Strong field includes LIV stars.
The Open de España, which tees off on Thursday, has attracted several notable golfers, including Jon Rahm, who is aiming for his fourth Spanish national title to surpass Seve Ballesteros’s record of three wins.
Rahm, fresh from his part in Europe’s victory over the US at the Ryder Cup 10 days ago, has unsurprisingly been installed as favourite to win at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid. Betway has him pegged at 3.90 – which is pretty short for a golf tournament.
Rahm is joined by fellow Ryder Cup hero Shane Lowry, who sank the putt that sealed Europe’s triumph.
Irishman Lowry has not been in the best of form lately but will have had his confidence boosted by the events at New York’s Bethpage and bookmakers are keeping him relatively safe at 19.80 – fifth on the betting board.
Other big names in Madrid this weekend are LIV Golf’s form man Joaquin Niemann (10.40 second favourite) and his teammate in LIV’s Team Torque David Puig (17.40) – the young Spaniard who cut short his college and amateur golf careers to join the big-money breakaway.
Other LIV stars include combative American Patrick Reed (20.50) and Tom McKibbin (27.30) of Northern Ireland.
Englishman Marco Penge (17.80) and Norway’s Kristoffer Reitan (25.80) have enjoyed excellent breakout seasons on the DP World Tour and will be popular choices among bettors.
Leading South Africans in the mix are Jayden Schaper (63.00 for the win and 4.00 to finish as the top South African), Thriston Lawrence (72.00 and 5.50) and Jacques Kruyswijk (120.00 and 7.00).
The defending champion is charismatic Angel Hidalgo (135.00), while that other popular Spaniard Sergio Garcia (32.00) will also have many supporters.
Betway odds correct at time of writing and subject to change.
