Written by @Matt_Cee for @Hollywoodbets. Follow them both on Twitter and Facebook now!
The Maybank Malaysian Open | Thursday 17 January – Sunday 20 January | Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club
A number of the world’s top golfers will make their way to Kuala Lumpur this week for the Maybank Malaysian Open and as usual, this should be a hotly contested tournament. As it stands, Lee Westwood dominates the betting, which is surprising considering that he let himself down with the putter last week and the greens here are known to be fairly tricky. That’s not the only challenge he and the rest of the field will face though. The course measures in at a very short 6,967 yards, so distance off the tee is not going to be imperative but accuracy certainly is. The fairways are lined with numerous bunkers and water hazards are in abundance so accurate iron play will be the name of the game if scores are going to be kept low. Last year the tournament was narrowed down to three rounds due to awful weather conditions, so let’s hope that this is not the case this time around. So who will win this one? Let’s have a look.
To Win Outright
Lee Westwood 8/1
Louis Oosthuizen 12/1
Francesco Molinari 16/1
Rafael Cabrera Bello 20/1
Matteo Manassero 20/1
VALUE BETS
Gregory Bourdy (50/1 a win, 11/1 a place)
Gregory Bourdy has been fairly quiet lately but I reckon that this could be his week. He loves the tournament and has done well in the past, his second in 2011 being his best finish and a T11 last year showing that performance to be no flash in the pan. His current form suggests that he has what it takes to handle this short track and make a lot of birdies too. With a ranking of fifth in driving accuracy and finding himself just outside the Top 10 in GIR%, he should flourish here. This week Bourdy looks to have it in him to go far and at 50/1, looks a great bet. Each way looks good to me.
Tommy Fleetwood (70/1 a win, 15/1 a place)
Tommy Fleetwood is an incredibly talented young golfer who should have what it takes to get close on this course. He managed to finish alongside Bourdy last year in T11 and that could have been vastly better if the weather hadn’t been so bad whilst he was out there. He managed to go incredibly low in round two and if he can repeat that performance, he will do well. A accurate player from tee to green when playing at his finest, he will be looking to kickstart his season with a victory here. 70/1 is huge, get on.
Mikko Ilonen (40/1 a win, 88/10 a place)
Mikko Ilonen was spectacular last season and I can’t believe that he can be backed at 40/1 this week. Sure, he isn’t playing as well as we all know that he can but he shone in the Qatar Masters, where he finished second, and the Dubai Desert Classic when he finished T5. On those performances alone, he looks a bit of value here. If he can hit his irons as well as he did in those two tournaments he will go far and there’s no reason whatsoever to be concerned about his putting, as he’s been great with the short stick all season.
TOP BET: Rafael Cabrera Bello (20/1 a win, 44/1 a place)
Rafael Cabrera Bello is one of the most consistent in the game at the moment and has been shooting the lights out this season. His current form is incredible and he rarely finds himself outside the Top 5. His performance last time out in the Trophee Hassan showcased his ability perfectly. He rarely missed a fairway or a green in that one and if he can carry some of that form into this one, he will certainly go far. A T4 and T3 in 2011 and 2012 respectively, he will do well this week. Get on while he is available at 20/1, that price won’t be around for long.
