Sullivan Favourite for Second Week Running
Andy Sullivan failed to get into contention at the ISPS HANDA World Invitational last week, flopping as favourite and missing the second cut in the quirky Northern Ireland event, but the Englishman has assumed the role of market leader again for the Hero Open.
The 16/1 against the name of the genial Midlander is due to his history of success and the weakness of the Hero field.
Sullivan is a four-time European Tour champion and has an impressive CV in comparison to most of the rabble in attendance at the Torrance Course, Fairmont St Andrews, this week.
Sullivan’s last victory came by seven shots in last year’s UK Championship – when he reached 27 under par. He enjoys low-scoring assignments and the Torrance Course should provide that this week.
It has hosted only one previous European Tour event – the Scottish Championship last year – and Sullivan did not enter. Perhaps that lack of course experience will mean a slow start for the jolly.
Jordan May Threaten Tour Breakthrough
A better value option than Sullivan is arguably Matthew Jordan at 50/1. The Wirral lad adores links golf, having grown up as a member at Open venue Hoylake, and he won the St Andrews Links Trophy in 2017 down the road from this week’s venue.
Jordan also succeeded in the 2018 Lytham Trophy – another prestigious amateur event on links terrain – taking the title by a nine-shot margin.
As a pro, much of his best form has come on a links, including fifth spot in the 2019 Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews.
The Torrance Course is not a pure links test – there are some inland holes – but it is a track which sets up superbly for Jordan.
He has won on the Challenge Tour and could soon be ready for a main-tour breakthrough. This summer he has already posted top-20 finishes in the BMW International, the Irish Open and the Scottish Open, and in a field lacking star quality the 25-year-old has nothing to fear.
German Youngster Schmid Full of Potential
Matthias Schmid is a new name on the European Tour, but the 23-year-old German has quickly shown he belongs on the main circuit.
Schmid won back-to-back European Amateur Championship titles to showcase his talent, then he claimed the Silver Medal for low amateur in the Open Championship at Royal St George’s last month.
His performance in Kent was hugely impressive, particularly his second-round 65, which matched the best score by an amateur in the history of the Open.
Schmid turned professional after the Open and his first start in the paid ranks came in the Cazoo Open at Celtic Manor, Wales, where he tied for 47th place.
That solid effort was followed by a share of 19th spot in the ISPS HANDA World Invitational last week. Schmid is inexperienced and tackling more previously uncharted terrain this week, but his ball-striking is strong and he seems capable of belying odds of 70/1.
*All odds correct at time of writing