Italian Open predictions: Ferguson can flourish in Tuscany
&w=707&quality=100)
- The Italian Open will be played at Argentario Golf Club, Monte Argentario, Italy
- This is a 6,857-yard par-71 layout, which has five par threes
- Recommended bets:
- Ewen Ferguson to win and each-way
- Kristoffer Reitan to win and each-way
- Shaun Norris to win and each-way
The DP World Tour swings back into action this week with the Italian Open at a new venue, Argentario Golf Club in Tuscany, where Marcel Siem will hope to make a successful defence of the title he won 12 months ago.
The picturesque coastal venue has previously been used on the Senior and Challenge Tours and is a short, fiddly track that measures 6,857 yards and contains five par threes.
Wind could be a factor on the exposed track and a sharp short game looks likely to be handy in the penultimate tournament of the tour's European swing.
Ferguson should be full of confidence
Favourite Jordan Smith has finished in the top 10 in just one of his eight Italian Open outings and perhaps a better case can be made for Ewen Ferguson to claim a victory at this unfamiliar track.
The Scot has come into some excellent form, falling in a play-off alongside Darius van Driel when Kristoffer Reitan came out on top at the Soudal Open at the Rinkven International in Belgium.
He also played well when fourth at the KLM Open last time out even though he finished eight shots off the pace set by his fellow countryman Conner Syme.
So he is knocking at the door and would love to go into his defence at next week's BMW International Open at the top of his game, so we can expect another bold showing.
Reitan primed to make a strong challenge
&w=707&quality=100)
Soudal winner Reitan is another attractive proposition this week.
The Norwegian was fifth in his only other Italian Open appearance at Chervo Golf Club five years ago and has a great chance of improving upon that this week.
Having won the Challenge Tour Grand Final last year, it has taken him a while to adapt to the higher level, but he has moved into the world's top 100 and arrives here in great form.
His second place at the Hainan Classic at the end of April was a sign of good things to come as a month later he triumphed in Belgium.
Reitan was second at the Austrian Alpine Open the following week when he closed with a 10-under-par 60 and his 13th at the KLM Open last time out was a strong performance despite a Friday 75.
Norris could slip under the radar
Shaun Norris has not appeared at the Italian Open in the last 14 years but his recent form suggests he could outperform his odds.
Having won the Alfred Dunhill Championship in December, he was sixth at the Dubai Desert Classic and second at the Joburg Open where he lost in a play-off to Callum Hill.
Most of his outings since have been on the Japanese Tour, where he came through extra holes to win the Hana Bank Invitational two weeks ago, and he is a strong putter who could find Argentario to his liking.
