Challenge Tour - Allianz Open Bretagne 10th-13th May 2012

[jimmywomble]

Hi all

With the main challengers on the Challenge Tour at the Madeira Islands Open it’s a chance on for some others to grab the limelight with the Allianz Open Cotes d’Armor Bretagne from the Golf Blue Green de Pleneuf Val Andre. No island theme to this but the course is on the Brittany Coast and is a links style event. It will be the 6th time the event has been held, but as many of the top players are in Madeira half the field are making their debut here. That includes defending champ Philip Archer, only 15 of those that made the cut here last year are here again with none of the top dozen returning.

One previous winner does return and that’s the 2007 winner Peter Baker. Although on his return in 2009 he shot two 76’s and missed the cut. Will quickly dismiss based on current form though as looks like he hasn’t played this year.

In fact looked at several players all of whom have reasonable finishes here and most are making their season debuts here at this level or have had a poor showing in the one or two they have played in. They include Mikko Korhonen (4th here in 09), Marcus Higley (2nd in 08 & 7th in 10), Florian Fritsch (2nd in 09 & 36th in 10), & Jean-Nicolas Billot who is the only player in the field to make all 5 cuts, but only broken the top twenty once.

So only 2 of those that have played here before really stand out and that’s Floris de Vries & Andrew Butterfield. De Vries was 17th here in 2010 when a final round 77 dropped him down after opening with a 64. Suffered on the main tour with injuries last season but is on the comeback and been doing well, 61st at the Dubai Desert Classic the highlight and has been 20th & 10th in the last 2 events in Colombia & Kenya. Butterfield played here in 08 & 09 and was 11th & 14th respectively, showing improving form with 62nd & 30th in the same two events as De Vries, although I do note he also missed a cut & only 27th in the last couple of Europro Tour events.

This is quite a needle in a haystack to try & find someone. Towards the top of the betting Matt Haines & Chris Hanson both come here with a 4th place in one of the first 3 events so have some form. Whilst a player named after me has been going well on his first full season on the Alps Tour, Jerome Lando Casanova was also 43rd here last year when a final round 80 dropped him right down.

I think I will go with De Vries though, a past winner on this tour and coming back to form after injury last year, also has a 17th here when he shot a good 64 in the opening round.


Cheers

Jimmy
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[Golfboy89]

Hey, heard from one fo the players that the course is in poor condition, the greens are very poor, coupled with the poor weather and I feel that this will be a pretty high scoring week. Winning score around -8max.

My 2 tips are

Scott Henry - He has been in good form winning the recent Optical Express event, a great ball striker with huge potential.

Manuel Quiros - A European Tour player last year, he has a great touch around the greens. Made the cut in Spain last week and is a class above many in this field.

[ruxpin1]

My Tip is Jeppe Huldahl@34/1 This a fluke pick as the only name i kind of recognised in the field was his,i remember he won in the European tour when playing Celtic Manor Wales Open in 2009. but on doing more research as to what he has done since then,it's disappointing to say the least. his form since the turn of the Year has been poor. hopefully the poor course & poor weather might give him a chance.

[jimmywomble]

Blimey it's a shame the tournament isn't over 2 holes, De Vries started eagle, eagle, 4 under after 2 Did then go bogey bogey, but still what a start.
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[Golfboy89]

Unbelievable start, certainly the scoring zone on this course is late on the front nine and at the start of the back nine. But good start for your man

[ruxpin1]

All Jeppe Huldahl had to do a was get the ball on the fairway,then he would have had a chance of winning the play-off,instead ends up n the bushes and Eddie Pepperell just coasts to win the play-off and gets his first win. all that hard work through the Weekend to not even put a fight in the play-offs,with a chance to win again since 2009.