PREVIEW: 2024 DP World Tour – Danish Golf Championship

Little-known Frenchman David Ravetto produced the round of his life at last week’s Czech Masters, shooting a final-round 64 to claim his maiden DP World Tour title.

Jesper Svensson imploded on the par-5 16th, double-bogeying to allow Ravetto to romp home to victory by four shots. The tour moves to Denmark this week for the 10th edition of the Danish Golf Championship.

Danish Golf Championship

I say 10th edition but this will be the first renewal staged as the Danish Golf Championship. They have gone for a more direct moniker this year (having previously been known as the Made in Denmark and Made in Himmerland events).

I like the change: the former titles gave the whole enterprise a vaguely amateurish feel. In any event, HimmerLand Golf & Spa Resort hosted every previous edition of this event excluding the 2018 event renewal (hosted at Thomas Bjorn’s home course: Silkeborg).

HimmerLand have ceased their hosting duties and this week’s event will have a brand-new host course: Lübker Golf Resort.

Lübker Golf Resort

This will be our first look at Robert Trent Jones Jr’s Lübker Golf Resort. It opened as recently as 2008 and has been used in various lower-tier events (including the 2011 ECCO Tour Championship and four Nordic Golf League events).

But very few players in this field will have much experience here. Described as a parkland, heathland resort, Lübker Golf Resort is comprised of three unique nine-hole stretches known individually as Sand, Forest and Sky.

This week’s setup will comprise of the Sand and Sky courses. The Sky features more trees and water while the Sand is exposed and more fitting of the heathland description.

There is plenty of mischievous bunkering on both layouts and they feature tricky, undulating bentgrass greens. The par-71 setup is quite short at 7,026 yards and I would look out for the strategic types who give themselves plenty of birdie opportunities through accurate approach play.

The Contenders

The Hojgaard twins are the poster boys of Danish golf and both will be in attendance this week. Rasmus Hojgaard won last year’s title in dramatic style, overcoming Nacho Elvira in a six-hole playoff to become the first Danish winner of this event. Rasmus hasn’t really clicked since playing some terrific golf towards the start of the year.

Ryder Cup winner Nicolai has struggled on the US PGA Tour since that brilliant runner-up finish at Torrey Pines. Still, both ooze class and one of them – if not both – could feature prominently this week.

Fellow Dane Thorbjorn Olesen has also been in a rut since claiming the Ras Al Khaimah Championship earlier this year. All three of the headliners will be hoping that home comforts lead to some renewed form.

Tom McKibben missed the cut at last week’s Czech Masters but he has to be the most in-form man in the field, finishing in the top ten in six of his last twelve appearances.

Past Winners

2023: Rasmus Hojgaard (-13) *playoff
2022: Oliver Wilson (-21)
2021: Bernd Wiesberger (-21)
2020: event cancelled
2019: Bernd Wiesberger (-14)
2018: Matt Wallace (-19) *playoff

To Win Outright:

Nicolai Hojgaard 12/1 | Rasmus Hojgaard 12/1 | Tom McKibben 16/1 | Thorbjorn Olesen 18/1 | Bernd Wiesberger 20/1

Value Bets

Andy Sullivan – To Win 45/1 | To Place 19/2

I backed Patrick Cantlay for the 2nd successive outing at this week’s BMW Championship and I’m afraid I have to do the same thing with Englishman Andy Sullivan.

He just looks irresistible at 19/2 in the place markets. Winless in four years, the multiple DP World Tour winner has nonetheless picked up four worldwide top-five finishes this season.

The most recent of those came on the Asian Tour a few weeks back, where he finished in a tie for 2nd at Foxhills Club & Resort. He was three shots off the lead going into the final round last week but he ultimately faltered to finish in a tie for 28th.

I just think his accurate driving and strong approach play could be just the ticket this week.

Brandon Robinson-Thompson – To Win 70/1 | To Place 15/1

Englishman Brandon Robinson-Thompson looks like a really intriguing option this week. Sure, he has generally plied his trade on the Challenge Tour this season. But you can’t ignore recent form.

He was the 54-hole leader at the Challenge Tour three weeks ago before ultimately settling for 3rd. He won by eight on the same course a week later and he was bang-in contention at last week’s Czech Masters (ultimately settling for a T6 finish at the DP World Tour event).

He seemed unfazed by the jump in quality and his ball-striking and surgical approach play should stand him in good stead this week.

The Man to Beat – Bernd Wiesberger – To Win 20/1 | To Place 44/20

I’m happy to swerve the Hojgaard twins given their recent from and the whole ‘weight of expectation’ thing. Bernd Wiesberger is head and shoulders above this field at his best (he has won eight DP World Tour titles – two of which at Rolex Series events).

He took some time to readjust to life on tour following his brief stint with LIV (the less said about that the better). But he finished runner-up at the challenging European Open in June and that tells me he could be ideally suited to this test.

He finished 7th at the KLM Open and is fresh off a decent 6th-place finish at the Czech Masters. He is 5th for the season in SG: Approach and he hit 85% of his greens last week.

A two-time winner of this event, Wiesberger looks like delicious value at 20/1.