M2M Russian Open: golf betting guide

M2M Russian Open: golf betting guide

The European Tour heads back to Russia for the first time in five years for the M2M Russian Open at the stunning Tseleevo Golf and Polo Club.

The Jack Nicklaus-designed course has hosted the Challenge Tour for three years and the three previous winners, Spain's Carlos Del Moral (2010), England's Sam Little (2011) and Frenchman Alex Kaleka (2012), will be in the field this week hoping to have a repeat of that winning feeling.

With wet weather already this week and showers forecast, the course will be playing right up to its near 7,500-yard length.

The field this week is modest by European Tour standards, and understandably, many of the players taking part in the Open Championship have opted to give the long trip to Russia a miss.

As such, the M2M Russian Open will give some of the tour's lesser-lights a chance to make an impact and move themselves up the Race to Dubai standings.

The favourite this week is Simon Dyson, at 10/1 with Ladbrokes. The Englishman and multiple European Tour winner hasn't been in good form this season, but he's started to show some encouraging signs of late. He finished outright fifth at the Alstom Open de France and tied 12th the following week in the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open, and he'll be very confident of his chances in an event where he's arguably the best player in the field.

Tommy Fleetwood, at 20/1 at Ladbrokes, is yet to achieve a top three finish, however he has only missed four cuts so far this year. The Englishman is the current course record holder, shooting six-under-par 66 at the 2010 M2M Russian Challenge Cup, so will know his way around the course. Fleetwood played some good golf at the start of the season and he's already convinced many he's a multiple European Tour winner in the making. There no reason why that breakthrough victory shouldn't happen this week.

JB Hansen, at 25/1 at Ladbrokes, recently found some form at the Scottish Open to finish tied third. He also has some knowledge of the course having tied 4th in the Russian Challenge Cup last year. The Dane will also be coming into the tournament in a positive frame of mind, having all-but secured his European Tour card for the 2014 season.

The last winner of the M2M Russian Open was Sweden's Mikael Lundberg in 2008, who is priced at 66/1 with Ladbrokes this week. He's not been in the top 10 all year, but he's won this tournament twice in his career. Golf is a sport where horses for courses certainly applies, and despite his slightly indifferent form of late, Lundberg will be in good spirits heading back to Russia.

Espen Kofstad, at 150/1 with Ladbrokes, has been disappointing thus far in 2013. Last year's Challenge Tour Order of Merit winner is currently languishing in 166th position on the Race to Dubai, so he'll need a big week if he is to retain his card. He a good player and he finished in a tie for 10th here last year, so he'll have some positive memories to draw on.

M2M Russian Open advised bets:

3pts outright on Simon Dyson at 10/1 with Ladbrokes 2pts each way on Tommy Fleetwood at 20/1 with Ladbrokes 2pts each way on JB Hansen at 25/1 with Ladbrokes 2pts each way on Mikael Lundberg at 66/1 with Ladbrokes 2pts each way on Espen Kofstad at 150/1 with Ladbrokes