The European Tour season continues this week with the Joburg Open as the short trip is made to the Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club in South Africa this week. This will be the fifth event of the year but it is already the fourth event that is held in South Africa. So far, we’ve seen four different golfers win the first four events as Charl Schwartzel, Nathan Holman, Marc Leishman and Brandon Stone. The field for this event will play the first two days on both the East and the West courses before the final two days of the event will be played exclusively on the much tougher East course. The field for this event will be a little bigger than in previous years but it won’t take long for that number to dwindle in what should be another entertaining tournament and an excellent opportunity for betting enthusiasts to make some money.
Event Details
Event: 2016 Joburg Open
Category: European Tour
Date: January 14th – January 17th
Location: Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club, Johannesburg, South Africa
This will only be the 10th edition of the Joburg Open, which started back in 2007. The event has always been co-sanctioned between the Sunshine Tour of South Africa and the European Tour and it will once again be staged over two courses with a bumper field of over 200 golfers looking to take home their piece of the prize.
Former Champions and Results (5 Years)
Year Champion Score
2015 Andy Sullivan -17
2014 George Coetzee -19
2013 Richard Stern -27
2012 Branden Grace -17
2011 Charl Schwartzel -19
What To Know About The Course
This event has the unusual distinction of being played on two different courses with the West course the shorter of the two and the one that usually plays shots easier. The East course is a little more difficult with an average differential of just over two more strokes last year and that is where the final two rounds will play out. The course is at altitude so even though it looks fairly long on paper the ball actually travels a little more than it would if this course was at sea level.
The Field
The field for this event isn’t exactly loaded but Jaco van Zyl is listed as the outright favorite based on his recent success and the fact that he is once again playing in his hometown. Tyrell Hatton is another favorite on home soil with Brandon Stone expected to be in the mix as well and it’s no surprise to see any of those names at the top of the list heading in to what should be a low-scoring birdie fest. The overall field is a little bigger than in past years but that shouldn’t really make a difference when it comes to making the smart betting plays.
A Good Matchup To Bet
George Coetzee over Ricardo Gouveia
Gouveia has shown flashes of his potential but this matchup makes it look like an attractive bet to go against him as he is going up against the 2014 Joburg Open winner Coetzee. Gouveia was the star of last year’s Challenge Tour but he wasn’t in the field last week and is playing in this event for the first time so it looks like Coetzee should have the edge as a proven winner here. Coetzee will be in a group with Jaco Van Zyl and David Horsey to start the event for Round 1.
Top Five Prediction
Jaco van Zyl
The native of South Africa is still looking for his first-career professional win but he is the betting favorite to finally break through this week for a reason and while he still needs to prove he can get over the hump he should at the very least be in the mix and should be a lock to place in the top-five. Stone is another favorite that should perform at a high level with his supporters on hand but van Zyl appears to be the best bet to finish in the top-five.
Odds To Win Joburg Open
Jaco Van Zyl +1215
Ricardo Gouveia +2050
Brandon Stone +2050
Tyrell Hatton +2050
Anthony Wall +2250
Trevor Fisher Jnr +2250
Richard Sterne +2250
George Coetzee +2550
David Howell +2550
Lee Slattery +3250
Jason Scrivener +3250
Justin Walters +3250
David Drysdale +3550
Dean Burmester +3550
Keith Horne +4050
Richard Bland +5050
Jorge Campillo +5050
Christiaan Bezuidenhout +4050
Jbe Kruger +5050
Darren Fichardt +5050
Felipe Aguilar +5500
Graeme Storm +5500
David Horsey +5500
Marcus Kinhult +5500
Ryan Fox +5500
Michael Hoey +5500
Sebastien Gros +6550
Dylan Frittelli +6550
Ernie Els +6550
Paul Lawrie +6550
