The European Tour heads to the Doha Golf Club this week for the Qatar Masters. The par-72 course measures around 7,400 yards and playing conditions give the course a real links-feel. Past winners also back that up, with Eddie Pepperrell, Brandon Grace, Sergio Garcia, Paul Lawrie, and Chris Wood all being fine exponents of links golf.
Sadly, the tournament’s new place in the calendar means the field isn’t as strong as in recent years, as many of the world’s best players are playing in America in preparation for this month’s Players Championship.
Despite that, there still looks to plenty of value in the betting markets, with one player near the head of the market, one class player on the comeback trail, and one outsider with great course-form tipped to do well this week.
Back This Player at The Head of The Market
Thomas Pieters heads the betting for the Qatar Masters this week, but he’s passed over as he’s never featured on the leaderboard in two previous visits.
At double his odds, Jordan Smith looks a much better proposition. He was sixth here in 2017 as a rookie and was out of form when missing the cut last season. This year he arrives in much better form having posted two top-12 finishes in his last four tournaments and this big-hitter should be looking forward to the challenge this week, as he has the length off the tee to take advantage of the par-5s and a driveable par-4.
Bet on This Resurgent Ex-Ryder Cup Player
Former world number one amateur Victor Dubuisson is a serious talent at his best and much was expected of him after he made his Ryder Cup debut in 2014. His expected rise to golf’s elite has so far passed him by, but that may be about to change.
Dubuisson’s enforced absence from golf due to a perforated eardrum seems to have rekindled his enthusiasm for the game and he’s made significant improvement in each of the three events he’s played in since his return with progressive finishes of 38/18/12. At his best, he’s potentially different class to most of this week’s field, and three top-10 finishes in his previous three tournament appearances suggest he could go close this week.
Grab Three-Figure Odds About This Past Winner
Alvaro Quiros is one of those golfers that can follow a succession of bad performances with a good one and, at triple-figure odds this week, the 2009 Qatar Masters deserves to be backed to return to form at one of his favourite venues.
His form this season reads MC/65/3/MC/MC but it’s that third-place finish in the Middle-East that provides hope that he will return to form this week at a course where his form since 2009 reads 1/2/2/59/28/23/68/MC/19. Last season’s top-20 finish came in a much stronger field and the wide-open fairways here give this long but often wayward driver a great chance to get competitive.
Qatar Masters 2019 Betting Tip
Jordan Smith (Each-Way)
Victor Dubuisson (Each-Way)
Alvaro Quiros (Each-Way)