Africa Open: golf betting guide

The European Tour stays in South Africa this week for the Africa Open at the East London Golf Club on the Eastern Cape.

Louis Oosthuizen won the tournament last year, but he hasn't returned to his native land to defend this time around.

In fact, the field in this co-sanctioned event is relatively weak by European Tour standards, so look out for some lesser names to make an impression.

Oosthuizen shot a 27-under-par 72-hole total last year, and expect to see plenty of birdies again this year.

East London Golf Club measures less than 7,000 yards, and with some driveable par fours and four reachable par fives, low scoring will be the order of the day.

Ricardo Santos, at 14/1 with Ladbrokes, is rightfully one of the favourites this week. He is currently 11th on the Race to Dubai and one of the form golfers on the European Tour. He has already recorded three top-seven finishes this season, including a tie for third last week at the Joburg Open.

Lorenzo Gagli, at 25/1 with Ladbrokes, is someone to keep an eye on this week. He often plays good golf in South Africa and has finished inside the top 15 in his last two tournaments. He currently ranks 18th on the European Tour in Stroke Average.

Andy Sullivan, at 50/1 with Ladbrokes, is well priced given his excellent start to the season. The Englishman is a promising young talent with a very good golf swing, and clearly isn't overawed by the big occasion. He struggled a touch last week, but two top tens and a 12th-place finish so far this season show he is in good form. Tom Lewis, at 66/1 with Ladbrokes, struggled last season, but has shown some encouraging signs over the past couple of weeks. He shot rounds of 65 and 67 in Joburg last week, and could well fancy his chances in an event with a weak field.

Espen Kofstad, at 125/1 with Ladbrokes, is a decent each way bet this week. He hasn't made a huge impact this season, but his first-round 66 last week might be a sign he is coming back to form. He also played some fine golf at the South Africa Open Championship at the end of last season.

Africa Open advised bets:

2pts each way on Ricardo Santos at 14/1 with Ladbrokes 2pts each way on Lorenzo Gagli at 25/1 with Ladbrokes 2pts each way on Andy Sullivan at 50/1 with Ladbrokes 2pts each way on Tom Lewis at 66/1 with Ladbrokes 2pts each way on Espen Kofstad at 125/1 with Ladbrokes