With four events remaining on the 2024 DP World Tour calendar, the Andalusia Masters has the honor of concluding the European portion of the season this week.
Next week is the Genesis Championship in South Korea, followed by the DP World Tour Playoffs in the United Arab Emirates. The vast majority of golfers still have goals — whether it's a 2025 PGA Tour card, a playoff berth, or the chance to retain a DP World Tour membership.
Therefore, choosing the winner of this important event can be more difficult because it is not just about form and historical performance, but motivational factors must also be taken into account.
Adrian Meronk is the defending champion but is not competing this year. However, LIV golf peer Jon Rahm is and represents the strongest chance of a home victory, just three weeks after his thrilling playoff loss to fellow Spaniard Angel Hidalgo.
In this article, some members of the Golf Monthly team share their favorite 2024 Andalusia Masters and outside picks before Meronque’s successor is determined…
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Andalusia Masters 2024 Golf Betting Preview: Course
The first project in Europe by legendary course architect Robert Trent Jones, the Royal Sotogrande Golf Club opened in 1964 and underwent a major restoration in 2011. According to the golf club's website, Jones ranks Sotogrande as one of his five favorite courses on a list of more than 500 that he helped design.
It is a 7,101-yard par 72 course dotted with approximately 100 bunkers, 69 of which protect the green, as well as wide fairways and fast, sloping putting surfaces that, in recent work, have Shrunk to original size.
The front nine features four par 3s, four par 5s and 10 par 4s, with a mix of risk and reward holes, especially between the 13th and 15th holes on the back nine.
Being away from one of the longer layouts on the European circuit, the distance off the tee is sure to help players create plenty of birdie opportunities this week. Last year's average score was 71.43, just under par, and Meronc's winning score was 16 under, the second-lowest score in the tournament. But it is worth noting that Sotogrande will make its debut in 2023, having been hosted by Valderrama for the previous eight editions of the Andalusia Masters.
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Past champions of the Andalusia Masters
Year | champion | winning score |
---|---|---|
2023 | Adrian Melonc | -16 (one stroke) |
2022 | Adrian Ortegui | -19 (six-stroke) |
2021 | Matt Fitzpatrick | -6 (three-stroke) |
2020 | John Catlin | +2 (one stroke) |
2019 | Christian Beziidenhout | -10 (six times) |
2018 | Sergio Garcia | -12 (four-stroke) |
2017 | Sergio Garcia | -12 (one stroke) |
Andalusia Masters Odds
The odds of outright victory are via FanDuel Sportsbook
- Jon Rahm (+280)
- Rasmus Hoggard (+1800)
- Thorbjorn Olsen (+2000)
- Niklas Norgaard (+2200)
- Matt Wallace (+2200)
- Victor Perez (+2500)
- Triston Lawrence (+2500)
- David Puig (+2500)
- Jordan Smith (+3000)
- Tom McKibbin (+3500)
- Matteo Manassero (+4000)
- Yannick Paul (+4000)
- Sebastian Soderbergh (+4000)
- Jesper Svensson (+4500)
- Lauri Kanter (+4500)
- Rasmus Nergaard Peterson (+5000)
- Matthew Jordan (+5000)
- Jorge Campillo (+5500)
- Nicola Hoggard (+5500)
- Richard Mansell (+5500)
- Bernd Weisberg (+6000)
- Evan Ferguson (+6500)
- Julian Guerrier (+7000)
- Connor Syme (+7000)
- Johannes Wellmann (+7000)
Andalusia Masters Betting Picks
Last out: Thriston Lawrence (54th) and Grant Forrest (35th) selected at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
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Favorite: David Puig (+2500)
The Spaniard is one of the most promising players in world golf, having already won twice on the Asian Tour at just 22 years old. Puig recently led the Spanish Open with nine holes to play but struggled when paired with Jon Rahm, so he will surely learn something from that experience Plenty, and could easily be challenged again at home.
A win this week would also give him a chance to move on and potentially make his Ryder Cup debut next year.
Outsider: Jeff Winser (+8000)
After a brilliant second place finish at the National Golf Club last week, the odds are stacked against the Dane this week. If that doesn't affect him too much and he can keep up his form, he'll be challenging again this week after finishing sixth here last year.
Barry Plummer
Last time out: Picked Thorbjorn Olsen and Yannick Paul at the French Open – both finished second.
