European Tour: Hennie Otto ready for fast start at South African Open
Tuesday 6 January 2015 18:33, UK
David John says Hennie Otto looks of interest as the European Tour resumes this week with the South African Open.
Local legend Ernie Els has been charged with elevating the status of the South African Open back to its former glories as host and ambassador for the event and he has not done too bad a job for this week's renewal at beautiful Glendower just to the north east of Johannesburg.
Some big local names have answered his call and fitted the event into their schedule with Louis Oosthuizen the only notable absentee so it leaves punters with a pretty top-heavy market to try to unravel.
Branden Grace is a justifiable jolly after his convincing romp to glory pre-Christmas in the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek but the jury remains out concerning the form of Charl Schwartzel with the driver - the issue got to such a level in December that he was hitting irons from the tee on par fives.
That can't fill anyone with a huge amount of confidence backing him at 10/1 considering as well that the rough is reportedly up this year at the course - described by one player as "hectic in places" - so there is not a great deal of room for error on a traditional, tree-lined parkland set-up.
Els, George Coetzee, Jbe' Kruger and the gifted duo of Richard Sterne and Thomas Aiken will all fancy their chances of making a strong challenge but of those in this vicinity of the market, I am quite keen on Hennie Otto to bag a second title at 22/1.
The 2011 hero traded at very short odds in the closing stages here 12 months before a couple of late errors let Morten Orum Madsen sneak past and claim the spoils as once again Otto's fortitude in a finish came under scrutiny.
Coach switch
But a win later in the campaign in Italy - his second - highlighted what he remains capable of despite battling some issues with his swing and deciding it was time for a change.
He switched coaches to Jamie Gough prior to the Final Series and the early signs were promising enough but he admitted being pretty tired by the time he played his final event of the year at Leopard Creek.
An enforced break with his feet up, quite literally, after surgery to remove a thorn he trod on meant he has had a proper break from the game over the last month to fully recharge the batteries.
He has played a number of practice rounds recently to sharpen up and said: "I felt really good about my swing and my game is in good nick. I am eager to get going again."
Otto played much of his golf growing up at Glendower and feels right at home in the surroundings so the positives begin to stack up nicely for him despite being a fairly obvious selection to begin the new year.
A little more under the radar from the home hopes are Jean Hugo and Justin Harding with both available to back at three-figure odds.
The duo have been able to carve out successful enough careers on the Sunshine Tour over the years with multiple wins but taking that next step as European Tour regulars has eluded them so far.
Hugo happy at home
With this and another three events in South Africa at the end of next month and into March on the schedule, the opportunity suddenly presents itself to perhaps extend their horizons.
Hugo has won 15 times in his homeland and the latest triumph came at a windswept and rain-lashed Arabella Country Club last July. Ernie Els once said of Hugo that he was actually the more talented golfer of the pair but a lack of a killer instinct or self-belief ultimately separated them as the pair went in hugely different golfing directions.
But a smart-looking record around the venue in the BMG Classic and also in this tournament a little over 12 months ago (T12) tempts me enough to go in at the price on offer.
Harding missed the cut here last time but did play well at the BMG Classic in October with a fourth place on his own behind Merrick Bremner and his form since has been quite eyecatching in terms of consistency.
That included a T11 in the Alfred Dunhill Championship so he is easily on course for his best finish on the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit and still has plenty to play for over the remaining events in terms of booking another trip to March's Investec Cup that rounds off the campaign.
Harding just strikes me as a player who could get right in the mix at this level over the weekend with those encouraging signs if everything drops into place.
Hennie Otto - 16/1 with Sky Bet
Justin Harding e/w - 150/1 with Sky Bet
Live coverage of the South African Open Championship starts Thursday at 8.30am on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf
