Soudal Open 2026 Betting Tips: Six diamonds to sparkle in Antwerp

Two weeks on from Yurav Premlall’s spectacular (and entirely unexpected!) 14-shot win at the Estrella Damm Catalunya Championship, the DP World Tour resumes its European Swing in Belgium, where a high-quality field has assembled at Rinkven International for the Soudal Open.

Star golf tipster Jamie Worsley is back with his usual long-read preview of the event. He's picked out six players he likes to follow, so check out Jamie's thoughts and his Soudal Open 2026 Betting Tips below...

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*You can bet on the tournament and check out the latest Soudal Open Odds over on betfred.com

TOURNAMENT HISTORY 

The Soudal Open is the latest version of the Belgian Open, which returned to the DP World Tour (DPWT) schedule in 2018 after an 18-year absence. Back then it was played as the Belgian Knockout – a quirky event that mixed stroke play with a match play knockout formula.

After a three-year break, the event reappeared in 2022 as the Soudal Open, this time reverting to a standard 72-hole stroke play format while remaining at Rinkven International Golf Club.

Tournament winners:

• 2025

Winner: Kristoffer Reitan (-13, playoff)

Runners-up: Ewen Ferguson, Darius Van Driel (-13)

• 2024

Winner: Nacho Elvira (-18)

Runners-up: Romain Langasque, Thomas Pieters, Niklas Norgaard (-17)

• 2023

Winner: Simon Forsstrom (-17)

Runner-up: Jens Dantorp (-16)

• 2022

Winner: Sam Horsfield (-13)

Runner-up: Ryan Fox, Yannik Paul (-11)

Having begun last year's final round nine shots off the pace, Kristoffer Reitan produced a stunning nine-under 62 on Sunday to earn a spot in a three-man playoff alongside Ewen Ferguson and Darius Van Driel. He then made an incredible 11^th birdie of the day on the second playoff hole to secure his first DPWT victory.

That went a long way towards helping him gain a PGA Tour card, which he took full advantage of just two weeks ago to win the Truist Championship at Quail Hollow. Understandably, he does not return to defend the title this week.

THE COURSE

Rinkven International Golf Club

• Original architect / Year opened: Paul Rolin / 1981
• Latest renovation: Martin Hawtree's design company undertook an extensive renovation from 2014 to 2016, which included the complete redesign of six holes, as well as adjustments to a further four across the two courses on the site
• Par / Yardage: Par 71 / 6,940 yards
• Hole breakdown:
  • 3x par 3s (189-201 yards)
  • 13x par 4s (326-484 yards)
  • 2x par 5s (542-568 yards)
• Course style: A strategic, flat and densely tree-lined parkland course that features predominantly narrow driving lines
• Fairways:
  • The doglegging fairways are average in width overall
  • Smart bunkering tightens the landing areas
  • With trees often encroaching on the angles into the greens, it's imperative to position the ball correctly off the tee
• Greens:
  • Subtly contoured bentgrass greens offer plenty of variety in shape and size
  • These elevated surfaces are strongly protected by bunkers, behind which they can tuck some tricky pin positions
  • Greens-in-regulation percentages are among the 15 lowest on tour
• Defences: Alongside those strategic challenges, water forms a primary defence at the layout, coming into play on 11 holes
• Average winning score: -15.25 (four editions)

Rinkven International has two 18-hole courses (North and South) and, as with previous editions, the back nine of the South will act as the front nine, and the front nine of the North will play as the back nine.

That creates an exciting risk/reward test, with water in play on each of the par 3s and two par 5s. There are also several shorter, potentially drivable par 4s (four measuring below 350 yards). Despite this, nobody has been able to take it apart, which is testament to the strategy and true risk/reward nature of the holes on show.

THE WEATHER

There's some rain around in the days leading into this event, though that looks set to disappear for the tournament itself. Conditions from Thursday onwards are forecast to be dry, bright and warm (with temperatures reaching up to 29°C), and with little wind on the cards, the players couldn't ask for better weather.

