European Tour Fantasy Golf Picks and Predictions for the 2017 Hero Indian Open
The Hero Indian Open Fantasy Preview
The fractured European Tour, which enjoyed jollies in Mexico and South Africa last week, reunites in India this week and joins forces with the Asian Tour for the co-sanctioned Hero Indian Open.
This tournament has been going since the 1960s, although it has only enjoyed co-sanctioned status since 2015. For so long based at the sumptuous Delhi Golf Club, this year’s renewal marks a move to the Gary Player Course at the DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurgaon.
Now, we know what you’re thinking: this is the event where all the local players do well, right? Well yes; 50% of the last 12 winners have been Indian and each of the last four have graduated or are a current member of the Asian Tour. But there may well be a shift in the paradigm this week…
Both Anirban Lahiri, the Vegas sportsbook favorite this week, and Indian pro Shiv Kapur have stated on record that this Gary Player Course has a European feel to it, with longer holes and wider fairways than the tight and testing tracks that India is known for producing. With a ‘Western’ feel to proceedings, we would anticipate a more global leaderboard come Sunday.
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Measuring 7,650 yards, this Bermuda grass track features some lengthy stretches including a 270-yard Par 3! Significant elevation changes are the key feature here so club selection is essential, while the larger-than-average greens are undulating and are protected by some pretty steep run-off areas.
This will be the first men’s event held at the course, with its only competitive run-out so far as host of the women’s Indian Open in 2015. The stats on the LPGA Tour are notoriously unpredictable, and of course the layout would have been much different, so DFS gamers really do have very little to work with here this week.
One thing we do know is that reigning Indian Open champion, SSP Chawrasia, is going to have a tough old time defending his crown. The veteran is a straight but short hitter, and he is unlikely to be able to mix it with the big boys here.
So with that in mind, who’s on the team this week? Let’s take a look…
Our Hero Indian Open Fantasy Picks and Predictions
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