Scandinavian Mixed 2024 Tips: Six long-shots for Sweden

The golfing world was full of great storylines last week and we saw another one on the DP World Tour in Germany, as Laurie Canter ended his 13-year wait for a first professional victory in the European Open.

His mentality in these positions has been questioned often over recent years, but there was no sign of mental fragility on Sunday, as he holed excellent birdie putts on 15 and 16 to give him a much-needed cushion to get the tournament over the line. Beating proven tour winners, Bernd Wiesberger and Thriston Lawrence into 2^nd place.

We move on to Sweden this week and it’s time for the fourth edition of the Scandinavian Mixed, which will this time be held at Vasatorps Golfklubb near Helsingborg.

So here we go with Jamie Worsley's Scandinavian Mixed predictions, including six selections ranging from 45/1 to 250/1...

TOURNAMENT HISTORY

The Scandinavian Mixed replaced the Scandinavian Invitational in 2021 and is co-sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour. This innovative format sees equal fields of men and women competing on the same course at the same time, all battling it out on the same leaderboard.

There is a fine balance to be struck with the yardages for each respective tour and whilst they might not have got it 100% correct – although it is tough to know what 100% correct would look like - the three renewals so far have to go down as a huge success.

Jonathan Caldwell won the first edition of this event in 2021, beating Adrian Otaegui by one stroke. There were many challengers from the Ladies European Tour throughout that week, with Alice Hewson finishing highest in 3^rd and a further five finished inside the top-24.

New ground was broken in the 2022 renewal, as Swedish superstar, Linn Grant hammered the field by nine strokes, beating the DP World Tour’s Henrik Stenson and Marc Warren into 2^nd place. It would be easy, and wrong, to point at the course setup as the reason for her dominant success, as if anything, the 2022 renewal was the least successful for the female competitors overall. Grant was the only LET player inside the top-10 and one of just three inside the top-24. It was simply an outstanding talent playing unmatchable golf.

England’s Dale Whitnell is this week’s defending champion having claimed the first DPWT title of his career last year, beating America’s Sean Crocker by three strokes. Anne Van Dam was the best of the LET contingent in 3^rd place, while Gabriela Cowley finished 5^th; along with home favourite, Madelene Sagstrom in 12^th, there were three female players inside the top-25.

THE COURSE

We have our fourth different course in four years, as Vasatorps Golfklubb’s Tournament Course hosts the Scandinavian Mixed for the first time this week.

The 54-hole complex is one of the most popular in Sweden and the Tournament Course has previously been used on the Ladies European Tour, hosting the Helsingborg Open from 2013-2015. It was designed by the team of Arthur Hills and Steve Forrest in 2008, who renovated nine holes from an existing course and created nine brand new ones to form the layout.

Men’s yardage (as listed on DP World Tour website): 7295-yard par 72; 10x par 4s (326-466 yards), 4x par 5s (484-584 yards) and 4x par 3s (148-247 yards).

Women’s yardage (as listed on Ladies European Tour website): 6342-yard par 72; 10x par 4s (296-414 yards), 4x par 5s (402-518 yards) and 4x par 3s (134-184 yards).

Each of these setups represent the longest course either the men or women will have played in this event, and the 953-yard difference between the two setups would be the second-shortest, after the 922-yard difference in the 2021 renewal. However, it is worth noting that these scorecards haven’t proven the most reliable in past renewals, often changing once the event has begun and should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Built on predominantly flat land, the course flips between tree-lined holes from the original but renovated course and the nine new-build holes, which are much more exposed and somewhat linksy in style. Framed by tall dunes and mounds that have been designed to give fans a better vantage point.

The fairways are generous and largely doglegged, with swathes of strategically-played sand – in the shape of huge bunkers and waste areas - and native grasses for protection.

The sloping greens are mostly small and often narrow/shallow in shape. They’re usually elevated and open, with several possessing run-offs long and more strikingly-intimidating bunkering on show for protection. Whilst water comes into play on six holes, threatening approaches on five of them.

