Steve Palmer's free predictions and golf betting tips for the Soudal Open

When to bet on the Soudal Open

By 6am on Thursday

Where can I watch the Soudal Open

Live on Sky Sports Golf from midday on Thursday

Steve Palmer's Soudal Open predictions

Jorge Campillo
3pts each-way 33-1 Coral, Ladbrokes

Guido Migliozzi
2.5pts each-way 40-1 BoyleSports

Adrien Saddier
2.5pts each-way 35-1 Coral, Ladbrokes

Frederic Lacroix
2pts each-way 50-1 Betfair, Paddy Power

Jayden Schaper
1.5pts each-way 55-1 Coral, Ladbrokes

Marcus Kinhult
1pt each-way 110-1 bet365

Recommended

4/5

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Steve Palmer's Soudal Open preview

Local lad Thomas Pieters is favourite for the Soudal Open in Belgium at a course he knows well, but he has been performing poorly on the LIV circuit and Rinkven International does not play to his strengths. Jordan Smith is difficult to trust in contention and the top of the market can be overlooked.

Steve Palmer's top tip

Jorge Campillo 33-1

Accurate Spaniard Jorge Campillo, an unflashy grinder who happily plays percentage golf, is an ideal candidate for success at Rinkven. This neat and tidy operator has won three DP World Tour titles – the most recent coming in the 2023 Kenya Open in another test of precision.

Campillo led on his own after the 36-hole strokeplay element of the 2018 Belgian Knockout at Rinkven, then made it to the last eight of the knockout competition, losing to eventual champion Adrian Otaegui. He finished 15th on his Rinkven return in 2022, then missed the cut on the mark carrying an ice-cold putter in 2023.

Campillo makes his fourth Rinkven start this week in terrific nick. He tied second in the Turkish Airlines Open the week before last, topping the approach-play stats, then carded a pair of 70s in a US Open qualifier at Walton Heath on Monday.

Next best bet

Guido Migliozzi 40-1

Italian Guido Migliozzi won the Belgian Knockout on his Rinkven debut in 2019, then finished 52nd and 24th in his only two Soudal Open starts. He is excellent at managing his game on this type of course – quite happy taking long-irons off the tee and reining himself in, winning the Kenya Open in such style in 2019.

The 2022 French Open was another triumph on a tight track, while he won the KLM Open last summer on a par-71 course with a similar yardage to Rinkven. Four solid rounds for 17th place in Turkey were followed by rounds of 68, 67 for second place at Walton Heath on Monday, securing a US Open return. He may head to Oakmont having picked up a fifth DPWT title.

Other selections

Adrien Saddier 35-1
Frederic Lacroix 50-1
Jayden Schaper 55-1
Marcus Kinhult 110-1

Adrien Saddier has posted a top-20 finish in five of his last eight tournaments, finishing seventh in the Kenya Open in a test of accuracy in February, third in the Singapore Classic at the end of March, then fifth in the Indian Open. Playing some of the best golf of his career and potentially inspired by fellow Frenchman Martin Couvra's Turkey triumph, Saddier may make a DPWT breakthrough, having turned 33 last week.

Saddier was 13th in last year's Soudal, carding a pair of weekend 67s, finishing only five shots off the lead. He tees off 12 months later 242 places better in the world rankings.

Another Frenchman, Frederic Lacroix, may also follow in Couvra's footsteps. Lacroix won his maiden DPWT title last August, romping to a four-shot triumph in Denmark, and his last three outings suggest a second success is coming. After 13th spot in India, he closed with a 63 for 24th place in Turkey, then carded rounds of 67, 68 at Walton Heath on Monday to finish tied second in the US Open qualifier.

Jayden Schaper has the game to succeed at Rinkven, where he closed with a 67 for 41st place on debut last year. Only seven players outscored him in the final round and he should come on for that run. A Sunday 65 meant 24th place in Turkey last time out and the accurate South African youngster looks primed to threaten a DPWT breakthrough again.

Marcus Kinhult made a double-bogey at the 72nd hole to finish 12th in Turkey last time out and faces another suitable assignment this week. He was 22nd in the 2023 Soudal and missed the cut on the mark last year despite a Friday 67. On the form he showed in Turkey, the tidy Swede is being grossly underrated in the market.

Recommended

4/5

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Course guide for the Soudal Open

• Course Rinkven International Golf Club, Antwerp, Belgium
• Prize money $2.75m ($416,075 to the winner)
• Length 6,940 yards
• Par 71 - two par-fives; 13 par-fours; three par-threes
• Field 156 The cut Top 65 and ties qualify for round three
• Highest-ranked players in field (world ranking in brackets) Matt Wallace (84), Thriston Lawrence (90), Jordan Smith (108), John Parry (109), Haotong Li (111)
• Course records - 72 holes 266 Nacho Elvira (2024) 18 holes 62 Sam Jones (2024)
• Course winners taking part Adrian Otaegui, Guido Migliozzi, Simon Forsstrom, Nacho Elvira
• When to bet By 6am on Thursday
• When to watch Live on Sky Sports Golf from midday on Thursday
• Time difference Belgium is one hour ahead of the UK and Ireland
• Course type Parkland
• Course overview The DP World Tour returned to Belgium after an 18-year absence with the inaugural Belgian Knockout at Rinkven International in 2018 - a strokeplay event for two rounds before a series of nine-hole matches - then there was a repeat in 2019. The tournament returned as a 72-hole strokeplay event in 2022 and has been there every year since. The 2005 European Amateur Championship was staged at Rinkven, as well as the 2010 Telenet Trophy on the Challenge Tour
• Story of last year Nacho Elvira edged a trio of players for a second DP World Tour title
• Weather forecast Clear but relatively cool, with some potential for light rain on Sunday. Moderate afternoon breezes all week
• Type of player suited to the challenge A succession of short par-fours make this a straightforward assignment for straight hitters. Precision operators putting well should thrive
• Key attribute Accuracy

Steve Palmer's Soudal Open key stat

None of the 18 European Tour events staged in Belgium have been won by a Belgian

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