Qatar Masters betting preview: Ben Coley selects those to watch

The last two champions head the betting for the Qatar Masters, but arrive after very different preparations. Ben Coley looks at those likely to impress in the second instalment of the European Tour's Desert Swing.

Sergio Garcia, who beat Mikko Ilonen in a play-off here in 2014, has been off since taking fifth place in Thailand before Christmas, a result which came on the back of a hard-fought win in Vietnam.

Branden Grace on the other hand has been on the go since the South African Open and back-to-back top-five finishes should have him spot-on as he bids to successfully defend a title for the very first time on the European Tour.

With such compelling credentials in terms of being the best players with the best course form, it's no surprise that bookmakers are struggling to split these two but at around the 7/1 mark we can afford to search elsewhere for value, with Eddie Pepperell towards the top of the shortlist.

The Englishman has been a winner-in-waiting for a little while now and his fourth-placed finish here last year confirms that Doha GC, a course which favours those who are adept at playing in the wind, is ideal.

Almost all Pepperell's best form on the European Tour has come under links-like conditions and while Doha is a world away from Scotland, with past winners like Paul Lawrie, Thomas Bjorn and Adam Scott it's clear that having a strong links pedigree is a definite advantage.

Pepperell lost a play-off for the Irish Open at Royal County Down last year and his turn is close.

The man who won that title, Soren Kjeldsen, is another each-way contender. Since turning 40, the Dane has taken his game to a new level and along with the title in Ireland also produced three runner-up finishes to make 2015 the most successful of his career.

Over the years, Doha has been a happy hunting ground for Kjeldsen, who was second to Lawrie in 1999, and he's expected to step up on a moderate week at a far less suitable Abu Dhabi.

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Of those at the head of the betting, Thomas Pieters will be popular after his impressive second on Sunday but the claims of Louis Oosthuizen are preferred at 22/1.

A former Open champion who almost won the Claret Jug again last July, Oosthuizen has obvious links credentials and they extend to this event, where he was second in 2009 and has made the cut on every visit since failing to on his debut over a decade ago.

It's Oosthuizen's first start of 2016 but he's won first time out in four of the last five years and his game looked in good shape when last we saw him in action.

Finally, Rafael Cabrera-Bello should go well. The Spaniard struggles to get over the line but on the back of a contending 14th last week should be looking forward to a return to Qatar, where he's twice been third.

A winner of the Dubai Desert Classic, this part of the season always brings out the best in Cabrera-Bello and as a man born in the Canary Islands he'll cope with the forecast high winds.

Watch the Dubai Desert Classic throughout the week live on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf. Live coverage gets underway on Wednesday from 6.30am.

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