Birdie chances look plentiful throughout, with the four par 5s reachable for the majority of the field and the exciting risk/reward drivable par-4 8^th, on which the entire left-hand side is protected by water.

Having said that, with large parts of the course exposed to potential wind, which could make hitting these small greens all the more challenging, players won’t want to see too much breeze in the forecast.

THE WEATHER

The forecast is predicting reasonably cool and mostly dry conditions throughout the week, with little more than a passing shower currently on the cards.

There will be a constant, moderately-strong breeze present over the first two rounds and it is scheduled to increase in severity over the weekend, with persistent 20mph winds and gusts at around 30mph on the forecast.

KEY STATS

• SG: Approach
• Greens-in-Regulation
• Scrambling
• Par 5 Scoring

I’m going to keep it simple this week statistically, and with conquering these small, sloping and elevated greens looking a challenge, I expect quality iron players to enjoy most success in Sweden.

Having said that, those forecasted windy conditions will make hitting the surfaces difficult and players look almost certain to have their short game tested. Therefore we’ll also look towards those best scramblers in the field.

Finally, the par 5s look like the most gettable holes on the course and this week’s competitors need to be making the most of the opportunities on them to get/stay in the mix at Vasatorps Golfklubb.

CORRELATING EVENTS

The unusually varied topography of the course makes finding comp courses tough, especially with no previous form to go off. Though there are a few courses that should help us out this week.

That mix of exposed and more traditionally tree-lined holes are characteristics shared by two of the previous hosts of this event: 2021 host, Vallda Golf and Country Club and last year’s host course, Ullna Golf and Country Club.

I’m going to lean on the architects, Hills and Forrest, for my next one, with the 2018/2019 host of the Scandinavian Invitational, Hills Golf Club, another DPWT venue in Sweden designed by the duo.

Similar characteristics are shared by Made in HimmerLand host, HimmerLand resort, and I have seen more than one comparison to Le Golf National, host of the Open de France, which is very open and exposed throughout.

I do think linksy courses or the types of exposed venues we often find in the Middle East could be helpful too. Ultimately, any reasonably open course where wind is a factor is worth consideration as we dive in a little blind this week.

THE FIELD

This week’s 156-player field is split evenly, with 78 players from the DPWT and 78 from the LET. 2022 Scandinavian Mixed winner, Linn Grant is the highest-ranked player in the field across both tours, ranking 32^nd in the world and she is closely followed by compatriot, Madelene Sagstrom at #35, with #96 Anne Van Dam the only other LET player from the top-100.

Rasmus Hojgaard is the top-ranked player from the men’s game at #96 and along with #98 and home favourite, Sebastian Soderberg, he is one of just two from inside the top-100.

The home challenge is enhanced by Alexander Bjork, Victor Norrman and Henrik Norlander all returning from the PGA Tour; whilst we should also watch out for a host of talented amateurs, which includes current #20 in the women’s rankings, Meja Ortengren.

Other entrants of interest include the 2015 winner of the Helsingborg Open here, Nicole Broch Estrup; Jorge Campillo makes his first DPWT start since the Qatar Masters in February, having started to show some positive signs on the PGA Tour in his rookie season; and the current #1 on the LET’s Order of Merit, Bronte Law, will also tee it up this week.

Scandinavian Mixed Odds

*Please click on the link above to be taken to the main Scandinavian market on Betfred.com (or app) for all the live betting prices on this tournament

SELECTIONS

Market leaders: Rasmus Hojgaard 12/1, Sebastian Soderberg 18/1, Alexander Bjork 22/1, Alex Fitzpatrick 22/1, Antoine Rozner 25/1, Niklas Norgaard 25/1, Jesper Svensson 25/1, Johannes Veerman 25/1

Two of the three editions of this event have gone the way of DPWT maidens at big prices, with that sensational win for Linn Grant slotted in the middle. Therefore, it looks like an event in which we can be creative and there’s little that appeals from the top of the betting.

