The European Tour returns after a three week hiatus punctuated by Tiger Woods’ thrilling Masters victory. The Hassan II Golf Trophy is a golf tournament in Morocco that is hosted by Prince Moulay Rachid. This tournament dates back all the way to 1971 though it has only been a full European Tour event since 2010. A less than stellar assortment of players make for a slightly underwhelming return to North Africa. It’s yet another manifestation of how the US PGA Tour’s hegemony over the world of golf continues.
Though this course is long, it has been accuracy that has proved more decisive in recent years. It is a tree-lined parkland layout with plentiful undulations. The rough is exceptionally penal, which clearly underscores the importance of accuracy from the tee. No winner of this event has reached 10 under par on this course, with many of the champions being expert exponents around the green. The course is actually set within the bounds of the Royal Palace, with the boundaries coming into play on various holes.
Last year’s champion Alex Levy will be hoping to make it back-to-back victories this week. Considering the relative lack of depth in the field, it is hard to really gauge where these players will be it. Very few of them, have played much competitive golf since Stephen Gallagher lifted the Indian Open trophy four weeks back. Joost Luiten is the golfing equivalent of a B-grade celebrity who can’t quite make the next step. He will always seriously contend in events such as these but will struggle to make the next step. Other likely contenders include Jordan Smith and Andy Sullivan.
Past Winners
- 2018: Alexander Levy (-8)
- 2017: Eduardo Molinari (-9)*playoff
- 2016: Wang Jeung-hun (-5)*playoff
- 2015: Richie Ramsey (-10)
- 2014: Alejandro Canizares (-19)
Betting Favorites (To Win):
- Joost Luiten (16/1)
- Jorge Campillo (22/1)
- Alex Levy (25/1)
- Jordan Smith (25/1)
- Fabrizio Zanotti (25/1)
Value Bets
Christian Bezuidenhout
To Win (40/1)
To Place (17/2)
Bezuidenhout looks like terrific value this week considering his recent from. He has three top 10 finishes in his last four starts. He finished 2nd in Qatar and 9th in Kenya. He also has shown an aptitude for Royal Golf Dar Es Salam. He was placed well to contend last year before a closing round 78 absolutely derailed his chances. He ultimately finished 22nd and will be looking to make it four consistent rounds this week. He actually sat 10th at the halfway point in both of his visits to this course.
Paul Waring – To Win (60/1), To Place (13/1)
Last year’s Nordea Masters Champion looks extremely overpriced at 60/1, especially when you look at the lack of depth in this field. He also got 2019 off to a rollicking start, with back-to-back top 10’s at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and Dubai Desert Classic. Those fields were more illustrious than this one and Waring should be primed for a concerted push for contention this week. He has had more than a month off and he should feel revitalized returning to a course he seems to thrive on. He has finishes of 3rd and 9th over the last two years.
The Man to Beat- Jorge Campillo- To Win (22/1), To Place (48/10)
In a weak field there is often value to be found in the upper partitions of the betting spectrum. Campillo represents such value. In his last four events he has two runner-up finishes. That run also includes a tie for 3rd and a 21st. Those back-to-back runner-up finishes in Oman and Oatar bespeak a highly talented shot-maker who rings value at 22/1. He tends to be fairly accurate off the tee and has the ability to hone in on the greens with his pinpoint iron-play
