Paul Lawrie Match Play predictions and betting tips

The European Tour heads to Germany for the third edition of the Saltire Paul Lawrie Match Play

The European Tour‘s  Saltire Paul Lawrie Match Play this week complement the Tour’s co-sanctioned Fiji International a continent away.

The Paul Lawrie Match Play comes to Bad Griesbach in Germany for the first time. Lawrie’s native Scotland hosted the first two editions.

If Bad Griesbach sounds familiar, it’s because Europe’s largest golf resort was host to the Porsche European Open from 2015-16. The 7,188-yard, par-72 Beckenbauer Course, one of five on site, features four par-5s and closes with a 428-yard par-4 that’s No. 2 in handicap. It’s a Bernhard Langer design.

Anthony Wall defeated Alex Noren 1 up in the 2016 championship at Archerfield Links in North Berwick.

For those unfamiliar with the format, here’s a primer on the European Tour’s third and final match play event of the season:

Format

The European Tour’s exemption categories determine a 64-man field to compete in a single-elimination bracket tournament. It compares to the format of the WGC-Match Play from 1999-2014.

Unlike the WGC where players were seeded 1-64, the Paul Lawrie Match Play seeds the top 32 with a random draw to fill out the bracket.

No reseeding is done during the tournament. Matches are played until a winner is determined.

One round is played Thursday and Friday and two Saturday and Sunday.

Let’s get going with a look at and predictions for the first two rounds: