This article is part of our DraftKings Euro Tour series.
Commercial Bank Qatar Masters
Location: Doha, Qatar
Course: Doha GC
Yardage: 7,400
Par: 72
Tournament Preview
The European Tour stops in the Middle East for the fifth time this season as the Doha GC hosts the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters this week. Since this tournament began in 1998, it has always been contested at the same course. The desert course is exposed with water hazards on many of the holes and bunkers protecting large greens. Accuracy and ball striking will be at a premium this week, along with distance off the tee. The list of past champions includes many major winners. Weather-wise, wind is looking to be a significant factor this week. With that in mind, players who perform well in coastal and/or links conditions will be given extra consideration, and as they usually do, course history and recent form will be a major factor as well.
Key Stats to Winning at Doha GC
SG: Approach
Driving Distance
Greens in Regulation
Driving Accuracy
SG: Putting
Past Champions
2018 - Eddie Pepperell
2017 - Wang Jeung-hun
2016 - Branden Grace
2015 - Branden Grace
2014 - Sergio Garcia
DraftKings Picks (with odds)
Jordan Smith, $11,000 - (18/1)
Smith comes to Doha GC in good form. He has made all five cuts to start his season. His highest finish being T11 at Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, and he notched a T12 last week in Oman. The Englishman is not only long off the tee, but accurate as well. Smith has had mixed results at this event, missing the cut last year, but posting a T6 in 2017. He is a good ball striker and is ranked 31st on Tour in greens in regulation.
Chris Paisley, $9,000 - (40/1)
Paisley is another Englishman who has had a good start to the season. He has made five of six cuts and finished T9 in Oman last week. He's had good showings in the Middle East over the course of his career, including his last appearance in this event in 2017, finishing T13. Paisley averages over 300 yards off the tee and is solid with his irons, ranking 91st in SG: approach. He is a good scorer and great with the putter, ranking 34th in SG: putting.
Benjamin Hebert, $7,200 - (80/1)
Last year Hebert was one of my picks for his consistency at Doha GC, and I am going back to him this year. He has made the cut at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters in his last four appearances, with his highest finish being a T10 in 2015. This course obviously sets up well for him. He has only made two cuts in his last five events, but was T18 last week in Oman. The only stat that he is notable in is SG: approach, where he comes in 49th on Tour, and he is also known as a good scrambler. Basically, Hebert is about as good an option as any in the horse for a course department.
David Horsey, $7,000 - (80/1)
There will be one more Englishman to round out the picks this week. Horsey has been known to play well in windy conditions and has experience at Doha GC. Horsey arrives at this week's event on the heels of a T12 last week in Oman. He had two missed cuts prior to that, and a T11 before that in Abu Dhabi. He is very accurate off the tee and one of the best putters on Tour. The wild card is his irons can be inconsistent from time to time. Horsey has had good results here, finishing T13 last year at Doha GC and T37 in 2013.
