World Super 6 Perth: betting tips, preview & TV details

TV: Sky Sports Golf, 5am Thursday

After David Law’s victory in last week’s Vic Open in Geelong, the European Tour stays in Australia for another week, crossing the vast country for the World Super 6 in Perth.

The tournament used to be the Perth International but was revamped two years ago to incorporate 54 holes of strokeplay before the winner was decided through a series of Sunday six-hole shootout matches.

The first winner under the fresh format, Brett Rumford, held a five-shot lead before fighting his way through four knockouts to triumph, while last year’s champion Kiradech Aphibarnrat was seven shots behind 54-hole leader Prom Meesawat after regulation play, qualifying for the final day as one of the top 24 finishers.

Fortunately bookmakers will accommodate those who wish to bet on either the outright winner or the player who finishes the third round at the head of affairs.

An alternative strategy, one that is suggested here, is that punters split their stakes and back the shortlisted players in both markets.

Wilkerson's top tip
Thomas Pieters 20-1

Many players this week will make the move straight from Melbourne to Western Australia and local talents often see these tournaments as opportunities to announce themselves among European Tour company.

To make the sort of impact that Thomas Pieters has would be beyond the abilities of many and, as the class horse in the race, it seems sensible to get fully behind the former Ryder Cup star.

It is two years since the Belgian finished second at the Genesis Open so his decision to play in Perth this week rather than at Riviera raises eyebrows and the man who finished sixth in last year's US PGA Championship has the potential to dominate this field.

Firstly, his recent strokeplay form is solid. He has missed the cut in one of his last 18 events, most of which were of a much stronger standard than this week's assignment.

A total of 12 top-30 finishes have been accomplished in his last 14 events and he has boosted his profile so much over the last few years that it would be unwise to put too much emphasis on a missed cut at Lake Karrinyup five years ago.

Should Pieters make the matchplay stage on Sunday, no player can match his performance at the Ryder Cup in 2016, when he became the highest-scoring rookie in the competition's history in Europe's unsuccessful trip to Hazeltine.

He has hosted the Belgian Knockout which suggests he is quite at home playing in the game's more novel formats and he captured the World Cup of Golf Playing with Thomas Detry last year.

He slipped to 22nd at the Saudi International in his last outing, but had held a two-shot lead after a blistering 63 in his opening round, so there was a lot to like about his performance.

This is not a field packed full of class and it would be no surprise if the 27-year-old proved a tough man to beat.

Next best
Min Woo Lee 50-1

There will be a substantial home challenge in the tournament and talented youngster Min Woo Lee looks ready to continue his notable progress among the professional ranks.

Perth native Lee, who won the US Junior Championship in 2016, made his mark in this tournament as an amateur last year when he made the quarter-finals.

These are exciting times for the 20-year-old. He made his professional debut at the Abu Dhabi Championship and while he missed the cut there he announced himself with an excellent performance at the Saudi International.

Lee closed with two rounds of 63 to finish fourth, four shots behind winner Dustin Johnson, and while he missed the cut at the Web.com tour's Panama Championship last week, he should compete better in more familiar surroundings.

He rushed back to take up his invitation and said: "It is a course I've played lots of times. It is an awesome event and is so much fun to play."

There is bound to be a degree of inconsistency in Lee's performances as he begins to make his way in the professional game but his encouraging performance in Saudi Arabia and a familiar stage this week could encourage him to put on a good show.

Other selections
Lucas Herbert 22-1
Prom Meesawat 80-1

The only player to shoot three rounds in the 60s in last year's tournament was Lucas Herbert and he has never hit 70 or more in the two years since the tournament took on its revolutionary format.

The Aussie looked set to make a strong challenge at the Vic Open last week after opening round of 65 and 69 but he was derailed by windy conditions on Saturday and carded a 76 that was not enough to ensure he played in the final round.

But despite that disappointment he should be able to make a strong challenge in a tournament where he finished third last year and reached the second round of the knockout stage in 2017.

His last effort before the Vic Open was seventh spot in the Dubai Desert Classic and he proved himself in decent company in the autumn when he chalked up top-ten finishes in the Portugal Masters, the Dunhill Links Championship and the British Masters.

Herbert's confidence may have taken a hit after the way his tournament fell apart last week but it is worth giving him another chance on a track he clearly relishes.

Thailand's Prom Meesawaat is another player to keep an eye on.

He led the field by two shots after three rounds last year and played solidly on the Asian tour for most of 2018.

He claimed a top-20 finish in nine of his last 16 events and he could enjoy another decent week if he builds on the fifth-placed finish he earned in a strong Singapore Open field last month.

Others to note
Tom Lewis
Lewis has claimed ten top-ten finishes in his last 15 starts, including a second success at the Portugal Masters. He was third in Saudi Arabia a fortnight ago, but has missed the cut in each of the last three years at Lake Karrinyup.

Adrian Otaegui
The straight-hitting Spaniard has missed four of his last five cuts, but he deserves to be respected if he reaches the final day having won matchplay competitions in the Belgian Knockout and the Paul Lawrie Match Play

Callum Shinkwin
The Englishman has got off to some blistering starts of late and was tied for second in the Vic Open going into the final round before slipping into tenth. A consistent week could see him make a strong challenge.

Jason Scrivener
The Aussie has never finished outside the top 30 in six visits to Lake Karrinyup - he was third three years ago and fourth the following year under the new format. He has finished in the top ten in four of his last five starts.

Justin Harding
This week sees the South African make his course debut but he followed his seventh in Dubai and an 11th spot in Saudi Arabia with fourth at last week's Vic Open so his game is clearly in fine fettle.

Staking plan
Outright winner
T Pieters
1.5pts each-way 20-1 Sky Bet
M W Lee
1pt each-way 50-1 Sky Bet
L Herbert
1pt each-way 22-1 Sky Bet
P Meesawaat
0.5pt each-way 80-1 Betfair, Betfred, Paddy Power
54-hole strokeplay winner
T Pieters
1.5pts each-way 16-1 Paddy Power
M W Lee
1pt each-way 45-1 BoyleSports
L Herbert
1pt each-way 18-1 BoyleSports, Paddy Power
P Meesawaat
0.5pt each-way 80-1 Paddy Power

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