Well its finally here, the years first Major, and my fav Major, THE MASTERS.
The course will be imaculate and come Sunday evening 1 person will triumph and walk away wearing a new Green Jacket.
Will this year be a repeat winner, will it be a first timer, like last year.
Woods holds the key, if he plays well no-one has a chance, although with forecast weather change for Sunday, if its tight up top anything could happen.
I've already advised to back Woods @ 13/8 on another thread and I've had 10pts on him.
Below are this weeks selections with a few bets in the sub divided betting categories.
OUTRIGHT 1/4 1-5 G OGILVY 0.3pts E/W @ 40/1 L DONALD 0.25pts E/W @ 50/1 P MICKELSON 1pt E/W @ 10/1
Well after a poor showing at the Masters I have been somewhat aloof. I have not had any golf bets but now with the Players Championship starting later today I have decided that this thread needs livening up before I give up on it, which I do not plan on doing.
THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP @ SAWGRASS
D LOVE - Has played 73 rounds here and is still under par
P HARRINGTON - Plays well in the top events, seems to hold it together to still be around on day four and with two 2nds could easliy add the "5th Major" to his career CV.
J ROSE - Collapsed in the Masters but Rose will not let this put him down. After 23 consecutive missed cuts when he turned pro Justin knows the dark side of golf and has come out of it. Would it be a supprise to see him win this week? NO! He has often been second best in World Golf Events to Mr Woods and with Tiger not playing this week he may well take advantage in this top event.
REGARDS
DCS
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Ive backed GARCIA at 5/1 (Skybet). Hes 1 shot off the lead at -5 and was 2nd in this event last year. The leaderboard lacks a bit of star quality at the moment and I think the price is very fair. He will go out 2nd last pair today, just ahead of Kenny Perry and Bernhard Langer and I cant see either of those still being there in 36 holes time.
I dont normally get involved in Rd 1 but I have backed EDFORS at 10/1 after his 1st rd 68.
A player I liked after his excellent 2006 but he went backwards in 2007 with 0 wins and hardly any top 10 finishes. This year he seems to be back in the groove with 4 top 10's already, and although he missed the cut last week that might be a blessing in giving a few more days to prepare for The Irish Open. It is interesting that 2 of his wins in 2006 were at The Belfry and Loch Lomond so he does have the game to win in UK & Ire conditions.
Im hoping that he can have a solid week here and if the big names dont fire, they arent at the moment, then he has the right sort of profile to mount a serious challenge.
Typical had 2 picks last week 2 in the PGA Championship (Jimenez 28/1 taken when 33/1 was still available and 28/1 Casey) and 1 pick in the US (P Mickelson 10/1 - Didn't back it!)
No good after timing but I did make a nice profit on M A Jimenez.
WELSH OPEN
This weeks Welsh Open looks tough. First time the Twenty Ten course will be played in competition (Venue for the 2010 Ryder Cup) so previuos course form will be null and void here. Going for 4 outsiders to start with as none of the short priced players interest me and will then be looking to back after 1,2 or 3 rounds.
G McDowell 40/1 0.15pts e/w R McIlroy 80/1 0.1pts e/w P Broadhurst 80/1 0.1pts e/w D Vancink 100/1 0.1pts e/w
Missed the boat on Lefty I think but the US picks will be up later.
THE MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT
A KIM 50/1 0.225pts E/W KJ CHOI 50/1 0.20pts E/W J ROSE 50/1 0.125pts E/W
GINN TRIBUTE A SORRENSTAM 5/1 0.5pts E/W s PETTERSEN 14/1 0.2pts E/W
GINN TRIBUTE A SORRENSTAM 5/1 x THE MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT P MICKELSON 8/1
0.3pts E/W DOUBLE
REGS
DCS
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Went to Celtic Manor yesterday to have a look at the 2010 course and was generally impressed. Plenty of work to be done to make it suitable to stage a Ryder Cup, but I think the course is excellent and not a lot I would change. The tee boxes have been brought forward this week and they are playing preferred lies due to the damp conditions hence the very low scoring.
