This article is part of our DraftKings Euro Tour series.
Alfred Dunhill Championship
Location: Malelane, South Africa
Course: Leopard Creek CC
Yardage: 7,249
Par: 72
Tournament Preview
The 2020 European Tour season starts this week with the Alfred Dunhill Championship. The tournament will be contested at Leopard Creek Country Club in Malelane, South Africa. It is an undulating tree-lined, Gary Player designed course. There are bushes, water hazards and sand bunkers throughout. The course was built next to Kruger National Park, many varieties of wildlife will make an appearance throughout the event. The tournament had been won by only locals since 201, until last year. Golfers at the top of the leaderboard in past years have led the field in putting and scrambling.
Keys to Winning at Leopard Creek CC
Scrambling
SG: Approach
SG: Putting
Driving Accuracy
Past Champions
2018 - David Lipsky
2017 - Brandon Stone
2016 - Charl Schwartzel
2015 - Branden Grace
2014 - Charl Schwartzel
DraftKings Picks
Eddie Pepperell - $10,000 (16/1)
Pepperell arrives in South Africa fresh off of a DQ, which obviously isn't ideal. His week in Turkey ended after he ran out of golf balls and didn't finish playing a hole. Prior to the Turkish Airlines Open, he finished T6 in Portugal. I am not concerned with what happened in Turkey and believe he will be ready to compete at Leopard Creek. His highest finish at Alfred Dunhill Championship was T8 in 2016. He is accurate off the tee and with irons. His short game is fantastic as well, he was 15th in scrambling last season on tour.
Zander Lombard - $9,000 (22/1)
My favorite local this week is Lombard. He enters the tournament with good form. He has made 10 cuts in his last 11 events. Lombard was T8 two weeks ago at Nedbank Golf Challenge. He finished T3 last year at Leopard Creek. He is well above average on all around the green stats, he will just need a hot putter to seal the deal.
Alexander Bjork - $8,500 (40/1)
Bjork has had a rough go the last few events. He missed the cut in three of four tournaments, finishing T49 last time out in Portugal. This is obviously more of a gut call, believing the tides are about to turn. He is a much better golfer than what he has shown recently. This appears to be a bounce-back spot this week. He has historically played good golf this time of year. This will be the second time Bjork is playing in the Alfred Dunhill Championship. He was T17 in 2016. Bjork was 26th last season in SG: approach, and fourth in scrambling on tour.
Romain Wattel - $6,500 (100/1)
Wattel has my attention at only $6,500. He finished last season making back to back cuts. He had four top 20s last season, with his highest finish being solo sixth at Porsche European Open. Wattel has had success at Alfred Dunhill Championship. He was T18 in 2015 and T3 in 2013. He is good around the greens, and good with the flat stick. If he hits enough fairways this week, he could be looking at another high finish.
