The DP World Tour heads to the Adriatic Golf Club in Ravenna for the very first time for the 2024 edition of the Italian Open. Damien Kayat previews.
2024 DP World Tour
Italian Open
Adriatic Golf Club
27 – 30 June 2024
Guido Miglliozi came through in last week’s KLM Open…eventually. The uber-talented Italian had four bogeys in a six-hole stretch around the turn on a final day delayed by climate protests.
His form luckily heated up towards the end of the round, helping him prevail in a tense three-man playoff with Marcus Kinhult and Joe Dean.
Now a four-time DP World Tour champion, Migliozzi will be desperate to continue that form as the tour heads to his home country for the latest edition of the Italian Open.
Italian Open
First staged all the way back in 1925, this event has been a mainstay on the tour since its inception back in 1972. It was elevated to Rolex Series status back in 2017, but that all ended in 2020 due to the pandemic.
This has been a nomadic event throughout its history but the last three editions were hosted by Ryder Cup venue Marco Simeone Golf and Country Club. This year the event has moved to a new venue: the Adriatic Golf Club.
Adriatic Golf Club
This week is a mysterious one. Adriatic Golf Club features three nine-hole courses (the Red, Blue and Yellow).
Reports suggest that the championship course will be a composite of the Red and Yellow courses (with the front-none comprising the Red and the back-nine comprising the Yellow).
The DP World Tour hasn’t released much information but it looks like it will measure just a smidge under 7 000 yards. All the courses are laid to Bermuda and the Yellow Course is apparently very evocative of traditional links.
There appear to be a host of sub-400 par 4s out there and players with length could possibly drive some of these greens (or be left with some tiny wedges in). I think that links specialists may also prosper this week.
The course is situated close to the Adriatic Coast (though none of the holes actually flank the sea). But it shouldn’t be entirely sheltered from those Adriatic gusts. So, big hitters with some links experience should be the ticket this week (at a glance).
The Contenders
Patrick Reed will be making a rare European foray in an attempt to accumulate some valuable world-ranking points. ‘Captain America’ has been subdued of late and will be desperately hoping for some positive momentum this week.
Tom McKibben arrives in decent form, missing out on last week’s playoff by just two shots.
Guido Migliozzi will obviously earn plenty of home support. He is a mercurial talent who has the capacity to delight and frustrate in equal measure (I wouldn’t be in a rush to back him this week).
Bernd Wiesberger won this tournament when it was still a Rolex Series event and he has picked up some encouraging results of late. This should make for an idyllic and enjoyable viewing weekend.
Past Winners
2023: Adrian Meronk (-13)
2022: Robert Macintyre (-14) playoff
2021: Nicolai Hojgaard (-13)
2020: Ross McGowan (-20)
2019: Bernd Wiesberger (-16)
To Win Outright:
Patrick Reed 12/1 | Tom McKibben 16/1 | Bernd Wiesberger 18/1 | Laurie Canter 20/1 | Guido Migliozzi 20/1
Value Bets
Calum Hill – To Win 40/1 | To Place 17/2
I am opting for Calum Hill to thrive on a layout with some linksy pretensions. Hill won at Galgorm Castle in his debut season on the Challenge Tour (an event where links exponents have thrived).
He has also been fourth at Fairmont St Andrews (a decidedly links test).
But I just think that the Scotsman is really coming into some solid recent form. A winner back in 2021, Hill has endured his issues with injuries.
But he has now made 13 of his last 14 cuts. He also crucially finished T2 behind Linn Grant in the recent Scandinavian Mixed (which also had a certain linksy quality to it). This isn’t an elite field and Hill could be one to watch.
Matteo Manaserro – To Win 40/1 | To Place 17/2
I think that Manaserro could represent better value than Migliozzi among the Italian options this week. Manaserro rose to prominence by finishing as the low amateur at the 2009 Open Championship.
He then enjoyed a remarkable early career, culminating in him becoming the youngest-ever winner of the BMW PGA Championship in 2013. But he then plummeted down the rankings, ultimately losing his playing privileges.
But he regained them last season after winning twice the Challenge Tour. And he has five top-11 finishes this year, including a victory at the Jonsson Workwear Open. He was T7 at last week’s KLM Open and he should prove to be a firm fan favourite this week.
The Man to Beat – Matthew Jordan – To Win 33/1 | To Place 7/1
Englishman Matthew Jordan could thrive on this new layout. The 28-year-old won his one and only professional event in Italy, claiming the 2019 Italian Challenge Open Eneos Motor Oil on the Challenge Tour.
He is yet to claim his maiden DP World Tour title but he has shown plenty of promise on linksy/coastal layouts, finishing 3rd at the Wales Open, sixth at the Hero Open and fourth at the Omega Masters.
He also picked up a top-ten finish at last year’s Open Championship. And the young Englishman arrives in decent nick, placing 5-13-12 in his last three outings. He has been 1st,1st and third in GIR over those outings and I think he stands a decent chance this week if his putter runs hot.
