Italian Open: Top 10 Power Rankings

The European Tour rolls into it’s latest stop at the Italian Open this week, where Rikard Karlberg is defending champion. Who’s likely to contend this year?

As the FedEx Cup takes a one week break from the action, the Italian Open seems to be positioned at a perfect point in the schedule to attract a top class field.

Part of Italy’s pledge in their winning bid to host the 2022 Ryder Cup was to show increased commitment to their national European Tour event, and with the 2016 staging of the Italian Open that plan starts to come into effect.

The prize fund has jumped up to €3 million in total, with the first prize doubling from €250,000 to €500,000 in the process, suddenly making the Italian Open a must play for many of Europe’s biggest names.

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As Rikard Karlberg looks to defend his crown as defending champion this week, he’ll face stiff competition from some of the world’s best young players, a number of players who will make up Darren Clarke’s Ryder Cup team and the regular selection of European Tour stalwarts.

On a course that delivered low scores and an exceptionally exciting finish last year, all the ingredients seem to be in place for the Italian Open to be one of the tour’s best tournaments of the season.

Who will come out on top though? Our power rankings highlight 10 of the leading contenders.

Next: Martin Kaymer