European Masters: Steve Palmer's betting preview, lowdown, free tips, TV details

TV: Sky Sports Golf, 10.30am Thursday

Rory McIlroy pocketed a cheque for $15 million in Georgia on Sunday night, enjoying Tour Championship and FedEx Cup success, but the Northern Irishman did not have long to bask in the glory Stateside before making the long journey to Switzerland.

McIlroy, who is likely to be receiving a healthy appearance fee for turning up at Crans-sur-Sierre and needs to tee up in another two regulation European Tour events after this one to retain his card for next season, could be excused if he struggled for concentration in the wake of such a crucial triumph.

The Open Championship debacle, swiftly followed by a spurned opportunity in the WGC-St Jude Invitational, meant McIlroy desperately needed to get that winning feeling back as soon as possible. Doing so in such a massive event will have provided an enormous relief.

His flight to Europe was doubtless a long celebration and whatever happens at Crans is borderline irrelevant for the 4-1 favourite.

McIlroy has course form figures of 2-7-3, but has not competed there for eight years, and could easily treat the trip as a pleasant vacation rather than a serious bid for further silverware.

McIlroy is left out of the staking plan on value grounds and it is the same story for Matthew Fitzpatrick, who was so cruelly denied victory in the Scandinavian Invitation on Sunday.

Fitzpatrick loves Crans and is hunting three consecutive wins, but he will do well to recover from the blow of posting his fourth runner-up finish of a winless season after Hong Kong, Bay Hill, Germany and Sweden. A series of unlucky breaks in round four, including a perfect approach shot which hit the flagstick at the 14th hole and ricocheted off the green, meant another near-miss. He hardly put a foot wrong and still lost, so immense mental fortitude is required if he contends again this week.

Steve Palmer's top tip
Alexander Noren 25-1

The final three days of the Scandinavian Invitation provided a significant confidence boost for Alex Noren as he bids to retain his position in the top 50 of the world rankings and the Swedish dude should be trusted to build on that strong finish with a bold effort in the European Masters.

Noren ended last year ranked 19th in the world, having just made a successful Ryder Cup debut in which he won two points from three matches in a triumphant European side, but six months of PGA Tour toil followed. A share of 11th place in the Open last month, though, was backed up by 12th spot in the Memphis WGC, and swagger is returning.

The Scandinavian Invitation went awry early – he found water with his approach at the seventh and made a double-bogey, swiftly followed by another six at the eighth – but he fought back in grand style in his homeland. Three consecutive 67s, including 16 birdies, meant the ten-time European Tour champion left Sweden in good heart.

And Noren has arrived at one of his happiest hunting grounds. Much of the spotlight this week has fallen on the hat-trick chasing Fitzpatrick, but Noren is also gunning for a third Crans-sur-Sierre victory, having lifted the trophy in 2009 and 2016. The first success was his European Tour breakthrough – when he was ranked 130th in the world – so this venue holds a unique appeal.

Noren is ideally suited to Crans. This controlled operator, who has won at the modern Wentworth and at Le Golf National, likes to hit fades as his stock shot. He has the perfect shot shape for the fifth and seventh holes – short par-fours that he always expects to birdie – and his form figures from his last six visits are 1-MC-9-27-1-6.

It is worth noting that his only Challenge Tour success came in Switzerland in the 2006 Rolex Trophy and a focused Noren can lift a fourth trophy in the country on Sunday. It is important to stay in the top 50 of the world rankings – it books a 2020 Masters spot for starters – and Crans is a crucial gig for 47th-placed Noren.

Next best
Alexander Bjork 80-1

Another Swedish Alex could chase home his more illustrious compatriot in Switzerland, with Alexander Bjork also finding top gear in the latter stages of the Scandinavian Invitation. Bjork, who made his European Tour breakthrough in the China Open last year, closed with a 64 on Sunday to finish 20th, an encouraging performance as he heads to a Crans track which suits.

Bjork finished a respectable 16th as a European Tour rookie maiden ranked 127th in the world at Crans in 2017, then opened with a solid 69 last year despite arriving off form figures of MC-48-MC-MC. Overnight food poisoning meant a withdrawal prior to round two, so he was unable to build on that under-par foundation, but this week should be a successful one if he can locate some trustworthy chefs.

Other selections
Lucas Bjerregaard 40-1
Andrea Pavan 40-1

Lucas Bjerregaard was threatening to become the undisputed Danish number one this season, even before Thorbjorn Olesen was suspended by the European Tour. Olesen, who is due at Isleworth Crown Court on September 18 after allegations of unsavoury behaviour on his flight home from the WGC-St Jude Invitational, looks set to plummet down the rankings. Bjerregaard, in contrast, has proved himself a world-class player this term and should go from strength to strength.

Bjerregaard, a two-time European Tour champion, finished 12th in the Honda Classic on the PGA Tour in March, then beat Justin Thomas, Henrik Stenson and Tiger Woods on his way to fourth place in the WGC-Match Play. The great Dane followed up with 21st in the Masters, 16th in the US PGA and 16th in the Open. He has missed a lot of cuts in lesser events, but his best golf is capable of winning anything and he has had a much needed month off to recharge his batteries.