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Favorite: David Puig (+2500)
Puig has certainly made the most of his time on the DP World Tour over the past few weeks, finishing third at the Spanish Open and fourth at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. He also ranks in the top five at LIV Golf in driving distance and stroke average heading into the 2024 season, both of which appear to be important indicators of the golf course's success.
The Spaniard has shown a winning pedigree, winning the Singapore International Series and Malaysian Open in the past 12 months or so. Puig will attract plenty of support from the crowd back home and will surely be buoyed by his fiery form.
Outsider: Brandon Stone (+9000)
Stone topped the leaderboard in the final round of the French Open last week, finishing tied for 10th with a 64. I hope he takes real confidence from a performance like this and he seems to be a perfect fit for this test.
Stone ranks 33rd in driving distance and fourth in GIR heading into the 2024 season, but it was his numbers last week that initially caught my attention. The South African ranks 19th in driving distance, 9th in GIR and 9th in putting, showcasing the three-time DP World Tour champion's all-round ability.
Stone has been disappointed with even par this season, but with a hot putter in hand, I believe he is a man to be feared and to pay a high price.
Last out: Victor Perez (No. 32) and Todd Clements (No. 37) were selected at the French Open.
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Favorite: Jon Rahm (+280)
I know it's the obvious choice and his odds are slim, but heading into this week I can't see anyone overtaking the Spaniard. Losing in the Spanish Open playoff, Lahm wasn't even feeling his best and he just missed out on the heroics of Ángel Hidalgo.
At Real Golf Club Sotogrande, he finished fifth, second and seventh, including two wins at the end of the 2024 LIV season. It's serious form and the pitch suits his all-round game in a way that I fully support Lahm winning again in his home country.
Outsider: Matthew Jordan (+5000)
The Briton has been in strong form recently, finishing tied for 10th at the Dunhill Links Championship and tied for sixth at the French Open, while Jordan was actually tied for the lead with a point on Sunday. He was in excellent form, having finished tied for 13th after shooting an inconsistently high par in the first round at Royal Sotogrande Golf Club last year.
Personally, I think his odds are very reasonable at the moment and if it were my money I'd confidently say he has a good chance of playing again this week on a pitch where he's in good form.
Jonny Layfield
Last out: Jordan Smith (13th) and Hoshino Rikuya (67th) were selected at the French Open. Tyrrell Hatton was predicted to win the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship a week ago.
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Favorite person: Niklas Norgaard (+2200)
The Dane has looked fresh after winning the British Masters in early September, posting three consecutive top-20 finishes in his last three starts, the best of which was a tie for seventh at the BMW PGA Championship. He can definitely drive it off the tee (averaging 322.53 yards, fourth on the DP World Tour), distance will be a key factor this week, and the forgiving fairways will help avoid any mistakes.
Another key to his recent good form has been his putting, with Norgaard collecting 0.93 to 2.07 shots on the course with his flat stroke. Although he failed to make the cut in his first two outings at this tournament, there was only one on this course before his first victory. While Jon Rahm is the clear favorite among the bookies, Norgaard could really scare the Spaniard.
Outsider: Richard Mansell (+5500)
Mansell is another great hitter on the DP World Tour (average driving distance of 307.5 yards, 0.74 strokes better than opponents in the field this season), where Mansell finished third last year and Fully capable of doing it again.
Distance has never been an issue for the Englishman, but it may limit his mistakes if he wants to compete. But after playing four straight weeks and opting out of the French Open, Mansell hopes to return refreshed and ready to face the final few hurdles of the season. His better results this season have largely come from shorter and tighter setups, so hopefully Sotogrande can once again play to Mansell's strengths.
How to watch the Andalusia Masters
United States (East)
- Thursday, October 17 – Round 1: 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (Golf Channel/NBC Sports App)
- Friday, October 18 – Round 2: 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (Golf Channel/NBC Sports App)
- Saturday, October 19 – Round 3: 7:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (Golf Channel/NBC Sports App)
- Sunday, October 20 – Round 4: 5:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. (Golf Channel/NBC Sports App)
UK (summer time)
- Thursday, October 17 – Round 1: 1:00pm – 6:00pm (Sky Sports Golf)
- Friday, October 18 – Round 2: 1:00pm – 6:00pm (Sky Sports Golf)
- Saturday, October 19 – Round 3: 12:30pm – 4:00pm (Sky Sports Golf/Sky Sports Main Event)
- Sunday, October 20 – Round 4: 10:00am – 3:00pm (Sky Sports Golf)