It will be interesting to see how STRANGE handles the pressure now he is going off last and will have a camera in his face all the way. Very different from going off at 7.55 with 6 spectators for company. I backed DOUGHERY ew at 14/1 after Round 1 and although hes further off the lead I think he can still make the top 4, but will need to shoot -3 today. This event has thrown up some surprise winners in the past and looking at the leader it could happen again. McGinley threw away a 4 shot lead after Rd 2 last week, will it happen in consecutive events? Conditions are set fair, warm and sunny so it should be a very interesting day.
OUTRIGHT T WOODS 2pts E/W @ 7/2 1pt WIN @ 7/2 ( Too big a price for the world number 1!) 1st V SINGH 0.5pts E/W @ 33/1 (Back to form and putting well. Has had some decent finishes and looks overpriced)
TOP AMERICAN W/O WOODS J KELLY 0.1pts E/W @ 50/1 N WATNEY 0.1pts E/W @ 66/1 D LOVE III 0.1pts E/W @ 50/1
TOP REST OF WORLD V SINGH 0.5pts E/W @ 8/1 (Value Bet for me) A ROMERO 0.2pts E/W @ 20/1
BALANCE -20.555
REGS
DCS
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"Woods had triumphed despite playing 72 holes in regulation and 19 more in the playoff with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and a double stress fracture of his left tibia, the large bone in the lower leg."
According to Woods' coach, Hank Haney, Woods should have been on crutches last week, not swinging a golf club. Haney said he was with Woods in Florida two weeks before the U.S. Open when a doctor told him the stress fractures would require three weeks on crutches and three more weeks of limited activity.
“But Tiger looked the guy in the eye and said, 'I'm playing in the U.S. Open and I'm going to win,' ” Haney said yesterday in several news reports. “Then he started putting on his shoes and told me we're going to go practice. It's just incredible.”ignonsandiego.com
"Casey said he had spoken to Robert Karlsson's caddie Gareth Lord the day after the Swede partnered Woods.
He said: "Gareth said there were noises coming from Tiger's knee and he was clearly suffering.
"Gareth said there was a moment, I think on the 18th, where Tiger stepped up to hit his tee shot and backed off because of weird noises. They all chuckled and he said, 'I shouldn't hit this one too hard'.daily record
The World Matchplay is leaving Wentworth and heading to Spain with new sponsors Volvo. It will resume in 2009.
NEW FORMAT
The new format will see the 16-man field divided into four groups of four players, seedings based upon their Official World Golf Ranking:
THURSDAY AND FRIDAY:
Within groups of four, every player will play each other in a round robin format over full 18-hole matches. (NB. Each match will complete 18 holes every time)
Points will be awarded based upon win, tie or loss. The leading player from each group will qualify for the semi final knock out stage. (Aggregate number of holes won will be used to determine tied positions)
SATURDAY
Semi -finals- played over 36 holes in head-to-head match play.
SUNDAY
The Volvo World Match Play Championship Final will be played over 36 holes in head-to-head match play.
The Volvo World Match Play Championship Consolation Match will be played over 18 holes in head-to head-match play.
Had lined up a fwe bets this week but I'm going for 3.
Buick open
J Furyk 0.5pts E/W @ 11/1 Corse form is good and although Jim has sruggled he will probably pop up some time this year. Playing at a course where they have form often settles a player and allows him to refind some form. Good price against an average field.
Womens US Open
May feel stupid come Sunday if Ochoa wins as I would have had I not backed Woods @ 7/2 for the US Open. However, after two recent deaths in her family Ochoa has struggled and this could be another difficult week. Things often happen to the contrary and are spurred on by such things and I would not be supprised to see her win. 15/8 is a good price but I am going for some value elsewhere
A Sorenstam 0.5pts E/W @ 9/1 Last year on tour and Anika would love to get one more major under her belt and why not the US Open.
M Wie 0.15pts E/W @ 50/1 better prices available but couldn't get on. After a poor season last year Michelle's wrist is ok again and a few good performances recently stands her with a good shout for place.
