The Open de Espana is an event that traces its roots back to 1912, won by the great Arnaud Massey at its first staging. Since the likes of Peter Thomson, Arnold Palmer, Bernhard Langer, Nick Faldo and the greatest Spaniard of all Seve Ballesteros all won the event over the next century. Over the last decade Jon Rahm has won his national open three times.
Key Stats/Skill Set Required
- Birdie or Better
- Strokes Gained: Tee To Green
- GIR
- Par 5 Scoring
- Driving Distance
- Scrambling
Club de Campo Villa de Madrid has hosted this event since 2021 and it is a well known course on the DP World Tour having hosted the defunct Madrid Masters and Open de Madrid. It is a relatively easy course with big undulations and tree-lined fairways. Being able to go low, particularly on the Par 5s, is key. Distance off the tee is an advantage while a strong approach game is important.
Key Correlation Tournaments
- Nil
There is not a struck match between Jon Rahm and Joaquin Niemann so going with the Chilean and 2 ½ times the price. Niemann had a stunning year on the LIV circuit with five wins. He ranks 2nd in Birdies and 2nd in GIR while he ranks 4th in Strokes Gained: Tee To Green, 5th in Driving Distance and 11th in Par 5 Scoring on the DP World Tour.
One of the best of the local hopes is the more-than-handy Angel Ayora. He profiles nicely here ranking 8th in Par 5 Scoring, 10th in Driving Distance and 12th in Strokes Gained: Tee To Green. He is playing super golf with Top 8 finishes in three of his last five starts.
Haotong Li has been tipped regularly on the DP World Tour and that is because he has had such a good year. He won in Qatar in February but has contended plenty of times since. Li ranks 8th in GIR, 9th in Birdies and 13th in Strokes Gained: Tee To Green. Major player this week.
John Parry is not the most consistent type but when he is playing well he does tend to contend at a price on the weeks he is striking them nicely. Parry ranks 6th in Strokes Gained: Tee To Green and 12th in GIR. He is playing well after a T-3 last week.
High ceiling, low floor South African who is worth a ticket at big odds this week. Brandon Stone ranks 5th in Strokes Gained Tee To Green and 9th in GIR. He has eight Top 25s in his last 19 starts.
John Parry is a nice bet this week to win it all but the best way to play him is to take him as the Top Englishman at anywhere north of $10.
Five Danes tee it up this week and the player who should be huge odds-on is Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, who ranks Top 15 in GIR, Par 5 Scoring, Birdies and Strokes Gained: Tee To Green.