The Tips returns this week with more expert insight to help you choose your Fantasy team ahead of events on both the DP World Tour and the PGA TOUR.
• Betfred British Masters Hosted by Sir Nick Faldo: Buy Tickets Here
How it works: Every week a panel of industry-leading golf tipsters and special guests provide their expert tips for the week ahead.
Whether it’s making picks to update your Fantasy Team or keep your eye on the betting markets, our experts provide their insights into the Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo and the Rocket Mortgage Classic on the PGA Tour through our podcast - The Tips.
Joining regular host Ollie Silverton this week are Sky Sports Commentator Kit Alexander and golf writers Dave Tindall and Tom Jacobs, who outline their picks and reasons for both tournaments on this weeks podcast, which you can find here: https://linktr.ee/dpworldtour.
This week, there's also a guest appearance from tournament host Faldo!
If you have not done so already, you can sign up to play the official 2023 DP World Tour Fantasy game and submit your six-man team before round one gets under way on Thursday: https://fantasy.dpworldtour.com/
The 2023 season-long winner will win a trip to the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai next year, enjoy a lesson with a DP World Tour professional and a round of golf on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates. For more information on this amazing prize and others, read here
Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo Picks
The Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo returns to The Belfry this week as one of the DP World Tour’s longest-standing tournaments marks the start of a busy summer of golf on UK soil.
Faldo makes his debut as tournament host a year on from Thorbjorn Olesen's dramatic victory last season, and explains what type of player he thinks you need to be to win at this venue.
"It’s about strategy," said Faldo of the course this week.
"There is a natural slope to that golf course that goes left to right, and the prevailing wind is left to right, so you’ve got to work the golf ball. There's a few dog-legs. It will be interesting to see if they can get the greens firm and get a bit of bounce. You’ve got to get a good angle, there’s a few sneaky corners. You can’t necessarily bomb it down there because you can’t get a good angle, you’ve got to think your way and play a little strategy here and there."
So who is best placed to think their way carefully around The Belfry, and who can play well around a course where an all-round short-game could be crucial?
Despite a nod to arguable favourites Justin Rose and Min Woo Lee, Tindall singled out Alexander Bjork as his first big pick, while Jacobs opted for Ryder Cup hopeful Adrian Meronk. With a focus on approach play and putting, here's what our experts have to say about their first pick of players to contend this week.
Alexander Bjork
DT: His current form is absolutely brilliant, having gone ninth, sixth, 29th, fourth and fourth in his last five events. I love his numbers for this event in terms of what you need to do, which is good putting and good approach play. He’s ranked seventh in putting this season, and been in the top 16 in his last five events for that so it’s every week that he’s good. He’s ninth in approach, and if you look at the short game he’s 21st around the green, and third in scrambling. His only question mark is his course form – a 30th and missed cut – which on the face of it doesn’t look great but I had a deeper dive into it and in two of his last four rounds there are a 67 and 69 so he can score on this course, and he’s never been in better form. In England as well, in this event at Walton Heath he was runner up, he was third at Forrest of Arden, and he's played plenty of good golf in this country.
KA: Adding to Bjork, his floor has risen massively this year, and his form has been so good I’ve exhausted all my picks with him in my fantasy game this year. Obviously those stats are brilliant, but one of the areas he stands out is that he probably holes more mid-range putts than anyone else I’ve seen on the DP World Tour. With what Faldo said about wanting the greens firmer, and with the dry weather we’ve been having it’s going to be firmer and faster than it’s been and harder to get the ball closer. So overall he’s an excellent putter and playing well, but his mid-range putting separates him and there’s going to be more of that.
Adrian Meronk
TJ: It's Adrian Meronk for me. There’s a base level to his performances at the moment. When he returns to the DP World Tour, there is just a level of form that he just sticks to, and we know that he is reliable. Since last year, he’s won three times and this season it’s been 1st, 10th, 4th, 21st, 1st, 3rd in his last starts so he’s certainly the man of the hour. He’d led the putting or been there abouts in putting in 2021 here when he finished third, he leads the Tour in strokes gained total, off the tee and tee to green, and is third in greens in regulation so his all round game is brilliant. He is also ranked13th strokes in gained approach and 16th strokes gained around the green, I don’t think you can get a more well rounded player. He’s the best player in terms of course and current form.
