Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucia Masters: Fitzpatrick Has Extra Swagger these Days

• The DP World Tour stays in Spain for a second straight week
• Host course Valderrama staged the 1997 Ryder Cup
• Last year’s winner, Matt Fitzpatrick, is the clear betting favorite

Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucia Masters Odds

The odds for this tournament are provided by Caesars Sportsbook. Click on the odds below to head to Caesars Sportsbook and place a bet.

Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucia Masters Our Picks

Matt Fitzpatrick for the win at +500 with Caesars Sportsbook
Matthieu Pavon to beat Thriston Lawrence in a 72-hole match at -115 DraftKings Sportsbook
Antoine Rozner to finish in the Top 10 at +320 with bet365

Jon Rahm demolished the field by six shots at last week’s Open de Espana but thankfully for his rivals, the World No. 5 won’t be teeing it up again here.

This is the second leg of a three-week Spanish swing that concludes at the Mallorca Open, starting next Thursday.

This event offers a bigger purse than the Open de Espana and is played on a course far better known too.

Valderrama staged the 1997 Ryder Cup when Seve Ballesteros’ underdog Europeans fought proudly to edge Tom Kite’s United States by a single point.

Its history doesn’t end there. The iconic Robert Trent Jones layout has hosted a World Golf Championship along with over 25 DP World Tour events and has been a regular stop since the turn of the century.

Famously, Valderrama requires accuracy, with tee shots and approaches needed to be threaded through the multitude of cork trees.

The test is further heightened by small, fast, undulating greens that are easy to miss. It means there is also plenty of emphasis on scrambling skills.

Not surprisingly, the cream often rises to the top in the event.

Sergio Garcia is a three-time course winner while US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick took the title last year.

The Englishman returns to defend a tournament he won with 6-under 12 months ago.

A 3-under total was good enough to secure second place which shows that par definitely means something.

Scoring was even more extreme in 2020 when John Catlin beat Martin Kaymer by a shot after posting 2-over.

That’s a stark contrast to last week when Rahm ripped the Club de Campo course apart with 25-under.

Fitzpatrick for the Repeat

Rahm’s victory in last week’s Open de Espana shows that it can often pay to back the class acts when they return to contest DP World Tour events against weak/average fields.

And therefore, for those who pursue such a strategy, it’s easy to shove all the winning chips from last week onto Matt Fitzpatrick.

The Englishman won by three 12 months ago and it’s easy to see why a US Open champion would do well on a course where scoring is so tough.

In fact, for some pleasing symmetry, he also won his US Open with 6-under.

Fitzpatrick has some extra swagger these days after becoming a Major winner and just two starts ago he was runner-up in the Italian Open, losing a play-off there to Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre.

It’s also worth noting that he’s successfully defended a title before. That came in the Omega European Masters when he won back-to-back in 2017 and 2018.

When winning last year, Fitzpatrick said:

It’s on the bucket list to win round Valderrama with the history that it has. To do it bogey-free on Sunday as well is extra special.

The odds are short but this is a good time of year for short-priced favorites and Fitzpatrick can get it done again at +500 with Caesars Sportsbook.

Pavon to Outscore Lawrence

After another early exit last week, it’s reasonable to think that Thriston Lawrence is currently a player to oppose.

That’s now four missed cuts in five starts for the South African and, despite his obvious talent, it’s a tough ask to try and find his best again in the tight confines of Valderrama.

Any weakness in his tee-to-green play will be punished so I’m taking Lawrence on in a 72-hole match bet with last week’s Open de Espana runner-up Matthieu Pavon.

Last month, the Frenchman was tied ninth at tree-lined Wentworth (Lawrence missed the cut) which has some strong correlations with Valderrama and ranking 3rd for SG: Tee To Green last week bodes well.

Pavon has made two of his three cuts at Valderrama and is worth a bet at -115 to take down Lawrence.

Take Rozner for a Top 10

Antoine Rozner has been one of the most consistent performers on the DP World Tour over the last couple of months.

The Frenchman has been outside the top 16 just once in his last six starts and in that run he posted fourth places at the European Masters and the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

His tee-to-green numbers have been particularly strong and that should serve him well at Valderrama.

It certainly did in 2020 when he overcame a 76 on day one to finish in third place.

Rozner won a Challenge Tour event in Spain in 2019 and was also fifth on his penultimate start in the country when shooting four strong rounds at April’s ISPS Handa Championship.

Take Rozner to rack up another top 10 at +320 with bet365.

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