Steve Palmer's Czech Masters betting preview, free tips, lowdown & TV details

Starts 6am Thursday
TV: Sky Sports Golf, 10am Thursday

Bookmakers are struggling to identify a favourite for the Czech Masters – the first regulation European Tour event in more than a month – with Bernd Wiesberger, Eddie Pepperell, Erik van Rooyen and Lee Westwood all available at 14-1.

Wiesberger, who has won twice on the European Tour in the last three months as well as finishing second in the Irish Open, deserves top billing. The Austrian is a fair bet for the Albatross Resort shootout, but four alternatives at bigger prices are recommended as superior value options.

Steve Palmer's top tip
Julian Suri 33-1

The long, exposed Albatross layout is made for attacking sluggers to make merry, particularly in the calm conditions expected this week, and American powerhouse Julian Suri is well equipped for the assignment.

Suri won in the Czech Republic on the Challenge Tour in 2017 – the Czech Challenge with a 23-under-par total – and he can produce something similar in Prague over the next four days.

Almost exactly two years ago, Suri claimed his maiden European Tour title with a four-shot Made In Denmark triumph, and three second-place finishes have followed in the Hong Kong Open, the French Open and the Hassan Trophy.

• Czech Masters threeballs tips

The 28-year-old New Yorker, a late bloomer who has competed in only 41 European Tour events, has suffered some injury problems along the way.

He needed almost five months off from November last year because of an abdominal hernia, but was excellent on his return, with form figures of 20-4-2-19 for his first four events back on the circuit.

A missed cut on the mark in his home city in the US PGA in May was a bitter pill to swallow and he has been less consistent since, but 15th place at Valderrama at the end of June was a solid effort and it will probably not be long before this beast awakes fully.

Suri has competed at the Albatross only once before, but it was in the week immediately following his breakthrough in Denmark. Running low on mental energy, a final-round 76 saw him drop to a share of 34th place in Prague.

He was in sixth spot, six shots behind, going into Sunday, adopting a gung-ho attitude, suffering a five-over-par front-nine. Expect him to keep closer order throughout two years later.

Next best
Tom Lewis 28-1

Shane Lowry and Danny Willett were the only players to outscore Tom Lewis over the final three rounds of the Open Championship and Royal Portrush provided a timely tonic for the 28-year-old Englishman.

Lewis enjoyed a golden spell which started in Prague last year when he finished tenth in the Prague Golf Challenge as world number 428.

A five-shot Challenge Tour victory soon followed, then a three-shot Portugal Masters success on the European Tour as this underachieving talent charged up the rankings.

Third place in the Saudi International in February saw Lewis up to 55th in the world rankings before some further globetrotting – Australia to Mexico to Qatar to Texas – saw his form suffer.

• BMW Championship tournament tips

It has taken a little while for him to get back on track and an opening 75 in the Open did not bode well, but he covered the final 54 holes in seven under par to finish tied 11th.

Lewis is well equipped to tear the Albatross to shreds, underlined by him finishing third and sixth there the last two years. Expect a strong challenge for a third European Tour title.

Other selections
Gavin Green 33-1
Haydn Porteous 55-1

Punters should be concentrating on big-hitters this week and a four-pronged staking plan can be completed with Gavin Green and Haydn Porteous.

Green, the greatest player Malaysia has ever produced, won the Asian Tour Order of Merit in 2017 and has since settled impressively quickly on the European Tour.

The best result of his rookie campaign last year came in the Czech Masters – a magnificent Albatross debut ended in third place – and this term he has already posted six top-20s. Eighth spot at Valderrama at the end of June was followed by ninth in the Irish Open and a maiden triumph seems close.

Haydn Porteous loves this event – his girlfriend is Czech and he feels completely at home in Prague – and the 25-year-old won the tournament in 2017.

The course sets up perfectly for the South African slugger and ninth place in the Royal Swazi Spa Challenge was a tidy warm-up on the Sunshine Tour last week after four sub-70 rounds in the Scottish Open a month ago.

Others to note
Thomas Pieters
The former Ryder Cup star is by far the most difficult name to scrape from the shortlist for a course which massively suits. He won the event in 2015 and was second in 2016, but five months of mediocrity and a victory drought of almost three years makes him difficult to trust this time.

Scott Jamieson
The powerful Scot finished fourth last year and could run into a place again, but his only European Tour victory came in a two-round event on a shortened, waterlogged course.

Adri Arnaus
The improving Spanish youngster, who has quickly posted two second-place finishes on the European Tour after impressing on the Challenge Tour, should take a shine to the Albatross on his Czech Masters debut.

Robert MacIntyre
The Scottish left-hander has twice finished second on the European Tour in his rookie season and tied for sixth in the Open last time out. Like Arnaus, he seems a dangerous Albatross debutant.

Sam Horsfield
The power-packed English youngster should take a shine to this venue and is worth a second glance at three-figure prices.

Andrea Pavan
The Czech Masters champion won the BMW International Open at the end of June and should make a stout title defence in Prague.

Staking plan
J Suri
2.5pts each-way 33-1 bet365, Ladbrokes
Back this tip with Hills

T Lewis
2.5pts each-way 28-1 bet365, Ladbrokes
Back this tip with Paddy Power

G Green
2pts each-way 33-1 Sky Bet
Back this tip with Hills

H Porteous
1pt each-way 55-1 bet365, Ladbrokes
Back this tip with Paddy Power

Czech Masters lowdown

Course Albatross Golf Resort, Prague, Czech Republic
Prize money €1m (€166,660 to the winner)
Length 7,467 yards
Par 72
Field 156
Course records- 72 holes 266 Andrea Pavan (2018) 18 holes 64 Scott Jamieson (2014), Mikael Lundberg (2015), Paul Peterson (2016), Thomas Pieters (2018), John Daly (2018), Callum Tarren (2018), Gavin Green (2018)

Course winners taking part Jamie Donaldson, Thomas Pieters, Paul Peterson, Haydn Porteous, Andrea Pavan

When to bet By 6am Thursday

When to watch Live on Sky Sports Golf from 10am Thursday

Time difference Czech Republic is one hour ahead of the UK and Ireland

Course overview The Czech Masters has been staged at the Albatross Resort since 2014. The course opened in 2009, billed as the best layout in the Republic.

A reported €16m was ploughed into the project, with Keith Preston given the job of designing this immaculately manicured track. It is a long, fairly exposed beast, with lots of water hazards at the end of each nine.

There are two easily reachable par-fives (the first and 12th) and two of more than 600 yards (the ninth and tenth). The first three par-threes are long and testing, but the 168-yard 16th yields more birdies. The first six holes are the easiest stretch, so it is essential to make a fast start.

Story of last year Andrea Pavan won a Sunday duel against Padraig Harrington, the Italian producing a brilliant five-under-par back-nine to claim his maiden European Tour title.

Weather forecast Sunny, calm conditions for all four days, so scoring should be low.

Type of player suited to the challenge There is plenty of yardage to cover at the Albatross and trees are in short supply, so big-hitters will be licking their lips under windless skies.

Key attribute Power

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