Racing Post's Andalucia Masters predictions and free golf betting tips

Golf tips, best bets and player analysis for the Andalucia Masters at Real Club Valderrama on the DP World Tour.

Where to watch

Live on Sky Sports Golf & Main Event from 1pm on Thursday

Best bets

Ryan Fox
2pts each-way 22-1 bet365
Adrian Otaegui
1.5pts each-way 60-1 Betfred
Louis De Jager
1pt each-way 100-1BoyleSports

Click here to add Ian Wilkerson's Andalucia Masters tips to your bet365 betslip

Tournament preview

US Open champion Matthew Fitzpatrick defends his Andalucia Masters title at Valderrama this week, which tells you plenty about the sort of test that awaits at one of Europe's most iconic courses.

The straight-hitter from Sheffield claimed his seventh DP World Tour victory with a three-shot success last year and, with Sergio Garcia's name also appearing three times on the honours board, it seems safe to conclude that a solid tee-to-green game will be essential this week.

Fitzpatrick is the class act in the field but three top-ten finishes in eight tournaments since he broke his American duck is perhaps an underwhelming statistic given he is a single-figure price to defend successfully.

Wilkerson's top tip

Ryan Fox 22-1

One player who has tasted victory more recently than Fitzpatrick is New Zealand's Ryan Fox, whose confidence received a massive boost after his success at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland.

That completed a fine comeback for the man from New Zealand after he was forced to withdraw from the PGA Championship at Wentworth after injuring his knee.

In the last five years at this tournament, the winner has ranked in the top five in terms of strokes-gained tee-to-green and in the last three, they have been in the top five for strokes-gained around the green as well.

Those are metrics where Fox's statistics stand up well - he is fourth and 20th - and his cause this week is further boosted by his fourth-place finish on his Valderrama debut last year.

It has been an excellent year, with victory also coming in the Ras Al Khaimah Classic in February, while second spots in the Soudal Open, Dutch Open and Irish Open, as well as third at the BMW International Open, show he is becoming a player to regularly fancy at this level.

Next best bet

Adrian Otaegui 60-1

It has been a strange year for Adrian Otaegui as he has flitted between the DP World and the LIV Tours, but he heads to Valderrama having posted some solid performances on the former in recent weeks.

He finished sixth in the inaugural Saudi-backed event in London, but since then he has finished third at the Hero Open and 13th at Wentworth and the Open de France.

Otaegui missed the cut at the Alfred Dunhill, which is quite quirky as a three-course pro-am event, but he has a couple of decent Valderrama results - he was 12th in 2017 and 17th in 2020.

With a ranking of 22nd from tee-to-green and sixth around the green, he has the necessary skill-set to do well again and he could make a strong challenge for his fourth DPWT title.

Other selections

Louis De Jager 100-1

South African Louis De Jager has established himself as a strong competitor on his home continent but he has been making waves in Europe too and can maintain his good form.

He finished sixth at last week's Spanish Open, which was a strong performance after he started with an underwhelming 71, and while he is making his course debut this week, it could be a track he enjoys as he is ranked 23rd tee to green and 15th around the green.

De Jager has moved more than 100 places up the world rankings this year having finished third at the Czech Masters and ninth at August's European Masters, so he could have a week to remember.

Players to note

Min Woo Lee
The Australian was third at the Spanish Open last week and second at Valderrama last year.

Fabrizio Zanotti
Claimed fourth spot last year and the accurate Paraguayan posted three consecutive top-20 finishes before missing the cut last time out at the Italian Open.

Antoine Rozner
A bold bid can be expected from the Frenchman, who has had five top-20 finishes in his last six efforts, including fourth at the European Masters and the Alfred Dunhill Championship. Missed the cut last year but was third in 2020.

Valderrama course guide

Course Real Club Valderrama, Sotogrande, Spain
Prize money €3m (€485,330 to the winner)
Length 7,028 yards
Par 71 - four par threes, 11 par fours, three par fives
Field 124
Course records - 72 holes 272 Sergio Garcia (2017) 18 holes 62 Bernhard Langer (1994)

Course winners taking part Soren Kjeldsen, John Catlin, Matthew Fitzpatrick

Highest-ranked players in field (world rankings in brackets) Matthew Fitzpatrick (10), Ryan Fox (23), Adrian Meronk (61), Min Woo Lee (65), Robert MacIntyre (68)

When to bet By 7.40am on Thursday

When to watch Live on Sky Sports Golf & Main Event from 1pm on Thursday

Time difference Spain is one hour ahead of the UK & Ireland

Last week - Spanish Open 1 J Rahm 12-5, 2 M Pavon 70-1, 3 MW Lee 30, T4 Z Lombard 90-1, E Molinari 66-1, T6 L De Jager 66-1, A Garcia-Heredia 125-1

Course type Parkland

Course overview Valderrama was the regular venue for the European Tour’s traditional season-closer, the Volvo Masters, which it staged from 1988 to 1996, then from 2002 to 2008.

The Andalucia Masters was created in 2010 to restore Valderrama to the schedule, then it was played again in 2010 and 2011 before returning in 2017. It has been played on the iconic track, which hosted the Ryder Cup in 1997, ever since.

Other tournaments it has hosted include the 1999 and 2000 WGC-AmEx Championship and the 2016 Spanish Open.

Valderrama, designed by Robert Trent Senior and opened in 1974, is one of the tightest tracks in Europe, with thin, tree-lined fairways flanked by heavy rough.

Overhanging trees can impact approach shots, even from the fairways. Small, undulating greens provide their own problems too.
There are only three par-fives (fourth, 11th and 17th).

Story of last year Matthew Fitzpatrick carded a closing 69 to claim his seventh DP World Tour title with a three-shot success over Min Woo Lee and Sweden's Sebastian Soderberg.

Weather forecast Conditions are set fair for the week and winds are likely to be light. Temperatures should peak around 24C.

Type of player suited to the challenge Sergio Garcia won this tournament three times and a solid tee-to-green game has proved crucial to success in previous editions of this tournament. Good scrambling skills could also prove a big asset.

Key attribute Accuracy

Key stat The last five winners have all been ranked in the top four in strokes-gained tee to green during the tournament

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