The clubhouse at Royal Durban GC © Peter Corden
Branden Grace 9/1
This week sees the start of the 2013 Race To Dubai, kicking off in Durban South Africa and what bigger name can you have for a tournament than it being named after Nelson Mandela. It’s just a shame that some of the big names who were filling their pockets at last weeks tournament in sun city, couldn’t see it in their hearts to grace this great mans tournament.
The Nelson Mandela challenge will take place over the unique links that make up the Royal Durban Golf Club, which sits inside a the Greyville racecourse in Durban and is only one of only four clubs in Southern Africa to have been granted the Royal prefix.
Durban Golf Club was established in 1892 when Mr John Watt approached the town council with the idea of creating a golf club in Durban. He was given permission to lay out a links course on the grounds within the Greyville Racecourse. The original course had no actual greens only scuffed ground with hard clay surfaces and the fairways were cut by a reaper drawn by oxen.
In 1932 a new clubhouse was built and Bob Grimsdell was commissioned to design a new course. Grimsdell had qualified as a course architect at Colt & Allison. The course is renowned for its punishing rough, which along with the prevailing wind and bunkers are its only defence, so keeping the ball on the fairway here is a must.
George Coetzee 10/1
My tips to win:
For those who regularly follow my betting guide will not be surprised at my three selections to win as we regularly tip them to do well. First up is four times winner on the European Tour this year Branden Grace 9/1, it’s a bit hard to see past the lad from Pretoria this week.
Next up is another Pretoria lad, George Coetzee 10/1. George has not won this year on the European Tour but he has had seven Top 10 finishes, four of those being Top 5 finishes and a runners-up spot in the SA Open Championship three weeks ago, so comes into this week in good form after just missing out on a Top 25 place at the Tour Championship.
The last of my three to win is another South African Jaco Van Zyl 20/1, who I thought would have broke through to win his first European Tour event this year. He started off with two Top five finishes but never kicked on to challenge for a title. He did have seven Top 25 finishes but I don’t think it’s going to be long before we see this lad picking up a winners cheque.
Kristoffer Broberg 46/1
My each-way tips:
Kristoffer Broberg 46/1 won three times in the space of four weeks on the Challenge Tour last season to take the runners-up spot on the order of merit, playing just seven Challenge Tour events. That should tell you a bit about the lad from Stockholm. He is a big talent so look for him to do well on his debut season on the full European Tour.
It has been a good year for Jake Roos 67/1 winning three times on the Sunshine Tour, his last win came two weeks ago at the Lion of Africa Cape Town Open where he shot a final round 68 to pip Jaco Van Zyl to the trophy.
My outside tip:
Estanislao Goya 101/1 finished in the Top five at last weeks qualifying school shooting two rounds of 64 along the way. There is no doubting the lads ability, he had three Top 15 finishes in seven tournaments at the beginning of last season but just seemed to lose his way. Hopefully securing his playing card for another year and playing some great golf along the way will see him kick on this year.
For updated betting odds during the tournament go to planetgolfreview.com