I go all the way down to the 45/1 for my first selection of the week and though not in great form on the PGA Tour this season, I’m hoping a return home to this lower level can spark the immensely talented Vincent Norrman into life at Vasatorps.

1.25 pts Vincent Norrman each-way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 45/1

Following achieving both his PGA Tour and DP World Tour breakthroughs last season, the former #4 amateur hasn’t managed to kick on so far in 2024. He’s made 14 starts and missed six cuts; as yet failing to hit the top-40, with a 45^th-place finish in the Texas Open representing his best result of the year. However, he’s often been a different proposition when teeing it up on the DPWT.

Norrman made his pro debut in this event in 2021, finishing 14^th and followed with further finishes of 5^th, 10^th and 11^th in his next three DPWT starts. He made just one appearance on tour in 2022, finishing 32^nd at Valderrama and in four starts last year, he won his first tour title in Ireland – beating a field that included the likes of Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry – and recorded further finishes of 18^th, 15^th and 27^th. Which all adds up to a record of seven top-20s and three top-10s in just 12 pro starts on the tour.

The Swede’s biggest weapon is his driver and whilst not quite at his best with the club this season, he still ranks a respectable 46^th on the PGA Tour, and has been finding more accuracy to match that power he possesses over recent weeks. Though his overall approach numbers aren’t great, his ranking of 19^th in greens-in-regulation suggests that his ball-striking isn’t all that far away and as a player who usually scores the par 5s well – ranking 8^th on the PGA Tour in par 5 scoring last year – he can take it to the most scoreable holes this week.

Alongside Rasmus Hojgaard and Linn Grant, Norrman would be one of the most talented players in this field and I’m expecting him to show it in these much calmer waters of the DPWT this week.

1 pt Nacho Elvira each way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 50/1

Nacho Elvira just about got over the line in Belgium two weeks ago to record his second DPWT victory and with this week’s course looking a potential fit, he looks attractively priced to follow up with a third tour win in swift fashion.

That win two weeks ago shouldn’t have come as too much of a surprise, as Elvira had been producing some of the best and most consistent golf of his career in 2024. A level of golf that had seen him miss just one cut in nine prior starts and go close in Kenya, where he finished 2^nd to Darius Van Driel. He did miss the cut last week in Germany following that victory, but only by one and I’m more than happy to look past that following his exertions the previous week.

The Spaniard’s results this year have largely been engineered by quality into and around the greens, ranking 12^th in approach and 3^rd in scrambling. A combination that I’m expecting to pay dividends this week.

Elvira has some good form in Scandinavia, finishing 2^nd in last year’s Made in HimmerLand in Denmark and he has two top-25’s to his name in Sweden. He continued to play well over his next few starts following his breakthrough tour victory in Wales in 2021, and with his game in better shape than ever this year, I fancy him to better that pattern this time.

1 pt Daan Huizing each-way (1/5 - 6 places) @ 90/1

Daan Huizing is having a sneakily steady season on the DPWT and in an event that has been kind to first-time tour winners, he can finally make that breakthrough this week at what looks a suitable setup.

Huizing finished inside the top-25 in three of his first four starts to the season and has continued that consistency, recording a further two in his last four. The latest of these came in last week’s European Open, where he battled back from an opening 4-over 77 that had him sat in 115^th place after round one, to fire three straight under-par rounds and finish 22^nd; looking really good with his irons over the last three rounds.

The driver has often been a real issue for the Dutchman but he’s currently enjoying one of his best seasons with the club, finding a greater level of accuracy. Though it is with the short game that he excels, ranking 19^th in putting and 31^st in scrambling this season.

More taking about Huizing’s case is that he is often at his best on exposed, windy courses. He’s a three-time Challenge Tour winner, with the latest of them coming in the 2021 Irish Challenge at Portmarnock Links in blustery conditions. A 3^rd-place finish at a difficult and breezy Hillside in the 2022 Cazoo Classic rates as his best ever finish on the DPWT and he’s also recorded two top-10s at HimmerLand. Whilst as an amateur he won both the prestigious Lytham Trophy and St Andrews Links Trophy.

