Havret To Have A Real Go In Italy

The 70° Open d’Italia Lindt moves to a new course this year, which makes life difficult for punters, but there are some golfers whose form, both in previous Italian and recent events, makes them worth following in the competition.

Top of the list is Gregory Havret, who is available at odds of 34.00 with Sportingbet to take out the 70° Open d’Italia Lindt. Havret won the 2001 edition of this week’s event and he has posted a couple more top-seven finishes at different courses subsequently so it seems that the Frenchman enjoys playing in Italy. Havret is in superb form, shooting four consistent rounds to earn third place in the KLM Open one week after finishing seventh in the Omega European Masters. Havret has three top-seven places in his last five European Tour appearances so he is playing at the peak his powers.

Not far behind Havret in terms of 70° Open d’Italia Lindt appeal is Marcus Fraser, the Australian who has an average finishing position of 22nd in the tournament over seven attempts with no missed cuts. Fraser has always been there or thereabouts and his European Tour results are getting better with every week, going from 47th to 20th to 16th. Fraser looks primed to have a crack at winning the 70° Open d’Italia Lindt and claiming his third European Tour title. The majority of bookmakers, including Bet365, are offering odds of 41.00 about Fraser being celebrated as the 70° Open d’Italia Lindt champion.

Of the home hopes, Golf Club Torino is Francesco Molinari’s base so he is worthy of respect but he has missed his last two cuts so he does not appeal at odds of 17.00 with Coral to win the 70° Open d’Italia Lindt. Molinari’s compatriot, Matteo Manassero, also available at odds of 17.00 with several bookmakers, mainly Betfred, is a bit more interesting. Manassero was third and eighth in the last two renewals of the event and his recent form is okay if not outstanding. While it would not surprise one if either Molinari or Manassero triumphed, Havret and Fraser represent better value.

Turning to 70° Open d’Italia Lindt head-to-head bets and Fraser is the clear pick of the bunch at odds of 1.91 with Bwin to outperform Damien McGrane, whose third place in last week’s KLM Open was not a bolt from the blue given his good form in the tournament in previous years. McGrane may have two top-six finishes in his last four European Tour starts but he has two missed cuts as well, plus his results in the 70° Open d’Italia Lindt and its predecessors on Italian soil have been mediocre. Fraser receives a very strong vote.

Molinari may not be worth backing in the 70° Open d’Italia Lindt but he does stand out at odds of 1.91 with Bwin to get the better of Bernd Wiesberger in their mythical match over 72 holes. Molinari know the Golf Club Torino layout better than any other golfer in the field and that has to be a big advantage. Wiesberger missed the cut on his last start and his results in previous editions of this event have been below his high standards. Molinari should be the favourite over Wiesberger rather than trading at the same odds.

Finally, it is worth noting the performances of Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano in Italian tournaments. Fernandez-Castano has competed in four renewals of this week’s event and his results have been two firsts, one sixth and one missed cut. Had 70° Open d’Italia Lindt organisers decided to play the competition at the Royal Park i Roveri course, also in Turin, Fernandez-Castano would have been close to title favouritism. Fernandez-Castano is trading at odds of 23.00 with Paddy Power but, while he does not feel like a bet at that mark, he is not worth opposing in head-to-head and groups. There are plenty other ways to get involved.