ISPS Handa Championship preview and tips: Christiaan Bezuidenhout a worthy favourite at decent odds
The DP World Tour returns this week, as we head off to the PGM Ishioka Golf Club in Japan for the ISPS Handa Championship. Tipstrr's golf pundit Martin Colwell assesses some of the leading contenders.
2023-04-18ISPS Handa Championship preview and tips: Christiaan Bezuidenhout a worthy favourite at decent odds
A par 70 course, 7,039 yards in length, Ishioka is a regular feature on the Japan Tour, and indeed, this is a co-sanctioned event between the two tours.
A parkland-style Jack Nicklaus design, this track has tight, undulating tree-lined fairways littered with bunkers and contoured greens. Looking at Japan Tour scores on the course, low scores should be readily achievable at this level.
Vying for the favourite tag this week is Rasmus Hojgaard, who is an undoubted young talent but can be inconsistent, so if you want to back him, it might be advisable to get involved in play if he is scoring well.
Battling with Hojgaard at the head of the betting is Christiaan Bezuidenhout, who boasted the lowest round last Sunday in South Carolina, and who is making the long journey to stake a strong claim here.
Hitting the 20/1 range we have another USPGA Tour regular in Lucas Herbert, who has enjoyed some good finishes in America over the past eighteen months. The Aussie is also no stranger to playing in Japan from his younger years on the Asian Tour.
Around the same price is Robert Macintyre, who endured a poor start to this year's tour, but came back to some decent form before the break. I presume that he has been in practice mode in the meantime.
Other golfers to consider
The home country challenge is reasonably strong with golfers from the Japan Tour, who appear from time to time on the DP World version.
Takumi Kanaya catches the eye at around 33/1. He has been in good form on the Asian Tour and is an accurate driver.
After some indifferent form Adri Arnaus has slipped down the betting ranks to 40-45/1. On his best form Arnaus is a consistent competitor for honours on this tour, so, in what is a reasonable but hardly stellar field the Spaniard may be value.
Darker horses
Yuto Katsuragama has won at this course, while Sebastian Soderberg has been a runner-up five times in the past eighteen months on tour, including agonising defeats in play-offs. Can he get over the line in this company? Both golfers are 80/1.
And finally, a golfer who is a bit out of form but has won in Asia on the DP World Tour. Marcus Armytage (aka'The Bullet') is a 100/1 this week.
I like Christiaan Bezuidenhout of those at shorter odds. I also like Katsuragawa and Soderberg at longer odds. It's advisable to on by Wednesday evening before it tees off in the early hours later that night.
