We preview the Turkish Airlines Open set to take place at the Regnum Carya Golf and Spas Resort from 2 November – 5 November.
Formerly part of the year ending European Tour Final Series, the fourth edition of the Turkish Airways Open will now form the first part of the final three events in the newly remodeled Rolex Series. The Race to Dubai will move to South Africa next week for the Nedbank Golf Challenge before culminating in the DP World Tour Championship. The Turkish Airways Open is a limited field- ala the FedEx Cup- and will feature only the top 70 players in the Race to Dubai. Unfortunately, Spanish super-duo Sergio Garcia and Jon Rahm have opted not to tee it up this week.
Turkish Airlines Open | 2 November – 5 November | Regnum Carya Golf and Spas Resort
After three years at the Montgomerie Maxx Royal the event moved to the Regnum Carya Golf and Spa resort a year back. Designed by Thompson, Perret and Lobb, this course is said to be Turkey’s first ever heathland inspired course. Set on undulating sand hills, the course runs through a pine forest, creating a distinctive aesthetic. The Bermuda fairways are tree-lined and narrower than average, with water in play on eight of the holes. In seeming response to the tightness of the off-the-tee conditions, the greens are extremely large and easy to find.
Tommy Fleetwood still leads the Race to Dubai standings and should feel buoyed by the absence of both Garcia and Rahm. Justin Rose’s victory at last week’s WGC sees him leading most markets just ahead of Henrik Stenson. However, both players look far too short considering the surprising depth in the field. Other resurgent figures such as Tyrell Hatton and Matthew Fitzpatrick will look to surge up those Race to Dubai standings.
Past Winners
2016: Thorbjorn Olesen (-20)
2015: Victor Dubuisson (-22)
2014: Brooks Koepka (-17)
2013: Victor Dubuisson (-24)
To Win Outright:
Justin Rose 15/2, Henrik Stenson 8/1, Tyrell Hatton 11/1, Matthew Fitzpatrick 16/1, Tommy Fleetwood 20/1
Value Bets
Peter Uihlein- To Win 35/1, To Place 15/2
While far from a prolific winner, the huge hitting American has the strength and deft touch around the greens to be a real threat this week. He has also had two top 11 finishes in this event over the last few years, indicating that he clearly feels comfortable in Turkey. He is also coming off the back of an amazing fifth place finish in the WGC last week. He also almost managed to chase down Tommy Fleetwood in another Rolex Series event in France, finishing runner-up in a performance that really announced him as a real prospect for the future.
Alexander Levy- To Win 45/1, To Place 19/2
The French have tended to have a good record in this event, with Victor Dubussion tearing it up on two occasions. Levy has finished in the top 25 on all three occasions he has participated in this event, and he clearly has the game to contend again. The big-hitting Frenchman can be an absolute birdie machine. He has only missed three cuts this whole season, although he has yet to really have that major breakthrough to define the season.
Pablo Larrazabal- To Win 90/1, To Place 19/1
A tie for 12th at the Andalucía Masters was a timely return to form for the Spaniard as he returns to a course that gave him his biggest payout of 2016- he finished eighth in this event last season. This is no surprise giving his brilliant iron play. This tree-lined course has strong links to Wentworth, and the Spaniard has brilliant form at the flagship European Tour event: he has three top 12 finishes in the last five editions at the BMW PGA. I think that he represents good value to place in the lower echelons of the market.
The Man to Beat- Joost Luiten- To Win 30/1, To Place 13/2
Existing in the murky limbo area of being a solid European Tour professional and one who can contend for a Ryder Cup place, Luiten frustrates and delights in equal measure. While it has hardly been an exceptional year for Luiten, his exceptional iron play almost took him to a brilliant victory at Valderrama, where only a missed short putt saw him finish behind Sergio. This near victory over the Masters champion should galvanize a player that I fancy towards the upper end of the betting spectrum. Just last spring he took second at Valderrama before finishing second again at the Shenzhen International.
