Bahrain Championship tips: Yannik Paul to convert improving form into DP World Tour success

The venue for the inaugural Bahrain Championship is the Royal Golf Club, a par 72 at 7,261 yards in length. An exposed desert course with generous fairways, the greens are big and flat and are expected to run firm and fast. 

We don’t have a strong field this week and Rasmus Hojgaard is the current 9/1 favourite, and is in-form and the highest-ranked golfer in the field.

Next best at 14/1 is the German Yannik Paul, who is well capable of winning at this level and played well last week, if letting himself down by almost inexplicably dropping strokes at random times.    

Suggested bet: Yannik Paul in the Bahrain Championship

Three golfers between 16/1 and 20/1 include Jordan Smith, Keita Nakajima and Zander Lombard. As we seem to say every week, Smith struggles to get himself over the line on tour, butZander Lombard has found his form in recent weeks and has been contending, so can he keep it together to win a tournament? 

Nakajima is an up-and-coming Japanese golfer, who has won in Asia and is now making his way on the DP World Tour, and he certainly has the talent to win in this field.

At 22/1 is Antoine Rozner, who has been putting in some solid if unspectacular performances, but has been somewhat disappointing in terms of putting himself in contention.

A better prospect appears to be Callum Shinkwin, who found his game to tie for fourth in the United Arab Emirates last week. He should be able to hit the ball a long way on this course and 45/1 seems decent each-way value.

Suggested bet: Callum Shinkwin in the Bahrain Championship

Two golfers catch the eye at 25/1 – Alex Fitzpatrick and Sebastian Soderberg. Fitzpatrick is still a maiden at DP World Tour level, but he was a winner on the Challenge Tour and found good form again last week. Soderberg is a winner on the tour and has been contending in recent weeks.

Max Kieffer came back to form last week to make his way up the leaderboard and also finished tied in fourth place. A winner on the tour, albeit on tougher tests, the German can be guilty of inconsistency, but is a good watch on a going week, and 60/1 looks attractive as an each-way proposition.

Suggested bet: Max Kieffer in the Bahrain Championship

Looking further down the betting market, Andy Sullivan narrowly missed the cut last week. Sully struggles to put four good rounds together these days, as he displayed when fading into oblivion after starting his Saturday round at the Dubai Classic in the leading group. However, he has won in this part of the world before, so while it’s likely to be a risky punt, 90/1 could be big if he can just hold his game together

The promising German Freddie Schott can show up on the leaderboard some weeks. The course should suit his game and at 150/1 will attract support.

Suggested bet summary:

• Yannik Paul, 3 points each way at 14/1;
• Callum Shinkwin, 1 point each way at 45/1;
• Max Kieffer, 1 point each way at 60/1