I’ve got three players I think will challenge for this week’s Italian Open, including a 200/1 shot. But first…
- Related: European Tour 2020 schedule
Italian Open: The details
Venue: Chervo Golf Club, Brescia, Italy
Date: October 22-25, 2020
Course stats: Par 72; 7,434 yards
Course summary: With a backdrop of rolling hills and fruit orchards, this picturesque course is located near the iconic Lake Garda. Hosting this famous competition for the first time, Chervo Golf Club is relatively long and will suit some of the bigger hitters off the tee. Bunkers will regularly come into play for most, so scrambling will be another key measure here.
Purse: $1 million
Defending champion: Bernd Wiesberger (-16)
Italian Open: TV coverage
Thursday: Sky Sports Golf and Main Event from 11.30am
Friday: Sky Sports Golf at 11.30am and Main Event from 12.45pm
Saturday: Sky Sports Golf from 12pm
Sunday: Sky Sports Golf from 11am
Italian Open: Staking plan
Renato Paratore – 2.5pt e/w @ 25/1 with bet365
Since winning the British Masters in July Paratore is on a rather underwhelming run of form. That is until two weeks ago, when a fantastic performance at Wentworth saw him secure a 7th-place finish. Returning to his native Italy this week, on the back of a couple of strong performances in the UK, Paratore represents great value. As well as the obvious added motivation of winning his national championship, Paratore also has the skill set to perform well here. He ranks 17th on tour for Driving Distance, 15th for Scrambling and 16th for Putts-per-Round. With a recent win under his belt, and string of strong, if inconsistent, performances, expect Paratore to challenge this week.
David Horsey – 1.5pt e/w @ 50/1 with bet365
Four top-15 finishes in six events is enough to justify his selection here, but his performance most recently at Wentworth is what most impresses me. A 13th-place finish did not flatter Horsey following a 1-over-par final round. The Englishman ranked inside the top two for scrambling on two of the four rounds, and ranked 2nd for Putting in an elite field when securing a third round 67. As a four-time European Tour winner, Horsey has every chance of continuing his great run of form here, and experience could be invaluable on a new track for the entire field.
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Matteo Manassero – 0.5pt e/w @ 200/1 with bet365
This might just be the romantic in me but I couldn’t resist. Matteo Manassero’s huge career slump has been a tremendous shame. The likeable Italian was ranked inside the world’s top 30 when he won the BMW PGA Championship in 2013. Seven years later he’s just inside the top 1,000 having climbed back from a career-low 1,805. There are signs of revival in Manassero’s game. A win recently at the Toscana Alps Open sent social media into a frenzy, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see this fan favourite put in a challenge here at his national championship.
For more prices, visit bet365.
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