Steve Palmer's Soudal Open predictions & free golf betting tips: Darius van Driel ready for second DP World Tour triumph

When to bet on the Soudal Open

By 6.30am on Thursday

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Where can I watch the Soudal Open

Live on Sky Sports Golf from 12pm on Thursday

Steve Palmer's Soudal Open predictions

Darius van Driel
2pts each-way 70-1 general

Alex Fitzpatrick
2pts each-way 35-1 bet365

Bernd Wiesberger
2pts each-way 33-1 bet365

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Steve Palmer's Soudal Open preview

Thomas Pieters returns to DP World Tour action this week in his native Belgium, appearing on his home circuit for the first time since last year's Open Championship.

Pieters used to host the DPWT event in Belgium, but he switched to LIV Golf in February last year. A share of fifth place in LIV Singapore last time out will give Pieters hope that he can be a factor in the Soudal Open, but his form generally in LIV events has been disappointing.

Pieters can be resisted as one of the Soudal favourites, as can Adrian Otaegui, who has been the man for early money. Otaegui is a course winner – and he triumphed in the China Open last time out – but the Spaniard is unreliable on the greens and does not appear to represent any value at a best-price 20-1.

Steve Palmer's top tip

Darius van Driel 70-1

Precise Dutchman Darius van Driel won the Kenya Open at the end of February, keeping his cool to land a maiden DP World Tour success, and that performance proved how dangerous he can be on courses which put a premium on driving accuracy.

Van Driel prefers courses that are short and tight – the 34-year-old does not hit his ball far, but is relentlessly straight – and the Kenya Open set-up was ideal. He has won once on the Alps Tour, twice on the Challenge Tour and will be sensing a golden opportunity of a second DPWT victory at Rinkven International this week.

Van Driel made his Rinkven course debut in the 2019 Belgian Knockout – ranked 434th in the world rankings at the time – and he made it to the final. He fell in love with the course five years ago, losing to Guido Migliozzi in the final.

Van Driel turned up for last year's Soudal Open off the back of four consecutive missed cuts on the DPWT, but he finished 22nd at Rinkven, underlining his liking for the layout. This time he tees up in much better spirits. This is the first suitable course he has played since his Kenya triumph and he looks fantastic each-way value at juicy prices.

Next best bet

Alex Fitzpatrick 35-1

A breakthrough victory for 25-year-old Englishman Alex Fitzpatrick should come soon and the Soudal Open may provide the scene. Fitzpatrick made great strides last year, winning on the Challenge Tour, finishing 17th in the Open, runner-up in the ISPS Handa and fifth at Crans-sur-Sierre, and this year has been full of solid golf as well.

Fitzpatrick has posted five top-25 finishes in eight starts, the last of them on the PGA Tour in the Corales Puntacana Championship, as well as 11th place alongside his brother Matt in the Zurich Classic PGA Tour pairs event.

Fitzpatrick missed the cut by a shot on his Rinkven debut last year – he was ranked 719th in the world coming into that event – but he returns this week as a much more confident world number 154. The youngster got some rust out of his system in a US Open qualifier at Walton Heath on Monday, making nine birdies in 36 holes, marred by lots of drop-shots. Much better can be expected in Belgium.

Other selection

Bernd Wiesberger 33-1

Complete a three-pronged Soudal attack with Bernd Wiesberger, who has made a solid return to DPWT life after a spell as a LIV player. The eight-time DPWT champion has registered five top-25 finishes in seven tournaments this year.

Wiesberger made his Rinkven debut in 2019, reaching the quarter-finals in the Belgian Knockout, losing to eventual champion Guido Migliozzi. Wiesberger, who finished 37th in his only Soudal Open start, made ten birdies at Walton Heath in the US Open qualifier on Monday and is one of the best players in the Soudal field.

Course guide for the Soudal Open

• Course Rinkven International Golf Club, Antwerp, Belgium
• Prize money $2.5m ($416,750 to the winner)
• Length 6,940 yards
• Par 71 - two par-fives; 13 par-fours; three par-threes
• Field 156 The cut Top 65 and ties qualify for round three
• Highest-ranked players in field (world ranking in brackets) Jordan Smith (96), Thriston Lawrence (104), Adrian Otaegui (115), Zander Lombard (119), Yannik Paul (131)
• Course records - 72 holes 267 Simon Forsstrom (2022) 18 holes 64 Matti Schmid (2022), Simon Forsstrom, Yeongsu Kim, Mike Lorenzo-Vera, Matthew Southgate
• Course winners taking part Adrian Otaegui, Guido Migliozzi, Simon Forsstrom
• When to bet By 6.30am on Thursday
• When to watch Live on Sky Sports Golf from 12pm on Thursday
• Time difference Belgium is one hour ahead of the UK and Ireland
• Course type Parkland
• Course overview The DP World Tour returned to Belgium after an 18-year absence with the inaugural Belgian Knockout at Rinkven International in 2018 - a strokeplay event for two rounds before a series of nine-hole matches - then there was a repeat in 2019. The event returned as a 72-hole strokeplay event in 2022. The 2005 European Amateur Championship was staged at Rinkven, as well as the 2010 Telenet Trophy on the Challenge Tour
• Story of last year Simon Forsstrom defeated Jens Dantorp by a shot in a battle of the Swedes
• Weather forecast A mixture of sunshine and cloud all week, temperatures peaking at 21C. A breezy Thursday should be followed by three calm days
• Type of player suited to the challenge A succession of short par-fours make this a straightforward assignment for straight hitters. Precision operators putting well should thrive
• Key attribute Accuracy

Steve Palmer's Soudal Open key stat

None of the 17 European Tour events staged in Belgium has been won by a Belgian

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