Vic Open betting tips
The details
Venue: 13th Beach GC, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
Date: February 7-10, 2019
Course stats: Par 72, 6,796 yards
Course summary: The tournament will alternate between the Beach and Creek course for the first two rounds in an event being held concurrently with the LPGA Tour. The players will play two separate events but will be on course at the same time in alternate groups. The final two rounds will be staged at the Beach. There is a cut after 36 and 54 holes.
Purse: $1.5 million (Australian)
Weather forecast: Hitting the mid 30s on Thursday, it’s set to be a bit cooler – but comfortable – as the tournament progresses. The big issue may be the wind, with speeds varying wildly throughout the week. It could hit 25mph on Saturday.
TV coverage
Thursday: Sky Sports Golf and Main Event, 4am
Friday: Sky Sports Golf and Main Event, 4am
Saturday: Sky Sports Golf, 2am; Sky Sports Main Event, 2.30am
Sunday: Sky Sports Golf and Main Event, 1am
Vic Open betting tips: Each-way tips
Local boy Ben Eccles was tied 6th in the Australian PGA Championship before Christmas and the 66/1 chance could make the most of home knowledge here
As you might expect for someone who lives in Melbourne, the 24-year-old has plenty of course form at 13th Beach – having been a regular of the Vic Open before it was co-sanctioned by the European Tour.
Fifth 12 months ago, he achieved the same in 2016 and did even better when finishing third in 2015.
Richard Green’s best days look a bit behind him but the 47-year-old represents the host club and is clearly very at home.
A top-5 finisher last year, he won in 2015 and it wouldn’t take much for him to make a mockery of the 175/1 you can find in some outlets.
His recent form is definitely a concern. He hasn’t made a cut in European Tour battle since the Nordea Masters last August.
But this is a purely speculative punt, based on his knowing every nook and cranny of this track. Who is to say he won’t find one more special week to challenge for a fourth Tour victory?
Hungry for more tips? Turn the page to find how who Steve thinks has the best chance of lifting the trophy on Sunday…
Steve Carroll
A journalist for 25 years, Steve has been immersed in club golf for almost as long. A former club captain, he has passed the Level 3 Rules of Golf exam with distinction having attended the R&A's prestigious Tournament Administrators and Referees Seminar.
Steve has officiated at a host of high-profile tournaments, including Open Regional Qualifying, PGA Fourball Championship, English Men's Senior Amateur, and the North of England Amateur Championship. In 2023, he made his international debut as part of the team that refereed England vs Switzerland U16 girls.
A part of NCG's Top 100s panel, Steve has a particular love of links golf and is frantically trying to restore his single-figure handicap. He currently floats at around 11.
Steve plays at Close House, in Newcastle, and York GC, where he is a member of the club's matches and competitions committee and referees the annual 36-hole scratch York Rose Bowl.
Having studied history at Newcastle University, he became a journalist having passed his NTCJ exams at Darlington College of Technology.
What's in Steve's bag: TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver, 3-wood, and hybrids; TaylorMade Stealth 2 irons; TaylorMade Hi-Toe, Ping ChipR, Sik Putter.
