The Joburg Open is hosted by the Houghton Country Club for the second successive year and we select 4 players to take on the bookmakers.
The Joburg Open is co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and the Sunshine Tour and the action gets going on Thursday, 23rd of November.
THE COURSE
The Houghton Course plays to a par 72 and although at 7,241 yards it appears to be a long course, this is not really the case due to it taking place at high altitude. There are trees lining the fairways and plenty of bunkers so straying too far off line can be punishing, but the fairways are generous and we can probably expect something similar in terms of a winning score to last year’s -21.
Houghton Golf Club has hosted many Sunshine Circuit Tournaments over the years including the South African Open 8 times, but in terms of recent course form we only have last year’s renewal to go on.
BETTING
There are 4 South Africans at the top of the betting boards with Dean Burmester the 12/1 favourite ahead of last year’s 3rd place finisher, Christiaan Bezuidenhout at 14/1, Branden Grace 16/1 and you can get 20/1 and better the balance.
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Betting – Click here to bet
Dean Burmester 12/1
Christiaan Bezuidenhout 14/1
Branden Grace 16/1
Thriston Lawrence 20/1
Dan Bradbury 20/1
Hennie du Plessis 25/1
Romain Langasque 25/1
28/1 and better the balance, prices correct at the time of posting but subject to change
The Joburg Open has thrown up some winners at big prices over the years including Dan Bradbury, who won last year at odds of 500/1. My staking strategy is weighted towards the market leaders with a tripe digit speculator thrown in.
SELECTIONS
Christiaan Bezuidenhout each way at 14/1
Bezuidenhout was 3rd in this Tournament last year and recently confirmed his PGA tour card for 2024. With that pressure off his back I am expecting Bezuidenhout to take an aggressive approach here and he is the pick of the players at the top of the betting boards.
Adrian Otaegui each way at 28/1
Otaegui makes his debut on the course, but it is his recent form that has caught the eye. He was a bit disappointing at Sun City finishing 33rd, but was Top 20 last week in the season’s ending, Dubai Championship. This isn’t the strongest of fields and I am expecting a big run from him this week.
Thriston Lawrence each way at 20/1
Thriston Lawrence won the Joburg Open in 2021 when it was played at the Randpark Country Club and the Tournament ended up been shortened to 36 holes. He has been playing some solid golf and finished in the Top 25 at Sun City, but really caught the eye last week when he finished strongly for a tied 5th place in Dubai.
Shaun Norris each way at 100/1
My pick are loaded towards the top of the betting boards and at this stage it is time to throw an outsider in and Norris looks like one who can give us a run for our money.
Norris plies his trade on the Japanese Tour where he has been playing some excellent golf and he showed a liking for the course in 2022 with a top 20 finish.
