Having shocked the world after he moved from the PGA Tour to join LIV Golf, Rahm’s start to life in his new surroundings was slow and there were question marks over his form.
Barely a factor at the Masters and the PGA Championship, Rahm was forced to pull out of the U.S. Open due to injury but was able to feature near the top of the Open leaderboard where he was able to finish seventh.
Using that as a springboard, Rahm was able to capture his first LIV title when winning a week later at LIV UK. He would go on to narrowly being denied at Greenbrier before capping off a great season by winning LIV’s final stop in Chicago. Crowned the overall LIV Champion, Rahm brought that great form over to Europe when just denied at the Spanish Open. He then also produced some good golf in Scotland posting a top ten finish at the Alfred Dunhill.
Despite only playing a handful of events, Rahm will qualify for the season ending DP World Tour Championships and ahead of that showpiece event he will want to remind all of European golf of his qualities.
A three time winner of the Spanish Open, Rahm is yet to win this title and he will be desperate to add yet another Spanish crown to his impressive resume.
With many of the DP World Tour’s best players opting to rest up ahead of the final few tournaments that will be held in Dubai, currently second in the betting is Rasmus Hojgaard.
Currently ranked fourth in the overall Race to Dubai standings, Hojgaard has a big chance to make a significant move this week, with all three men above him in the standings choosing not to play this week.
Set to claim one of the ten PGA Tour spots on offer to those who finish at the top of the European Order of Merit, Hojgaard has been incredibly consistent of late. Able to finish fourth at the KLM Open, he backed that up with a third place finish at the British Masters before going a few spots better at the Irish Open when producing a masterclass to overhaul Rory McIlroy during the final round to capture the biggest title of his career.
Wanting to emulate his brother, Nicolai, and tee it up at next year’s Ryder Cup, Rasmus has a great chance of doing exactly that. A huge hitter of the ball and able to score at a blistering rate, the soft conditions that he should encounter this week should be right up his street. Knowing that a win or a high finish will see him close the gap to Rory McIlroy at the top of the Race to Dubai rankings, no man will arrive in Spain with so much opportunity.
Completing the top three in the betting is Thorbjorn Olesen, a European Tour stalwart Olesen brings in good form following his second place finish at last week’s French Open. A numerous winner on Tour, Olesen tasted success right at the start of the year down in Kuwait and he will hope to end his year with a flourish.
Currently ranked 18th in the Race to Dubai standings, Olesen is closing in on one of the available PGA Tour spots and will know that another productive week should move him right into contention. Usually a terrific player with his irons, the Dane could find conditions right up his street this week.
Is There Anyone Else Worth Considering?
Although it could take a special effort to overhaul and beat Jon Rahm this week there looks to be plenty of value on offer when looking at the betting.
Jesper Svensson is currently clinging on to a top ten spot in the Race to Dubai standings and is another man who will hope to claim one of those lucrative PGA Tour spots. Finding himself in contention at last week’s French Open, the wheels came off spectacularly in the final round and he would have to settle for a finish down the field.
Having won the Singapore Classic earlier in the season, he has produced top five efforts at the British Masters and Czech Open. Looking to finish the year strongly after his strong start to the season, he could be a contender yet again this week.
Laurie Canter could make history this season and become the first former LIV player able to claim a spot on the PGA Tour through the DP World Tour.
The Englishman has knocked on the door on numerous occasions but was finally able to burst through it when capturing the European Open earlier this season.
Ranked 24th currently in the Race to Dubai he has work to do if he is to pinch one of those valuable PGA Tour places. Containing a swing that is suitable for almost every layout on Tour, this week should hold no fears for the man from Bristol.
Andalucia Masters Betting
If you fancy placing a bet this week, here is how the top ten in the betting currently looks.
Jon Rahm - 11/4
Rasmus Hojgaard - 16/1
Thorbjorn Olesen - 18/1
Matt Wallace - 20/1
David Puig - 22/1
Thriston Lawrence - 25/1
Niklas Norgaard Moller - 25/1
Tom McKibbin - 25/1
Jordan Smith - 28/1
Victor Perez - 30/1
Jack Hartman
A keen golfer and huge fan of the game, Jack has been covering golf for the last five years. Bringing you all the latest coverage and news from the PGA, LIV, LPGA and DP World Tours, never before has golf been so popular and Jack can’t wait to bring all the excitement to his readers.
