Last week turned out to be a phenomenal week for European golf. Tommy Fleetwood finally got that massive monkey off his back, winning it all at East Lake to finally claim his maiden US PGA Tour title.
2025 DP World Tour
Omega European Masters
Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club, Crans Montana, Switzerland
28th-31st August
Last week turned out to be a phenomenal week for European golf. Tommy Fleetwood finally got that massive monkey off his back, winning it all at East Lake to finally claim his maiden US PGA Tour title. It was the type of nerveless performance that could be a springboard to multiple titles. Furthermore, Alex Noren survived an absolute free-for-all at the Brabazon, with about ten players putting themselves in contention on an insane final day. It was Noren’s first DP World Tour title in seven years and will give him an outside chance of sneaking into Luke Donald’s Ryder Cup plans. Speaking of Ryder Cup machinations, Rasmus Hojgaard secured that final automatic qualification spot with a breezy, stress-free T13 finish. Twin brother Nicolai finished in a tie for 2nd, raising the possibility of having twin brothers on same Ryder Cup side for the first time in history (though I personally think Nicolai hasn’t quite done enough to make his 2nd appearance).
This week, the tour moves to arguably the most visually spectacular stop on the entire roster: the Omega European Masters. Formerly known as the Swiss Open, the Omega European Masters has been a mainstay of the European schedule since its inception in 1972. The event dates back all the way to 1923 and Crans-sure-Sierre has incredibly hosted every renewal since 1939! In 2009, this became the first event in Europe to be co-hosted by the Asian Tour. It generated even more media hoopla in 2006, with Michelle Wie accepting an invitation to play (you remember that little period). The American was on a mission to break down gender boundaries in golf and Crans was a logical venue to conduct that experiment (more on that in a moment). It ultimately backfired on Wie, as she ended up taking the wooden spoon at 15-over-par.
This venue feels like something out of a Bond film. Cut against the awe-inspiring beauty of the Swiss Alps, Crans-sur-Sierre is an underrate gem of the tour. The course dates all the way back to 1908 and Seve Ballesteros oversaw a comprehensive renovation back in 1999. Looking deeper into Crans, It’s easy to see why Michelle Wie chose to tee it up here back in 2006. Crans-sur-Sierre is a par 70 that measures around 6,800 yards (making it one of the shortest venues on the European calendar). Furthermore, the course is situated at around 4000 feet above sea level. Crans feels like it was designed by a disgruntled golf pro who could only drive the ball 270 yards. Crans’ fairways feature dramatic undulations that will punish anything slightly askew. Accuracy is more important than power and approach play is most important of all (the smaller-than-average greens demand surgical approach play). The small greens also put an onus on skillful scrambling.
This is a really strong field, with playing looking to make one final desperate plea to Luke Donald ahead of Monday’s team announcement. Two-time champ Matthew Fitzpatrick is in fine form despite faltering in contention at the Belfry (he ended in a tie for 6th). Despite his poor Ryder Cup record, Fitzpatrick is heavily favoured to play himself into Donald’s side. Elsewhere, the likes of Aaron Rai and Nicolai Hojgaard could really play themselves into contention with a strong showing. Could Alex Noren go back-to-back? He won this title back in 2016 and is perfectly suited to the vagaries of this test. Marco Penge will look to continue his fine form while Wyndam Clark adds a bit of razzmatazz from across the pond. Paul Casey also lends some added gloss to proceedings, teeing it up following the resolution of the LIV Golf schedule.
Past Winners
2024: Matt Wallace (-11) *playoff
2023: Ludvig Aberg (-19)
2022: Thriston Lawrence (-18) *playoff
2021: Rasmus Hojgaard (-13)
2020: event cancelled
2019: Sebastian Soderberg (-14) *playoff
Betting Favourites (To Win): Matthew Fitzpatrick (17/2), Alex Noren (12/1), Aaron Rai (14/1), Marco Penge (16/1). Nicolai Hojgaard (16/1)
Value Bet
Alex Fitzpatrick- To Win (40/1)
While Matt Fitzpatrick will be aiming to secure Ryder Cup qualification this week, brother Alex will still be attempting to win that elusive maiden tour title. He started the season poorly but has grown into some form in recent months, picking up three top 20 finishes in his last nine starts. He played well at the Belfry, finishing in a tie for 8th while ranking 14th for SG: Approach. And he clearly loves playing at Crans, finishing 5th and 6th in his only previous visits. In fact, he has never been outside the top ten after eight rounds of play. I just feel like he could be a sneaky dark-horse contender.
The Man to Beat- Jordan Smith- To Win (25/1)
Jordan Smith just suits this course like a glove. Known for his deadly accuracy, Smith understands the demands of this layout. He has a runner-up finish and sixth place finish in two of his three stars at Crans. He finished in a tie for 12th last year, stumbling with a disastrous 3rd round 77 (had he shot even-par that day, he would have won by a single stroke). Smith won’t have any undue Ryder Cup pressure hanging over his head and could claim his first title since 2022. He has five top-seven finishes this year, finishing runner-up on two occasions (in China and Germany).
