Wednesday 25 March 2015 20:17, UK
The Masters is just around the corner and there are several players in the Trophee Hassan II who can secure a spot at Augusta if only they can produce the performance of their lives here in Morocco.
Two years ago, Marcel Siem thought he’d done enough only to cruelly miss out but he’s among those for whom victory here would definitely be enough to earn a ticket to golf’s most iconic major.
Andy Sullivan, Alex Levy and Tommy Fleetwood have been chasing the dream for months now and from a punting perspective, we have to decide whether the bounty on offer will inspire them to greatness, or prove to be too much to handle.
To my mind, Fleetwood has struggled to deal with the situation while the tank looked empty as Sullivan left South Africa, so if there is one who could do it then perhaps it’s smiling Frenchman Levy, who might just have the right approach to the task at hand.
However, I’m happy to oppose all of those with the Masters distraction and perhaps this is a good opportunity for Rafael Cabrera-Bello to secure a third European Tour title at last.
Cabrera-Bello at his absolute best is a class apart from most of these and it’s only a combination of attitude and occasionally loose chipping that has seen him underachieve. But we could make similar comments about compatriot Alejandro Canizares, who found comfort in this grade last year as he romped to a five-shot victory.
Certainly, Spaniards have done well here over the years – it’s not far from home, after all – and Cabrera-Bello grew up fighting the wind in the Canary Islands. He’s one of the best ball-strikers on the European Tour and can be expected to handle conditions by the sea better than most.
Cabrera-Bello was 10th on the PGA Tour a fortnight ago, form which reads well in this company, and it was only a nightmare third round which cost him second place here last year.
Given the conditions, it’s no surprise that players from the UK have also done well at Golf du Palais Royal and pick of them could be Matthew Baldwin and Tom Lewis.
Baldwin absolutely loves the course and was fifth here in 2013, while more recently a couple of top-25 finishes this year suggest his game isn’t too far away.
Lewis was eighth on his debut in the event last season and it shouldn’t surprise us that this formerly top-class amateur took to the links-like test in Agadir. He too has been playing nicely enough of late, albeit without putting four rounds together, and can go well if enjoying a good week with the putter.
Others to mention include Matteo Manassero, who will look a huge price when he finds his game again, and Matt Ford, who should take to this test at the first time of asking.
However, the final bet is Richie Ramsay at 80/1.
The Scot hasn’t been in the best of form so far in 2015, but a week or two back home to practice will have served him well as should a return to this course, where he’s been inside the top 20 on each of his last four visits.
Ramsay went close in the Dunhill Links late last year and is always dangerous when keeping the ball in play is the key requirement, so at the price it’s worth chancing that he can step up on a couple of missed cuts in South Africa.
