Fantasy Golf Predictions – 2017 BMW International Open

European Tour Fantasy Golf Picks and Predictions for the 2017 BMW International Open

The BMW International Open European Tour Fantasy Preview

After the excitement and drama of the US Open, it’s back to the grind for the European Tour with a decent event nonetheless in the BMW International Open.

This tournament has tended to attract a decent field of players in the past – probably something to do with ‘BMW’ in the name of the event and the prize money that entails, and the 2017 edition looks to be no less star-studded.

Much will depend upon how they are feeling after the US Open, but the likes of defending champion Henrik Stenson, Sergio Garcia, Martin Kaymer, and Rafa Cabrera-Bello are all scheduled to make the trip to Munich.

For those that played at Erin Hills, the change of pace here at Golf Club Munchen Eichenried will be a great relief. The average winning score here in the last three editions of the tournament has been -17, and the slow greens and short yardage (7,157 yards for its Par 72) will be a relief to tired arms.

This BMW International Open is played at two courses – this Munchen Eichenried track and Gut Larchenhof in Cologne – on a rotational basis, and so we only have course form from 2015, 2013, 2011 and so on to work with.

Should we be ignoring players who are travelling back from Wisconsin, or drafting the ones who played well? Henrik Stenson won this event 12 months ago a week after withdrawing from the US Open, so there’s not too much that can be read into that. Sergio Garcia finished fifth at Oakmont and the same place in Germany, while Andy Sullivan went 23-21. Danny Willett missed the cut in Germany after finishing T37 in America, but the general feeling is that there is no need to fear some kind of Erin Hills curse this week when drafting your lineup.

So who should go well at Munchen Eichenried? It’s a short track as mentioned and plays fairly easily by all accounts: Pablo Larrazabal’s winning scores in ’15 and ’11 were -17 and -16 respectively, and they sandwiched Ernie Els’ -18 in 2013, so this isn’t a course to be feared.

It’s a flat stretch that is both tree-lined and water-heavy – ten holes serve up a chance of getting your ball wet, although the good news is that the greens are generally as slow as it gets on the European Tour at 10 on the stimpmeter.

So there isn’t any specific kind of player who prospers here, but current form will clearly be a factor. Good players generally lift this trophy, with the last few to do so – Stenson, Larrazabal, Els, and Fabrizio Zanotti – clearly no mugs.

So in-form class acts are the smart plays in Germany….who are we drafting?  Let’s take a look.

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Our BMW International Open European Tour Fantasy Picks and Predictions

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The BMW International Open European Tour Fantasy Picks

Henrik Stenson – $11,600 – It’s a bit of a punt really given his recent form hasn’t been the best, but the British Open champion’s record in this event is second to none.

His form line reads 1-2-2-10 across both of the courses, and that shows he simply enjoys this tournament and playing his golf in Germany.

As mentioned, he hasn’t looked like winning golfer recently but there have been green shoots of recovery. T11 at THE PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass suggests he is striking the ball cleanly, and while he didn’t get into the picture at this home Nordea Masters his final round of 69 was only bettered by four players on the Sunday.

Stenson is the best player in the field, has unrivalled tournament history and if his game clicks – as the signs suggest is likely – he should go close to defending his title.

Rafa Cabrera-Bello – $9,500 – The Spaniard has a T11 to his name at this course in 2015 and finished second in this event 12 months prior to that, so RCB is another for whom the BMW magic is real.

His form line reads very nicely indeed too with T4 finishes at both THE PLAYERS Championship and the FedEx St. Jude Classic, and you suspect a step down in class here should suit him.

Cabrera-Bello isn’t the best off the tee so on tracks like this his excellent short game can really come to fruition.

Peter Hanson – $7,600 – For daily fantasy fans drafting the exciting big budget players and the cost-effective sleepers is part and parcel of the game, but occasionally you need to have on-side one of those cash cows; the workmen that just seem to get the job done and for whom a top-30 finish seems almost inevitable. Peter Hanson is one of those.

The two-time Ryder Cupper has a habit of saving his best golf for the big money tournaments, as his T4 in the British Masters, T8 in the Abu Dhabi Championship, and T21 in the BMW PGA Championship testifies. Let’s hope the kitty on offer here appeals to the Swede.

By the way, he also finished T7 on this course back in 2015.

David Horsey – $7,500 – He eulogized at length on social media about his new putter, and a pair of top-ten’s in his last three starts suggests David Horsey has every right to be chuffed with his new acquisition.

He played some excellent golf at the Rocco Forte Open to finish T7, and despite a tough time of it at the BMW PGA Championship he bounced back with a tie for second at the Lyoness Open last time out; a performance capped by a pair of sublime rounds of 64 and 65.

Confidence will be surging through the Englishman’s veins, and as a former winner of this event many moons ago there will be plenty of good vibes around Horsey this week. T11 here in 2015 is certainly something to build on.

Marcel Siem – $7,500 – There’s a story going around that Marcel Siem’s parents used to manage the catering side of things at Golf Club Munchen Eichenried, and young Marcel was able to use the facilities for free as a result. It was here that the four-time European Tour winner honed his craft.

A T10 return here in 2013 suggests his past experience has served him well, and a pair of top-ten finishes in his last three starts also indicate that his best form is just bubbling under the surface.

Taking a gamble on a local player can often yield dividends in your draft, but with course and current form under his belt how much of a gamble really is it?

Bernd Ritthammer – $6,200 – Here’s a German who has a habit of playing well on home soil, with T16 and T22 finishes in this tournament before he had even joined the main tour ranks.

His form has been inconsistent since joining the European Tour, but three wins on the Challenge Tour in 2016 prove that he is a player of some ability and mettle. Playing in his homeland, you would like to think he would prosper.

T22 at the Tshwane Open, T14 at Shenzhen and even T40 in a packed field at the BMW PGA Championship show plenty of promise.

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Cover photo via Instagram