KEY STATS

SG: Approach / Greens-in-Regulation (GIR)

You've got to think your way around Rinkven with quality ball striking, but it's iron play into these tricky, evasive putting surfaces that carries the greatest importance.

• 2025
  • Darius Van Driel (2^nd): 11^th in SG: Approach
  • Thriston Lawrence (4^th): 16^th in SG: Approach
  • Haotong Li (4^th): 4^th in SG: Approach
  • John Parry (4^th): 12^th in SG: Approach / 1^st in GIR
• 2024
  • Nacho Elvira (Winner): 9^th in SG: Approach / 12^th in GIR
  • Niklas Norgaard (2^nd): 7^th in SG: Approach / 12^th in GIR
  • Matthew Jordan (5^th): 10^th in SG: Approach / 1^st in GIR
• 2023
  • Simon Forsstrom (Winner): 15^th in GIR
  • Thorbjorn Olesen (3^rd): 14^th in SG: Approach
  • Alexander Bjork (4^th): 15^th in SG: Approach
• 2022
  • Sam Horsfield (Winner): 13^th in SG: Approach / 12^th in GIR
  • Ryan Fox (2^nd): 2^nd in SG: Approach / 12^th in GIR
  • Yannik Paul (2^nd): 5^th in SG: Approach / 7^th in GIR

SG: Off-the-Tee (SG: OTT) and/or Driving Accuracy

Quality off the tee is another plus here, whether it's the power players working out the correct places to attack, or the more accuracy-dependent types plotting their way around.

• 2025
  • Kristoffer Reitan (Winner): 10^th in SG: OTT
  • Ewen Ferguson (2^nd): 5^th in SG: OTT / 4^th in driving accuracy
  • Darius Van Driel (2^nd): 9^th in SG: OTT / 2^nd in driving accuracy
  • Jordan Smith (4^th): 4^th in SG: OTT / 15^th in driving accuracy
• 2024
  • Niklas Norgaard (2^nd): 4^th in SG: OTT
  • Matthew Jordan (5^th): 2^nd in SG: OTT / 4^th in driving accuracy
• 2023
  • Simon Forsstrom (Winner): 18^th in SG: OTT
  • Jens Dantorp (2^nd): 17^th in SG: OTT
  • Mike Lorenzo-Vera (4^th): 7^th in SG: OTT
  • Matthew Southgate (4^th): 16^th in SG: OTT
  • Alexander Bjork (4^th): 5^th in driving accuracy
• 2022
  • Sam Horsfield (Winner): 18^th in SG: OTT
  • Oliver Bekker (4^th): 7^th in SG: OTT

Par 4 Scoring

Lastly, this composite course means that there will be an unusual 13 par 4s to navigate this week. Therefore, scoring on these holes should be extra significant.

CORRELATING EVENTS (COURSES)

BMW International Open (Golfclub Munchen Eichenried)

The flat and tree-lined Golfclub Munchen Eichenried has developed a striking amount of correlating form with Rinkven. Each course has bentgrass putting surfaces and showcases a similar level of difficulty off the tee and around the greens.

Notable correlating form:

• Kristoffer Reitan: Soudal (1^st) / BMW International (4^th)
• Sam Horsfield: Soudal (1^st) / BMW International (5^th)
• Ewen Ferguson: Soudal (2^nd), Belgian Knockout (3^rd) / BMW International (1^st)
• Thomas Pieters: Soudal (2^nd) / BMW International (2^nd)
• Ryan Fox: Soudal (2^nd) / BMW International (3^rd)
• Romain Langasque: Soudal (2^nd) / BMW International (5^th, 9^th)
• Jens Dantorp: Soudal (2^nd) / BMW International (6^th)
• Thriston Lawrence: Soudal (4^th) / BMW International (1^st)
• Haotong Li: Soudal (4^th) / BMW International (1^st)
• Jordan Smith: Soudal (4^th) / BMW International (2^nd, 2^nd, 3^rd)
• Matthew Southgate: Soudal (4^th) / BMW International (4^th)
• Adrian Meronk: Soudal (6^th) / BMW International (3^rd)

British Masters/2020 UK Championship (The Belfry – Brabazon Course)

As another densely tree-lined parkland with limited changes in elevation, The Belfry's Brabazon Course makes sense here. It has 12 par 4s (just one fewer than Rinkven), bentgrass/poa mixed greens, and with some tight doglegs calling for a strategic approach, it is closely matched to this week's host.

Notable correlating form:

• Guido Migliozzi: Belgian Knockout (1^st) / British Masters (2^nd)
• Niklas Norgaard: Soudal (2^nd) / British Masters (1^st)
• Ewen Ferguson: Soudal (2^nd), Belgian Knockout (3^rd) / British Masters (4^th)
• Benjamin Hebert: Belgian Knockout (2^nd) / UK Championship (3^rd)
• Romain Langasque: Soudal (2^nd) / British Masters (8^th, 8^th)
• Thorbjorn Olesen: Soudal (3^rd) / British Masters (1^st)
• Thriston Lawrence: Soudal (4^th) / British Masters (2^nd)
• Chase Hanna: Soudal (4^th) / British Masters (6^th)
• Adrian Meronk: Soudal (6^th) / British Masters (3^rd)

Kenya Open (Muthaiga Golf Club)

Tightly tree-lined with narrow, doglegging fairways and bentgrass greens, 2022-2025 Kenya Open host Muthaiga Golf Club ticks many of the boxes required.

Notable correlating form:

• Nacho Elvira: Soudal (1^st) / Muthaiga (2^nd)
• Adrian Otaegui: Belgian Knockout (1^st) / Muthaiga (4^th)
• Darius Van Driel: Soudal (2^nd), Belgian Knockout (2^nd) / Muthaiga (1^st)
• Ewen Ferguson: Soudal (2^nd), Belgian Knockout (3^rd) / Muthaiga (7^th, 8^th)
• Thriston Lawrence: Soudal (4^th) / Muthaiga (2^nd)
• John Parry: Soudal (4^th) / Muthaiga (2^nd)
• Oliver Bekker: Soudal (4^th) / Muthaiga (8^th)
• Joe Dean: Soudal (5^th) / Muthaiga (2^nd)
• Matthew Jordan: Soudal (5^th, 9^th) / Muthaiga (4^th)

Omega European Masters (Crans-sur-Sierre)

Crans-sur-Sierre is a heavily tree-lined, sub-7,000 yard layout. It has comparable risk/reward elements to Rinkven, while quality iron players usually thrive there.

Notable correlating form:

• Nacho Elvira: Soudal (1^st) / European Masters (4^th)
• Guido Migliozzi: Belgian Knockout (1^st) / European Masters (7^th, 8^th)
• Thriston Lawrence: Soudal (4^th) / European Masters (1^st, 1^st)
• Alexander Bjork: Soudal (4^th) / European Masters (2^nd)
• Mike Lorenzo-Vera: Soudal (4^th) / European Masters (3^rd, 6^th)
• Oliver Bekker: Soudal (4^th) / European Masters (8^th)
• Matthew Jordan: Soudal (5^th, 9^th) / European Masters (4^th)

2026 Turkish Airlines Open (National Golf Club)

I'm going to finish with a newer venue to tour, in the shape of recent Turkish Airlines Open host National Golf Club. It's a tight, gently-rolling parkland framed by towering trees, and features narrow, doglegging fairways. A couple of notable form ties developed right away.

Notable correlating form:

• Guido Migliozzi: Belgian Knockout (1^st) / Turkey (2^nd)
• Darius Van Driel: Soudal (2^nd), Belgian Knockout (2^nd) / Turkey (4^th)
• Ewen Ferguson: Soudal (2^nd), Belgian Knockout (3^rd) / Turkey (4^th)

THE FIELD

Belgium's Thomas Detry returns to the event for the first time since 2023 and is the top-ranked player in attendance at No. 64 in the world. He is joined by just a further three members of the top 100: Jayden Schaper (No. 68), Casey Jarvis (No. 73) and Daniel Hillier (No. 91).

There is no Kristoffer Reitan in the field, but we do have three former Rinkven winners in action: Nacho Elvira (2024), Simon Forsstrom (2023) and Adrian Otaegui (2018, Belgian Knockout).

LIV's Victor Perez makes his first start on this tour since the Dubai Desert Classic in January. Meanwhile, fellow LIV stars Jose Luis Ballester and Caleb Surratt have received tournament invites into a field that showcases some real depth.

SELECTIONS

Market leaders (1/4 5 places): Thomas Detry 11/1, Jayden Schaper 18/1, Daniel Hillier 20/1, Ewen Ferguson 22/1, Jose Luis Ballester 22/1

1.25 pts Kazuma Kobori each-way (1/5 - 6 places) @ 45/1

As a reliably straight driver with a strong short game, the only ingredient missing from Kazuma Kobori's game has been his iron play. There have been extremely positive signs in this regard over recent appearances and, having shown promise on debut here last year, this talented youngster looks set to break through.

Kobori missed his first two cuts of the season in the Middle East but hasn't missed another in eight starts since. He picked up a first top-10 of the campaign in Qatar, finishing 9^th, and he arrives in Belgium off the back of a 13^th at the Turkish Airlines Open and 6^th at the Catalunya Championship.

Ranking 2^nd in driving accuracy, 20^th in SG: Putting and 29^th in par-4 scoring, he's a player already well equipped to handle Rinkven International. The irons have been a struggle but, ranking 10^th in SG: Approach in Spain and 18^th in Turkey, he appears to have turned a corner.

Kobori was out of form in approach when he visited Rinkven for the first time last year, though he still managed to finish an encouraging 25^th. Those recent upgrades make him an even more dangerous contender here and, as a player who finished 2^nd at The Belfry and 3^rd at Golfclub Munchen Eichenried in 2025, this is clearly a challenge that suits.

1 pt Sam Bairstow each-way (1/5 - 6 places) @ 55/1

Although he has failed to really contend as yet, Sam Bairstow has been reasonably consistent in 2026. With two top-20s in two starts at Rinkven, this is the ideal spot for him to really kick his season into gear.

Bairstow may be without a top-25 this season, but he has missed only one cut, which came on an extremely difficult week in India. A 29^th-place finish at the Turkish Airlines Open rates as his standout result and, with the tee-to-green game looking at its best in recent events, he’s close to putting everything together.

His iron play has been particularly impressive in the last two tournaments, sitting inside the top 10 in both SG: Approach and GIR at the Catalunya Championship and Turkish Airlines Open. He’s driven it soundly for much of the campaign and, ranking 27^th in SG: Putting, he has the arsenal to score around here.

Bairstow opened with a three-over 74 at Rinkven on debut in 2024 to sit 136^th after round one, but he soon got the hang of the layout, following with rounds of 65, 63 and 68 to finish 10^th. He was similarly slow to get going last year before again rallying to finish 16^th. If able to start a little quicker this time, he looks more than capable of being in the mix come Sunday.

1 pt Jorge Campillo each-way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 55/1

With nine top-25 finishes in 13 outings, Jorge Campillo has played some of the most consistent golf of his career this season. He’s performed effectively at Rinkven International before, and with some striking comp form on offer, he has every chance of securing a fourth DPWT win.

Campillo went closest to earning a victory when 2^nd at the Hainan Classic five starts ago. A 20^th-place finish in India followed and, having missed two cuts straight after, it was a positive to see him bounce back by finishing 25^th at the Catalunya Championship two weeks ago.

The Spaniard’s irons stand out, ranking 23^rd in SG: Approach and 28^th in GIR. His position of 30^th in SG: Putting is another plus and whilst he’s been unreliable off the tee, this is a venue at which he’s typically driven it competently.

Campillo led after the two stroke play rounds at Rinkven in the 2018 Belgian Knockout, before eventually finishing 5^th following the match play stage. He was then 15^th at the 2022 Soudal Open.

His most recent tour victory came at the 2023 Kenya Open and, alongside results of 3^rd at the BMW International Open, 4^th at the Omega European Masters, and two top-10s at The Belfry, he’s proven this is a course at which he can thrive.

