Alfred Dunhill Championship betting tips: Louis Oosthuizen primed to strike at Leopard Creek

While there are eyeball-grabbing team events taking place in the United States this week, South Africa plays host to some quality golf in the shape of the Alfred Dunhill Championship.

Those events are worth a watch, but the eye is drawn to the Alfred Dunhill Championship for betting purposes.

Some players will be forgiven for taking their eye off the prize, as the jaw-dropping Leopard Creek plays host to the event.

The course is alongside the Crocodile River – yes, you would be advised not to go looking for your ball if you hit it in there – and borders the Kruger National Park.

As architect and legendary golfer Gary Player said: “The fact that you could be playing while hearing a hippopotamus snort or seeing a lion near the fence is unique, as is the pitch shot you might hit over a lake full of crocodiles and hippos.”

So, yes players could be forgiven for not being 100% focused a few days before winding down for Chiristmas.

But we are confident we have found one player who will be laser focused for a number of reasons.

Louis Oosthuizen arrives at Leopard Creek having dropped out of the top 50 in the world for the first time since 2014. Part of that is of his own doing, as joining LIV Golf limited his ability to accrue ranking points as LIV does not yet have official status.

The South African knew the risks, and elected to go anyway. LIV suits Oosthuizen’s lifestyle as he does not like the grind of PGA Tour life, but he does like competing in the majors.

With his ranking outside the top 50, the only major he can compete in as things stand is the Open Championship due to his victory in 2010.

His ranking will continue to plummet, unless he does something in events that afford him points – such as the Alfred Dunhill Championship.

That is one motivating factor, another is he has never won an event that is close to his heart. His idol Ernie Els has a win to his name, while his friend Charl Schawrtzel has scooped the prize on four occasions. Make no mistake, Oosthuizen wants to get his name on the trophy.

The fear among LIV golfers is how they will transition on the back of long absences, but that has never been a concern for Ooosthuizen as the silky-swinging 40-year-old often plays well when fresh.

Leopard Creek is no standard resort course where you can smash driver and take aim at the pins. It is fiendishly difficult and a true test, which is exactly the style of layout that suits Ooosthuizen.

All of the above factors would make him a good bet, and the icing on the cake is Oosthuizen is the best player in the field. Getting back to his ranking, he was No. 12 in the world when finishing in a tie for 14th in the Waste Management Phoenix Open in February.

The only surprise is Oosthuizen is not the favourite, that tag sits on the shoulders of defending champion Christiaan Bezuidenhout, and the 12/1 makes excellent each-way appeal.

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