Home grown Thriston Lawrence won the South African Open last week after barely scraping over the line from Clement Sordet. We remain in South Africa for the last co-sanctioned Sunshine Tour / DP World Tour event of the South Africa Swing, the Alfred Dunhill Championship.
As always we have previewed the tournament and provided you with our best bets for the occasion.
Alfred Dunhill Championship 2022 Betting Tips
History
The Alfred Dunhill Championship dates back to 2000 but Alfred Dunhill sponsored the South African PGA event, for a number of years prior to that.
Originally held at the new home of the Joburg Open, Houghton Golf Club for six years, in 2005 the decision was made to switch to the current venue of Leopard Creek.
Last year's event was cancelled less than two weeks before the start of the tournament, primarily due to travel restrictions stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.
That, of course, means that the 2020 champion Christiaan Bezuidenhout is the holder and will be defending his title this week.
There is a €1.5m prize fund this week, with 2000 DPWT points up for grabs.
The Course
Leopard Creek was established in 1996 and is set in an enviable position, bordering the Kruger National Park, in Malalane.
South African legend Gary Player designed the course and the Crocodile River features prominently, cutting through several fairways.
Measuring 7,249 yards and playing to a standard Par 72, as you would imagine the course features a lot of water and tree-lined fairways, ensuring accuracy from the tee is rewarded.
The course was renovated in 2018 and it resulted in a much tougher course. When Charl Schwartzel won back in 2012, the winning score was -24 but in the three runnings since the overhaul, the average total was just half of that, at 12 under.
The Field
Christiaan Bezuidenhout is back to defend his Alfred Dunhill title and has been installed as the 9/1 favourite. Seven of the last nine winners of this championship are South African, so as you would expect, the betting markets are dominated by home grown players.
Louis Oosthuizen (12/1) is looking for his first win at Leopard Creek and is joined by four time winner here, Schwartzel at 18/1. Next comes Dean Burmester (18/1), last week's winner Lawrence and Branden Grace (both at 20/1).
Notable foreigners in the field include Frenchman Antoine Rozner (25/1), Spain's Adrian Otaegui and England's Eddie Pepperell (both 30/1). Also listed in the field is Joburg Open surprise winner, Wakefield's Dan Bradbury, who is 70/1 to win twice in three weeks.
Other former winners of the Alfred Dunhill Championship, taking part this week include Marcel Siem (70/1), Ernie Els (200/1) and Richard Sterne (125/1).
Bet on the Alfred Dunhill Championship with Betfred here
3u Charl Schwartzel each-way (1/4 5 places) - 14/1
We start with an obvious selection but one that I just can't ignore. Charl Schwartzel has won here four times in 2004, 2012, 2013 and 2015 and has previously stated this is his favourite golf course in the world. No wonder why!
The LIV Golf star hasn't won on any major tour since 2016 but did win the inaugural event on the Saudi backed rebel golf league back in June, in London.
It's hard to equate LIV results with the regular tours but the 38-year-old did look in really good shape when finishing T9th at the South African Open last week.
If Schwartzel is going to break his drought then this is surely the place for him to do so and claim his 5th title here.
1.25u Scott Jamieson each-way (1/4 5 places) - 40/1
Another man who likes it here and in good form is Scotland's Scott Jamieson. Finishing T15th at the South African Open last week, to follow a T13th at the Nedbank to finish 2022, the 39-year-old loves it in South Africa with his sole tour win coming at the Nelson Mandela Championship back in 2012.
Jamieson finished T6th here back in 2020, T3rd in 2019 and T4th in 2017, so clearly this course suits his game.
1u Zander Lombard each-way (1/4 5 places) - 45/1
I had to try and shoehorn another South African in there somewhere and Zander Lombard strikes me as having as good a chance as anyone.
The 27-year-old has won just once on the Sunshine Tour, back in 2018 but has a good record at Leopard Creek. Despite a missed cut last year, Lombard finished T7th in 2020 and T3rd(with Jamieson) in 2019.
Lombard came T30th at Blair Atholl last week so is in pretty good nick form wise.
1u Sean Crocker each-way (1/4 5 places - 100/1
Last, but not least, is our old friend Sean Crocker. The American picked up his first DP World Tour title at the Hero Open back in July, playing some magnificent golf in a winning score of -22.
The 26-year-old has struggled for form since then, with just three made cuts in his last 10 starts but again, has played well here previously, finishing T2nd last year behind Bezuidenhout and T18 in 2018.
I've got a feeling he might shoot his way out of his slump this weekend.
Golf Odds
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