Fantasy Insight: As it stands, Justin Rose is the favourite for players of our Fantasy Game this week, featuring in 59.82% of teams. Other popular players include Adrian Meronk (44.09%), Jordan Smith (31.53%) and Victor Perez (24.98%). Comparatively, some of our expert choices feature much further down the ranks in terms of players chosen, with Richie Ramsay in 18.34% of teams, Alexander Bjork featuring in 15.44%, Calum Hill in 2.13%, Connor Syme in 4.24%, and Justin Walters in 0.93%.
| EXPERT | PLAYER | REASON |
|---|---|---|
| Dave Tindall | Alexander Bjork | His current form is absolutely brilliant. Ninth, sixth, 29th, fourth and fourth in his last five events. I love his numbers for this event: He’s ranked seventh in putting this season, and been in the top 16 in his last five events for that so it’s every week that he’s good. He’s ninth in approach, and if you look at the short game he’s 21st around the green, and third in scrambling. |
| Calum Hill | Course form eighth and ninth in his last two visits, and top five strokes gained tee to green both times. He was 10th at the BMW International Open last week, which had his best approach numbers since third place in Japan, and 15th strokes gained putting - his best in that category. He’s really coming into form again. | |
| Connor Syme | Really good on Parkland tracks. Third here last year, good at Diamond, Top 10 at Valderrama, played well at Celtic manor. Likes this style of course . 14th and 10th in Germany which bodes well. | |
| Tom Jacobs | Adrian Meronk | I don’t think you can get a more well rounded player. He’s the best player in terms of course and current form. Led the putting or up there in 2021 here when he finished third, he leads the Tour in strokes gained total, off the tee and tee to green, and is third in greens in regulation so his all round game is brilliant. |
| Richie Ramsay | Heartbreak last year when he put it into the water on 18. Finding form, he finished 7th at Soudal, only 39th at the KLM but he was 8th at half way and he finished 5th at the Scandinavian Mixed last time out. A veteran presence so no matter the conditions they will suit him, and he relishes these classic tests. | |
| Justin Walters | The course that definitely suits him. Lost in playoff here at UK Championship, finished third again last year. He’s also been in the mix recently: finished top 20 in the recent Italian Open and T18 at Scandi Mixed. |
Rocket Mortgage Classic Picks
For those who are interested not only in our Fantasy Game but also tips for the PGA Tour, our experts also outlined their favourites and outsiders for the Travelers Championship, which is held at Detroit Golf Club.
With our experts making strong comparisons between players performing well here and at other Donald Ross courses (such as at the Wyndham Championship and Knoxville Open on the Korn Ferry Tour), they take a closer look at who they think may have a good week..
| EXPERT | PLAYER | REASON |
|---|---|---|
| Dave Tindall | Taylor Moore | Missed last 3 cuts, but not been far off. Won Valspar in March and a lot of good results this year. His form on Donald Ross courses is fantastic: Was sixth here last year, fifth at the Wydham, and even on Korn Ferry 9th in Knoxville Open. Is also 27th in putting this season which is one of his big strengths |
| Brandon Wu | Outwith Majors and designated events, third in Mexico, ninth in Canadian Open. He can go low, and in the top 25 for birdies this season. Was 30th in his debut here but another one with Donald Ross form: Eighth at Wyndham and 10th in the Knoxville Open. | |
| Tom Jacobs | Hideki Matsuyama | Over the last 15 weeks he leads the PGA Tour in strokes gained tee to green and strokes gained approach. Like his chances, has played well here in the past and suits birdie-fest events so hopefully makes a few putts as that’s what he struggles with. |
| Lee Hodges | He’s made eight of his last 11 cuts, multiple times he’s been good on that Texas Open form – which seems to be a good crossover. He was 3rd here after 36 holes last year and his consistency has improved in last 12 months. |
To listen to the picks in full, and who else they mentioned, click here:https://linktr.ee/dpworldtour.