We have seen further evidence of his suitability to this type of golf this year, with his two best finishes coming when 16^th in Bahrain and Qatar. If able pick up where he left off in the European Open, he can emulate Jonathan Caldwell and Dale Whitnell to record his first DPWT win in this event.

1 pt Rafa Cabrera Bello each-way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 110/1

Rafa Cabrera Bello has finally turned the corner after a really poor run of form this year and if he can keep striking the irons as well as he did last week, he could look a big price by the end of this week.

Rafa actually showed promise right at the start of the year, finishing 31^st and 37^th on his first two starts in the Middle East. However, his form really fell away after that, as he went on to miss his next seven cuts on the spin.

He halted that run of missed cuts in China three starts ago, finishing 56^th and again showed improvements in the Soudal Open two weeks since, finishing 48^th, but upgraded both of these efforts massively last week.

Cabrera Bello finished 7^th in the European Open, recording four under par rounds - no mean feat at that brute of a setup. He achieved that result with a top-20 approach display and one of his better putting performances of the season, whilst he continued to display his excellent scrambling abilities, ranking 8^th; an area in which he ranks 6^th on tour this season overall.

As a winner of a Scottish Open and possessing many other strong performances on exposed layouts across his career, he should be comfortable in this week’s conditions and with two top-5s in France also reading well, he has much in his favour to continue his recent upturn in form this week.

1 pt Tom Lewis each-way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 150/1

Tom Lewis is another player coming into this week after his first top-10 of the year in Germany and as a proven exponent of similarly exposed courses, I see no reason why he can’t keep that going this week.

Lewis has only missed three cuts so far this season but hadn’t threatened the top of the leaderboard, with a 36^th-place finish in Kenya rating as his best effort prior to last week.

However, he was superb in Germany, finishing in 8^th spot and showed quality right throughout his bag, ranking 10^th tee-to-green and 30^th in putting, whilst he also hit the third-most greens of anyone in the field. The approach display didn’t come as too much of a surprise, as he has been hitting his irons well for most of the season, ranking 27^th on tour.

Lewis’ career is littered with quality performances on open and exposed courses where wind management can be key. He’s a two-time winner in Portugal and has hit the top-5 twice in the Alfred Dunhill Links; whilst three top-20s and zero missed cuts in five starts at HimmerLand also bodes well.

0.5 pt Meja Ortengren each-way First Round Leader (1/4 - 5 places) @ 250/1

Whilst several players have been highly competitive from the LET and Linn Grant of course recorded that remarkable win in 2022, history overall in this event tells us that the winner and bulk of main contenders on Sunday are likely to come from the DPWT. For all I wouldn’t discourage people taking some of the LET standouts at huge prices considering the vast amount of places on offer.

I do think there are plenty of opportunities in some of the other markets and after making a couple of quick starts in recent LET events, I’m taking the next player to come off the Swedish conveyor-belt-of-talent, Meja Ortengren, to get off to a speedy start in her home country.

Ortengren is the current 20^th-ranked player in the amateur rankings and has been as high as #9 in the world previously. Among many other quality performances at that level, the highlight would have to be winning the 2022 Espirito Santo Trophy as part of the Swedish team, where she tied Rose Zhang as the leading individual player. Whilst she also won the 2022 Swedish PGA Championship on the LET Access Series – the feeder tour to the LET.

She made her LET debut in the Helsingborg Open last year, finishing 18^th and in two LET starts in 2024, she has finished 33^rd in the Amundi German Masters and 21^st in the Dormy Open Helsingborg last week.

In both of those starts Ortengren has started quickly, firing a 4-under 68 to sit 6^th after round one last week and in Germany, she opened with a 3-under 69 to assume 2^nd position after 18 holes. Possessing experience of this course from the 2019 Annika Invitational, finishing 33^rd when just 14-years-old, she should know what to expect this week and whilst winning this event may be a stretch, this future star can announce herself to the wider golfing world in the opening round.

You can find all Jamie's latest Golf Betting Tips over on our dedicated golf Insights hub.