Andalucia Masters Betting Picks, Predictions And Odds
By Jonny Leighfield,
1 days ago
There are four tournaments left on the 2024 DP World Tour calendar, and the Andalucia Masters has the honor of closing the European portion of the season this week.
The Genesis Championship in South Korea follows on next week, and then it's the DP World Tour playoffs in the United Arab Emirates. The overwhelming majority of golfers still have something to play for - whether it be a PGA Tour card in 2025 , a spot in the playoffs, or the opportunity to retain DP World Tour membership.
As a result, picking a winner of this important event could prove even more difficult as it's not just a case of looking at form and historic performances - motivational factors must be considered, too.
Adrian Meronk is the defending champion but is not a part of the field this year. However, LIV Golf peer Jon Rahm is and represents the strongest chance of a home winner, just three weeks on from his thrilling playoff defeat against Spanish compatriot, Angel Hidalgo.
In this article, a few of the Golf Monthly team will share their favorite and outside picks for the 2024 Andalucia Masters before Meronk's successor is decided...
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Andalucia Masters Golf Betting Preview 2024: The Course
Real Club de Golf Sotogrande was the first European project for legendary course designer, Robert Trent Jones, opening in 1964 and going on to undergo a significant restoration in 2011. According to the golf club's website, Jones listed Sotogrande as one of his five favorites from a list of over 500 that he helped to design.
It is a 7,101-yard par-72 course with around 100 bunkers throughout - 69 of which protect the greens - plus wide fairways and fast, sloping putting surfaces which were reduced back to their original size during the recent work.
There are four par-3s, four par-5s, and 10 par-4s included with a mixture of risk and reward holes sprinkled throughout the front nine and - in particular - between holes 13 and 15 on the back nine.
Far from one of the longer layouts on the European circuit, distance off the tee will certainly help players create plenty of birdie chances this week. Last year's stroke average was just under par at 71.43, with Meronk's winning score of 16-under the second-lowest recorded at the tournament. It should be noted, however, that Sotogrande made its debut in 2023 with Valderrama hosting each of the eight Andalucia Masters prior.
The Spaniard is one of the top prospects in world golf, having won twice on the Asian Tour already at the age of 22. Puig led the Spanish Open recently with nine holes to play before faltering alongside Jon Rahm, so he’s surely set to have learned a lot from that experience and can easily go and challenge again on home soil.
A win this week would also put him in the frame to push on and make a Ryder Cup debut next year…potentially.
OUTSIDER: Jeff Winther (+8000)
The Dane is far too long odds this week after a brilliant T2nd last week at Le Golf National. If that hasn’t taken too much out of him and he keeps his play up, he’s set to challenge again this week after finishing 6th here last year.
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FAVORITE: David Puig (+2500)
Puig has certainly capitalised on his DP World Tour appearances over the last few weeks, finishing T3rd at the Open De Espana and T4th at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. He also ranked in the top-five for driving distance and putting average on LIV Golf during the 2024 season, both of which appear to be great indicators of success at this golf course.
The Spaniard has already demonstrated winning pedigree, taking both the International Series Singapore and The Malaysian Open in the last 12 months or so. Returning back to home soil, Puig will attract plenty of crowd support and will surely be buoyed by his red-hot form.
OUTSIDER: Brandon Stone (+9000)
Stone shot up the leaderboard in the final round of the Open De France last week, eventually finishing T10th thanks to a closing 64. I fancy him to take real confidence from that performance and he appears to be well suited to this test.
In the 2024 season, Stone ranks 33rd for driving distance and fourth for GIR, but his numbers from last week are the thing that initially captured my attention. The South African ranked 19th for driving distance, ninth for GIR and ninth for putting, demonstrating a strong all-round effort from the three-time DP World Tour winner.
The performances with the flat stick have massively let Stone down this season, but with a hot putter in hand I believe he is one to be feared at a big price.
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FAVORITE: Jon Rahm (+280)
I know it's the obvious option and his odds are short but, coming into this week, I just can't see anyone getting past the Spaniard. Losing out in a playoff at the Open de Espana, it didn't even feel like Rahm had his best stuff and he only just missed out via Angel Hidalgo's heroics.
At Real Club de Golf Sotogrande, he comes into the event on the back of T5th, second and T7th results, including two victories at the end of the 2024 LIV season. That is some serious form and, with the course somewhat suiting his all-round game, I'm backing Rahm all the way to win, yet again, in his home country.
OUTSIDER: Matthew Jordan (+5000)
The Englishman is enjoying a fine display of form of late, finishing in a tie for 10th at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and tie for sixth at the Open de France, with Jordan actually tied for the lead at one point on Sunday. He's in great form and, at last year's event, he finished in a tie for 13th following a shaky one-over-par first round at Real Club de Golf Sotogrande.
Personally, I feel his odds are, currently, very reasonable and, if it were my money, I would confidently say he has a great chance to contend once again this week on a course where he has form.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
FAVORITE: Niklas Norgaard (+2200)
The Dane looks like a new man following his British Masters victory in early-September, going on to record three top-20s in his past three starts - the best of which was a T7th at the BMW PGA Championship. He absolutely cranks it off the tee (averaging 322.53 yards and ranking fourth on the DP World Tour), and distance will be a key attribute this week, with forgiving fairways helping out any misses.
Also key to the recent run of good form has been his putting, with Norgaard collecting between 0.93 and 2.07 shots on the field with his flat stick. Although he has missed the cut in his first two appearances at this tournament, only one was at this course while neither were before he had won for the first time. While Jon Rahm is the clear favorite with the bookmakers, Norgaard can truly scare the Spaniard.
OUTSIDER: Richard Mansell (+5500)
Another huge hitter on the DP World Tour (averages 307.5 yards off the tee and has gained 0.74 strokes on his rivals this season in that field), Mansell finished third here last year and is perfectly capable of doing it again.
Distance is never a problem for the Englishman, while it might be about limiting his misses if he is to contend. But, having played four weeks in a row and opting to sit out the Open de France, Mansell has hopefully returned refreshed and ready to go as he tackles the final few hurdles this season. His better results this term have largely arrived around shorter and tight layouts, so here's hoping Sotogrande can once again play to Mansell's strengths.
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