Doha Golf Club is the venue for the second of the European Tour’s Desert Swing events. The Qatar Masters is every bit as highly regarded as the tournaments either side of it and it is for that reason that many of those who competed last week have made the short trip from Abu Dhabi.
Tommy Fleetwood was the very popular winner in Abu Dhabi last week. The Englishman is widely expected to kick on and start winning on a much more regular basis but he will find it very difficult to win back to back titles. That’s because the questions posed by Doha Golf Club are significantly different to those which Fleetwood answered so emphatically in Abu Dhabi.
Whereas the winning formula last week was all about hitting greens in regulation, this week it’ll be much more about what the players do off the tee. The 7,400 yard layout in Doha has par fives bookending both nines and scoring on the long holes has been an important factor previously. Factor in pretty generous fairways with short rough and you can see why big hitters have done so well at this event in recent years.
The other important element to factor in is the wind. Like many desert golf courses, Doha Golf Club is very exposed to the wind. Players can give it a good whack off the tee but going into the greens they will need expert control of their ball. The wind is one of the reasons why the four par threes are so challenging but it’ll have an impact all over the course.
Bello to Batter the Competition?
When amateurs go for golf lessons the number one thing they look to improve is their consistency. The frustration for teaching pros the world over is that consistency is such a difficult thing to pinpoint, unless you are Rafa Cabrera Bello that is.
You have to go back to the Players Championship for the last time that Cabrera Bello missed a cut. His consistent run of form has taken him to 26th in the world. This week he can improve his ranking further still by finally getting over the line in Doha. With two third places and a runner up finish in the last six years, the Spaniard clearly has the tools to succeed at Doha Golf Club which makes him look great value at 18/1 with BetVictor.
Dredge to Go Close Again
Bradley Dredge was hardly well fancied ahead of last year’s renewal at Doha but the Welshman proved once again what a brilliant player he is in the wind to record a top five finish. He does have an up and down record at this tournament but he played nicely last week which will give him confidence. At 80/1 with Bet365, Dredge is a must each way bet.
Frustration to Stop for the Dude?
Nicolas Colsaerts can be a very frustrating player to follow. The big hitting Belgian, known as the Dude, has all the talent in the world but he has a habit of letting big scores ruin his chances. If he maintains concentration, Colsaerts could return big at 66/1 with Ladbrokes.