South Africa Open Championship tips: In-form Dan Bradbury has quality to challenge homegrown talent

The Tour stays in the Johannesburg area this week at the Blair Atholl Golf Club - a par-71 and a massive 8,161 yards in length, making it the third-longest golf course in the world.

Its 1500-metre altitude will extend hitting distance to counter the course’s length, and we have seen 400-yard drives here in the past.

When in South Africa we tend to look towards homegrown golfers to dominate, as was proven by last week's Joburg Open, where five of the top six finishers were South African.

LIV golfer Dean Burmester eventually emerged as the comfortable three-stroke winner, and is 13/2 to win back-to-back.

A final round of 62 got it done last week, and the South African is the obvious favourite to continue that form this week at this very long course.

Thriston Lawrence went into last week's final round with a three-stroke lead, before a final-round 75 put paid to his chances.

He’s a past winner at altitude, but the manner of last Sunday’s implosion suggests he should be higher than his current 14/1 price tag.

Christiaan Bezuidenhout was a slow starter last week, but  is always worth considering on home soil, despite having struggled a little on this year’s USPGA Tour.

Bez is always one with the ability to step up, but on recent form he needs that step to be huge to justify his unappealing 16/1 odds..

Englishman Dan Bradbury is the visiting player to appear on our shortlist this week, and it was he who gatecrashed the South African party last weekend, when his final-round 66 nudged him up to third spot.

Bradbury has won in this part of the world before and last week’s placed finish confirms the form that could well see him show up again in this familiar company and surroundings, making his 18/1 price look good each-way value.

Suggested bet:  Dan Bradbury each-way in the South Africa Open Championship

This also brings in Matti Schmid, who was fourth here last year.

Long off the tee and in good recent form with a third place in Bermuda and a runner-up spot in Spain, the young German looks set up for a good showing this week, and might be worth a punt at 20/1.

Other golfers to consider must include Charl Schwartzel, who has not been in the best of form in 2023 on the LIV Golf tour, but the former Masters champions will have his supporters here, and 40/1 seems fair enough if he can rekindle some old form.

We have some interesting big-odds outsiders this week, including 75/1 shot Shubanker Sharma, whose inconsistency in making the cut puts him well beneath the bookies radar.

However, he has played well in South Africa in the past and can contend in a field of this strength when he has his best game in place.

Our shot in the dark this week is the young German prospect, Freddy Schott, who recently won the tour qualifying school.

A long driver of the ball, Freddie has shown up on the leaderboard a few times on tour in 2023, and he looks capable of outscoring his 75/1 starting price this weekend.

Suggested bet:  Freddy Schott each-wayin the South Africa Open Championship.

Last but not least is another South African who has been in the doldrums in recent times.

Brandon Stone has won such tournaments in the past and has been in contention on many more occasions.

The course this week looks ideal for him and so the 100/1 that can be found may look big if he can find his form again

Suggested bet Summary:

• Dan Bradbury, 3 points each way at 18/1
• Matti Schmid, 3 points each way at 20/1
• Freddy Schott, 0.5 points each way at 75/1.

 

All prices provided by Planet Sport Bet were correct at the time of writing but could be subject to change