It could be a good day for Spain in France as well as Austria ! Spaniard Larrazabal leads The French Open by 3 shots, but with Soren Hansen, Lee Westwood and Monty on his heels this will be a real test of composure for the rookie.
Larrazabal has 0 top 10's, but 3 top 20's this year and as far as I am aware the only event he has won was the event was to get his tour card for 2008. A win here would put him in the running for an automatic Ryder Cup spot with €666,660 up for grabs, and Monty will have one eye on that also as he is currently well down the rankings. That could ensure we see a solid 18 from Monty and with 3 places still on offer with most bookmakers he could be an ew bet to nothing.
Monty finished T3 in this event last year, but on his own in 2nd a shot behind the winner was Soren Hansen and again he has shown his liking for the course. He lead after 3 rds by 1 shot, but shot +1 for his final rd with Graham Storm coming from well off the pace to win with a 66. Scoring has been a touch easier this year so it should favour those at the front of the market and harder for those 5 or 6 back to make up ground.
Hansens 2nd in 2007 could not have been predicted on form, and considering he lead after 3rds he did hold his game together to lose only by a freak round by Sorm. A year later and with that experience behind him (and a tour win in The Mercedes Benz Championship) we could see Hansen put up a bold bid today. He finished 2007 well, and has 3 top 10's this year and lies in 32nd place in the rankings. A win put him right in The Ryder Cup picture.
Hansen goes out last with Larrazabal which should be an advantage in that he will know when to push and when to play solid, depending on how Larrazabal is lying. Monty and Westwood will be just in front and will draw a bigger following but will have to monitor their positions via the leaderboards.
Larrazabal pulled away to win with ease and looks a fantastic prospect. Mix a bit of Seve, a touch of Olazabal, and a dash of Garcia and you get Larrazabal. He would be very exciting in The Ryder Cup especially in fourballs with Garcia.
The new European Tour identity will be officially introduced at the start of The 2009 European Tour International Schedule in November when The Race to Dubai – a US$10,000,000 season-long competition for the world’s leading golfers - will culminate in the Number 1 to 60 players qualifying for the US$10,000,000 Dubai World Championship.
The Dubai World Championship will be played on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai, UAE, from November 19-22, 2009, at which time a player could face the prospect of standing over a putt for US$3,666,660 to capture the title, Number One position in The Race to Dubai and The Harry Vardon Trophy.
Went down The London Golf Club today. Very impressed with the setup, very spacious, very long for the spectator, not many areas where you can see multiple holes but great for following a match. The course has the feel of a stadium/links hybrid and would be a lot tougher if the wind was blowing which it clearly wasnt today, or yesterday.
Watched mainly the Rose/Fasth/MicGinley 3 ball. Fasth looks like hes getting some form back. After a +4 yesterday he played well today to finish on +1. Might be worth keeping an eye on him in the next month or so.
McGinley was excellent around the greens, putted very well. Rose was excellent from fairway to green but abysmal with the putter. If he could putt he would be up with the very best. He would worry me as a Ryder Cup team player.
Garcia, only saw a few holes from him (he was in the group ahead) but he obviously nailed it today to get in contention. Nicely placed behind the leaders for the weekend. Didnt see Fisher at all, but I am amazed he is doing so well as he didnt even play a practise round for this, he just turned up on Thursday and shot -9. I thought Larrazabal would fold last week and he didnt. I think Fisher will fold this week and not win. He 3/1 now and worth betting against.
After witnessing the maiden win of Larrazabal last week holding off a strong field, we now have an even more impressive effort from Fisher who is playing astonishingly well. He recorded one drive over 400 yds today, and when the bigger names struggled on the back nine he played it in -3 and now holds 3 shot lead. Only McDowell and Frost have realistic chances tomorrow, but Fisher is handling everything so well its hard to see him shooting over par. His driving is incredible, its not just very long is pretty accurate too. He qualified for The Open last week and if he keeps this form up will be towing a sizeable crowd around with him.