1 pt Kota Kaneko each-way (1/5 - 6 places) @ 60/1

Kota Kaneko is a player with a profile similar to Kazuma Kobori, in that he’s been sharp throughout his bag with the exception of his iron play. Despite posting two missed cuts, this appears to have been rectified in recent starts, and if he brings that same level of form to Belgium, he could easily find himself in contention.

After winning twice to top the Japan Golf Tour rankings in 2025, Kaneko earned a shot at the DPWT this season. He’s looked right at home at this level, missing just one of nine cuts and recording five top-25s, including a season’s best of 9^th at the Turkish Airlines Open.

That first missed cut came at the Catalunya Championship two weeks ago and he followed it with another on his major debut at Aronimink last week. However, he only missed by one at the PGA Championship and perhaps more importantly, he’s gained strokes in approach in each of those appearances.

I say important because it represents a significant improvement for a player who ranks 107^th in SG: Approach for the season. Sitting 1^st in SG: Putting and 9^th in driving accuracy, there have been no such issues in other areas.

This precise ball-striking game combined with excellence on the greens makes Kaneko an ideal fit for Rinkven. His 9^th-place finish in Turkey provides added encouragement and, having won by an impressive six shots on a similarly strategic, tree-lined course in last year’s Taiheiyo Masters on the JGTO, I’m confident this is a layout on which he’ll be immediately comfortable.

1 pt Daniel Rodrigues each-way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 60/1

I’m going to go with another rookie in the form of Portugal’s Daniel Rodrigues. His runner-up finish in Turkey two starts ago was the latest piece of evidence that he’s a player to keep a serious eye on, and with that test looking like a reliable pointer to this, he could just go one better in Belgium.

Rodrigues reached No. 50 in the amateur rankings prior to turning pro in late 2024. He made only limited appearances on the HotelPlanner Tour last year but went well over the final couple of events – hitting the top 25 in each – and he then ended 2025 at Q-School, where he finished 5^th to win his spot on the DPWT.

The transition to this higher tier has been seamless for the 23-year-old. He’s missed just four cuts in 12 starts and picked up four top-20s. His 6^th-place finish at the Hainan Classic secured him a first top-10 and he went four better than that in Turkey, entering the final round with a share of the lead before finishing 2^nd to Mikael Lindberg.

It was the putter that engineered that standout performance – ranking 3^rd – though it’s with the long game he’s impressed most overall. He currently sits 7^th in GIR, 17^th in driving accuracy, 33^rd in SG: OTT and, with a top-20 ranking in par-4 scoring a real positive around here, his game matches up strongly.

With that excellent experience gained in Turkey hopefully a useful guide as he prepares to tackle Rinkven for the first time, Rodrigues has plenty in his favour to put up another top-class performance in Belgium.

1 pt Rikuya Hoshino each-way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 150/1

Rikuya Hoshino hasn’t quite got going this year, but there have been some small crumbs of comfort across his last three outings. As a horses-for-courses type player who has an excellent record at the BMW International Open, this classy, proven winner is worth chancing at a large three-figure price.

Hoshino actually kicked off this year with promise, finishing 47^th at the Dubai Invitational and 14^th at the Dubai Desert Classic on his first two starts. However, he wasn’t able to build on that, as he made just one cut in his next six, though he has stopped the rot in recent weeks, making each of his last three.

While his ball striking has been hit and miss in 2026, he’s solid enough overall, ranking in and around the top 60 in SG: Approach, SG: OTT and driving accuracy. The putter was causing the most concern, but having ranked 3^rd on the greens when 43^rd in Catalunya two weeks ago, he looks to have found something.

Hoshino started reasonably well at Rinkven on his debut in 2023, firing consecutive rounds of 69 to sit 29^th at the halfway point. A disappointing weekend did see him slip to 67^th, though with finishes of 3^rd and 6^th on his two starts at the BMW International Open, and an 8^th-place finish at Crans in 2024, I’m sure it’s a layout that suits.

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