The Back Nine of the DP World Tour kicks off at the famed Belfry this week with the British Masters with the added rub of this being the final tournament before the European Ryder Cup team is named, making for a fascinating event.
Key Stats/Skill Set Required
- Scrambling
- GIR
- Strokes Gained: Approach
- Strokes Gained: Tee To Green
- Putts Per GIR
- Strokes Gained: Putting
- Par 5 Scoring
The Belfry is a course that is a strong all-round test. Form from tee to green is crucial while you cannot succeed without a strong short game. Nailing Par 5s is really critical to success.
Key Correlation Courses
- Rinkven
Former US Open winner Matt Fitzpatrick is at The Belfry this week as he looks to push his Ryder Cup chances. Fitzpatrick currently ranks 12th and is pushing to be one of Luke Donald’s picks. He profiles wonderfully, ranking 2nd in Strokes Gained: Putting, 3rd in Strokes Gained: Tee To Green, 5th in Par 5 Scoring, 6th in Scrambling and 11th in Strokes Gained: Approach. He has won this event before. The clear class in the field.
Laurie Canter has picked up wins on the DP World Tour in each of the last two seasons so clearly has plenty of ability and now knows how to get the job done. He finished Top 25 here last year and was T-7 in the Soudal Open last year. Ranks 6th in Strokes Gained: Tee To Green, 11th in GIR, 14th in Scrambling and 15th in Par 5 Scoring. Very nice bet.
Haotong Li has had a cracking season and looks a big price this week. Haotong ranks 2nd in Strokes Gained: Approach, 9th in GIR and 15th in Strokes Gained: Tee To Green. He finished 4th in The Open in his last event on European soil. Finished T-4 in the Soudal Open, the key correlation event. Cracking bet.
Dutch star Joost Luiten has not won since 2019 but has been playing well enough to compete. He has finished Top 16 in five of his last 10 starts including a T-16 in the Soudal Open. Ranks 3rd in Strokes Gained: Approach, 5th in Strokes Gained: Tee To Green and 10th in GIR.
South African Brandon Stone is an underrated player who profiles very nicely. He ranks 6th in Strokes Gained: Approach, 7th in GIR and 7th in Strokes Gained: Tee To Green. Finished T-14 in the BMW International Open and has six Top 25 finishes in his last 11 starts.
Francesco Laporta has an elite short game and he is very well suited to The Belfry. Laporta is short but is the clear pick to be top Italian.
Haotong Li is one of the best bets this tournament but the best way to play him is at good odds to be the top of the 11 Asians.