DP World Tour Championship Tips: The best speciality bets

Ryder Cup star Nicolas Colsaerts is fancied across various markets this week

As the European Tour's finest gather in Dubai for their season finale, Paul Krishnamurty identifies various betting options covering a series of speciality markets...

Comprising the leading 64 players on the Race to Dubai, this week's DP World Tour Championship could hardly be described as anything other than a prestigious, competitive affair. The nature of the Earth Course layout, however, means we can probably rule out at least half of this world-class line-up. At 7,700 yards long and offering plenty of room off the tee, shorter hitters will need the rest of their game to be near-perfect. Greens measuring 12 on the stimp-meter will be too quick for many. It may therefore pay to focus on the relatively small number of players that tick the right boxes in terms of past course form, driving distance, putting and birdie average.

Outright trades

Back Alexander Noren 2u @ 90.089/1
Back Thorbjorn Olesen 2u @ 85.084/1
Place order to lay each player 12u @ 10.09/1

The class at the head of the market means there are plenty of regular Euro Tour contenders available at much bigger odds than usual. Take the example of Scandinavian duo Alexander Noren and Thorbjorn Olesen. Both have been regular contenders all summer, normally around the top of the market, yet this week available at 85.084/1 despite perfectly reasonable claims. 

Noren has always seemed a desert golf type and is a better player than when sixth on his course debut in 2009. Likewise Olesen is much improved since last year's promising rookie effort in 19th, is a long-hitter and ranks sixth for birdie average over the last six months.

Tournament matchbet

Back Nicolas Colsaerts to beat Graeme McDowell 10u @ 1.84/5

Given the importance of driving distance, the European Tour's most powerful hitter rates a very strong fancy against an out of form opponent. Nicolas Colsaerts should be ideally suited to the Earth Course layout and, notably, improved markedly from halfway in last year's debut 19th. Graeme McDowell hasn't shown anything like his best since the PGA in August and was beaten by 15 shots in last week's low-grade Australian event. There's little to suggest he's likely to match, yet alone improve on an Earth Course best of 11th place. 

Top-five finish

Back Nicolas Colsaerts 3u @ 9.28/1
Back Shane Lowry 2u @ 12.5n/a

Colsaerts also rates the best value in finishing position markets. Granted, he is not a prolific winner but the Belgian has repeatedly thrived in the most prestigious events this season. 9.28/1 about a top-five finish is simply too big, especially given the layout. Recent Portugal Masters winner Shane Lowry also meets the right statistical criteria, ranking second for birdie average, 13th for putting and finishing an excellent eighth on last year's debut. 
 
Top-ten finish

Back Nicolas Colsaerts 5u @ 3.9n/a
Back Romain Wattel 2u @ 12.011/1

In addition to another bet on Colsaerts, Find Me a 100 Winner selection Romain Wattel is worth a further interest to make the top-ten. The Frenchman is another big-hitting, birdie-machine type who should like the Earth Course.