The Golf Outsider: Andalucia Masters

Valderrama hosts the Andalucia Masters this week, a course that is often quoted as being the best on tour. Sergio Garcia is favourite at a venue he loves, and with a such good course record he will be expecting back-to-back victories. However, the field has much more depth than the Castello Masters and the 13/2 is not tempting.

Andalucia Masters Selections

The first of the outsiders is much shorter than usual. If anyone is to be the first Spaniard to win at Valderrama, it will be Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano. Finally he looks to be over the back injury that stopped him playing in the first part of the year. His comeback was announced last week with a closing 64, enough to clinch second at the Castello Masters. His record at Valderrama is ok with three top 22 finishes, but his putting has improved dramatically this year and I expect him to contend.

Recommended Bet: Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano @ 55.0

I’m going to balance the low priced tip with a proper outsider - Nicholas Fasth. He made what could be the start of a renaissance with a T11 at the Castello Masters. He also has a nugget of Valderrama from 2006, with a T5 at the Volvo Masters. With the price set at over 350/1, it is enough to tempt me into a speculative wager.

Recommended Bet: Nicholas Fasth @ 370.0

The second rank outsider, who also finished T11 last week, is Richard McEvoy. After a few years of yo-yoing between the Challenge and European Tour, he kept his card with a couple of big performances towards the end of last season. The same is required this year, as he sits 118th in the Race to Dubai; the top 115 keep their cards. He has not played the tournament before but his good finish last week, along with another T11 at the Madrid Masters three weeks ago, shows he thrives in this part of the world.

Recommended Bet: Richard McEvoy @ 300.0