Damien Kayat previews the 2022 edition of the DP World Tour’s Omega European Masters set to take place at the picturesque Crans-sur-Sierre in Switzerland.
2021/2022 DP World Tour
Omega European Masters
Crans-sur-Sierre, Crans Montana, Switzerland
25th-28th August
More thrills in store this week?
Last week proved to be one of the more exciting finishes in recent DP World Tour memory. Malaysian Gavin Green had the weather-shortened Czech Masters by the scruff of the neck, leading the tournament by two shots with five holes to go.
By then the unthinkable happened. He drove his tee shot into the water on the par-four 14th, blowing his two-shot lead with an untimely double-bogey. He then missed an eight-footer on the 18th that would have forced a playoff with eventual champ Maximillian Kiefer (a DP World Tour champ at the 249th time of asking).
Let’s hope for similarly dramatic scenes as the tour moves to one of the most picturesque venues in world golf: Crans-sur-Sierre.
Familiar surrounds for Tour vets
This is one of the most familiar events on the entire circuit. Formerly known as the Swiss Open, the Omega European Masters has been part of the European schedule since its inception in 1972.
The old Swiss Open actually dates back all the way to 1923 and Crans-sur-Sierre has hosted every renewal since 1939. So, there’s a comforting air of familiarity to this week’s proceedings.
In 2009, this event became the first event in Europe to be co-hosted by the Asan Tour. It attracted plenty of attention in 2006 when American Michelle Wie- hellbent on breaking down the gender boundaries in golf- accepted an invitation to play the event.
It made sense given the parameters of this golf course (more on that in a moment). But it was ultimately pretty disastrous, with Wie finishing stone-last at 15-over-par.
Crans-sur-Sierre
Cut against the stunning backdrop of the Swiss Alps, Crans-sur-Sierre is one of the most breath-taking sights in world golf. The course dates all the way back to 1908 and the late-great Seve Ballesteros oversaw a dramatic redesign of the layout in 1999.
Going back to why Michelle Wie felt this was an appropriate event to enter: Crans-sur-Sierre is a par 70 that measures around 6,800 yards. This makes it one of the shortest courses on the entire European calendar.
This is exacerbated by the fact that the course is more than 4,000 feet above sea level. You don’t have to be a bomber to thrive on this mostly tree-lined layout. The key to success here is accuracy off the tee and on approach.
The fairways feature dramatic undulations that can take your ball into oblivion. The smaller-than-average greens will require some surgical play from the fairways.
It’s little surprise that Matthew Fitzpatrick won this event in back-to-back years. His combination of accuracy from the tee and strong iron play makes him the ideal candidate for this test.
The contenders
Ryan Fox will be coming into this recharged after a much-needed three-week hiatus. He has been exceptional on tour this season, picking up five podium finishes (including a victory in February).
Defending champion Rasmus Hojgaard is also one to watch this week. His last outing saw him pick up a T10 at the stacked Scottish Open. He has two top 20 finishes in the States this year and he won’t be competing against the likes of Wiesberger or Stenson this year.
Scottish golfing hopes were reignited by the arrival of Robert Macintyre a few seasons back. But he just hasn’t quite managed to fulfil all that massive potential. Perhaps this could be the week where he reminds the golfing world of what he is capable of?
Past Winners
2021: Rasmus Hojgaard (-13)
2020: event cancelled due to pandemic
2019: Sebastian Soderberg (-14) *playoff
2018: Matthew Fitzpatrick (-17) *playoff
2017: Matthew Fitzpatrick (-14) *playoff
2016: Alex Noren (-17) *playoff
2015: Danny Willett (-17)
To Win Outright:
Ryan Fox 18/1 | Adrian Meronk | 18/1 Robert Macintyre 25/1 | Rasmus Hojgaard 25/1 | Victor Perez 30/1
Value Bets
Renato Paratore- To Win 40/1 | To Place 17/2
The Italian is one of the few players in the field who can pair great course form with decent current form. Paratore has two top 10 finishes at Crans-sur-Sierre. But he also riding a pretty hot wave at present, with form figures that read 3-4-13. He was right in the mix last week before a disappointing final round of 1-under-par. This is a course that rewards familiarity and I think Paratore fits the bill nicely at 40/1.
Andy Sullivan- To Win 45/1 | To Place 19/1
Andy Sullivan is a proven European winner who has found his way into some form of late. He has two top 10’s in his last three events (including a T3 last time out at the Wales Open). Sullivan doesn’t have a sparkling record at Crans-sur-Sierre. But he did lead the field at the halfway point last year before a pretty dramatic weekend collapse. He ranked ninth in approach play last time out in Wales and this will prove a hugely important tool this week. I just think Sullivan is exactly the sort of veteran champ to watch out for in this kind of lean field.
The Man to Beat- Rasmus Hojgaard- To Win 25/1 | To Place 11/2
Defending champion just fits the bill perfectly this week. At his best, Hojgaard is a magnificent iron player who clearly knows how to navigate these small green complexes. He has been metronomic this season without truly catching fire. But a sixth place finish at the Corales Puntacana hinted at his raw potential. As I mentioned earlier, his last outing saw him register a T10 at an absolutely star-studded Scottish Open. 25/1 looks like amazing value for Hojgaard in this field.
