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The Co-sanctioned European and Sunshine Tours stay in Johannesburg this week, but moves north to the Rhenosterspruit Nature Conservatory to one of the longest golf courses on the planet.
Weighing in at a mighty 8,300 yards the Blair Atholl was where Gary Player called home. Player remains passionate about the estate, and the championship course he designed was inspired by his love of Augusta National.
After acquiring some of the surrounding farmland the spacious layout undulates through rolling countryside and indigenous bush. There are over 250,000 trees on the property and like Augusta National, there are a surprising amount of elevation changes. The fairways are wide and the opening par 5 quickly disappears from view as the fairway falls steeply downhill to a green adjoining a large water hazard.
The Crocodile River runs along the 4th to the 6th holes and also alongside the 8th and 16th, whilst a 150-year-old canal flows behind the 8th green and beside the 9th tee, on its way to feeding the main dam in front of the 17th green.
The course comes to a climatic crescendo starting at the 14th, which starts a run of three par 4s all measuring over 500 yards from the tips. The 17th is a long carry over water to a well bunkered fairway, with the 18th playing uphill towards a green protected by a small creek at the front.
For another trusted Blair Atholl Golf Estate review click here
My tips to Win:
I am sure Branden Grace 14/1 – with 10Bet – will take a lot of confidence from Cam Smiths win last week and being able to last the four rounds. Branden has a win and a runner-up finish in this event and will be looking to become a multiple winner of his home Open Championship
Looking to win his home Open Championship for the first time is Thriston Lawrence 22/1 – with BetFred – who started well last week but his two rounds of 73 in rounds two and three cost him any chance of challenging. Thriston had two wins on last years wraparound European Tour season and will be looking to end the year on a high
A comprehensive win at the Andalucía Masters two months ago should see Adrian Otaegui 30/1 – with 10Bet – arrive in confident mood, especially after his third round 64 over a very tough Valderrama course. Adrian also had a Top 20 finish at the World Tour Championship and I think he will be right in the thick of it here come Sunday
Each-way tips:
A player that finished last season well was Joost Luiten 50/1 – with SpreadEx – who had a Top 10 finish at the Portugal Masters. It has been a tough few years for Joost with injuries, but he will want to get this season off to a good start and I think he will do well here this week.
Three starts on the Sunshine Tour this season and three Top 25 finishes for Daniel Van Tonder 50/1 – with LiveScoreBet – and two of those have been inside the Top 10 including his third-place finish at the weekend. Daniel is the defending champion this week and he will take a lot of confidence from the weekends performance.
Outside tip:
Moving up from the European Challenge Tour this year is Simon Forsström 110/1 – with Bet365 – who started his first event on the full tour with a Top 10 finish last week and stormed up the leaderboard on the last day with his final round 65. Simon will take a lot of confidence from that coming into this week and these could prove to be very good odds.
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