Bjerregaard, ninth at Crans in 2017 when world number 414th, before losing a playoff for the title to Fitzpatrick 12 months ago, closed with a 63 last year and should be dangerous again, while Andrea Pavan deserves to keep his place in the European Tour staking plan.

Pavan got off to an awful start in Sweden last week, suffering a double-bogey six at the same seventh hole where Noren came a cropper and carding a Thursday 74, but rounds of 64, 67 and 64 followed, the Italian suggesting that his hot streak is far from over. He won in Germany in June, was fourth in the Scottish Open and third in Prague, and a third European Tour title before the season's end would come as no surprise.

Others to note
Sergio Garcia
The Spaniard has a home in Crans and is comfortable there, although has not been a regular in the event. His course form figures, starting in 2003 and ending in 2015, are 19-3-1-4-6, but he has been poor from the Masters onwards this year.

Bernd Wiesberger
The Austrian, like his compatriot Matthias Schwab, relishes the Alps and must be considered by punters. The Scottish Open last month provided a sixth European Tour title for big Bernd, who is difficult to leave out of the staking plan.

Danny Willett
The 2015 Crans champion has found form again this season, including 12th place in the US Open and sixth in the Open, and must enter calculations. He is based in Florida these days, so has some jet-lag to shrug off.

Matt Wallace
The feisty Londoner has been inactive for a month and has Crans form of 70-51, but he has never been more confident and should make an impact at some stage.

Benjamin Hebert
The Frenchman has won six times on the Challenge Tour and two of those victories came in Switzerland. The European Tour maiden lost a Scottish Open playoff to Wiesberger last month.

Victor Perez
Another Frenchman who could go well at a juicy price. Perez has recruited McIlroy's former caddie, JP Fitzgerald, to aid his cause. They teamed up well for tenth place in Sweden on Sunday.

Staking plan
A Noren
3pts each-way 25-1 Betfred, Betway, BoyleSports
A Bjork
2pts each-way 80-1 Sky Bet
L Bjerregaard
2pts each-way 40-1 Betfred, Sky Bet
A Pavan
2pts each-way 40-1 Betfair, Power

European Masters lowdown

Course Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club, Crans Montana, Switzerland
Prize money €2.5m (€416,660 to the winner)
Length 6,848 yards
Par 70
Field 156
Course records - 72 holes 260 Colin Montgomerie (1996) 18 holes 60 Jamie Spence (1992)

Course winners taking part Lee Westwood, Robert Karlsson, Luke Donald, Sergio Garcia, Bradley Dredge, Brett Rumford, Alex Noren (twice), Miguel Angel Jimenez, Thomas Bjorn (twice), Richie Ramsay, Danny Willett, Matthew Fitzpatrick (twice)

When to bet By 6.40am Thursday

When to watch Live on Sky Sports from 10.30am Thursday

Time difference Switzerland is one hour ahead of the UK and Ireland

Last week - Scandinavian Invitation 1 E van Rooyen (16-1), 2 M Fitzpatrick (9-1), T3 D Burmester (160-1), H Stenson (8-1), T5 J Donaldson (175-1), S Kim (175-1), A Levy (75-1), W Ormsby (150-1), S Soderberg (300-1)

Course overview The famous Crans layout, renowned as one of the most beautiful in the world and with views to die for, was opened in 1908. There has been a European Tour event staged there every year since 1972. A Seve Ballesteros redesign in 1999 made it much tougher, creating lots of run-off areas around the greens. This made approach shots difficult to keep on the putting surfaces and made chipping more challenging too. The sixth and seventh are driveable par-fours where players are looking to pick up shots. Small, firm, unreceptive greens are the main problem for the competitors, although they are aided by the fact that the ball flies further than normal at the altitude. Most fairways are tree-lined and undulating, while water hazards can be found on holes ten, 12, 13, 14, 17 and 18. Two of the three par-fives are fairly straightforward (the 540-yard first and the 516-yard 15th), but the 633-yard ninth is less easy to conquer. Dropped shots are always on the cards at two long par-threes on the back-nine – the 217-yard 11th and the 235-yard 16th

The story of last year Matthew Fitzpatrick successfully defended his title, defeating Lucas Bjerregaard in a playoff with a birdie at the first extra hole

Weather forecast Sporadic thunderstorms until Sunday should keep the course fairly soft, while light to moderate breezes are expected all week

Type of player suited to the challenge Length is useful for gamblers on the two driveable par-fours, but overall this is a track where accuracy from tee to green and course-management are the keys to success. Miguel Angel Jimenez, Thomas Bjorn (twice), Richie Ramsay and Matthew Fitzpatrick (twice) have triumphed in the last decade through their precision

Key attribute Accuracy

Follow us on Twitter

Like us on Facebook