Category: Golf

WGC-CA Championship Update and 2-Ball Betting: Back in-form Camillo to beat the defending champ

Paul Krishnamurty wonders if Ernie Els can last the distance on a course where he’s won before and gives us three selections on the two-balls, including siding with colourful Columbian Camillo Villegas to out-score Phil Mickelson. “Nevertheless, man of the moment Camilo Villegas looks good value at around 2.4 to beat the defending champion, who only arrived in Miami the night before the first round and hasn’t looked in top form.” Whatever his wider major-winning profile, backers of Ernie Els could be forgiven for feeling a little edgy about their man’s prospects over the weekend. The Big Easy holds the halfway lead at Doral, a course where he’s won previously, but has a point to prove after bottling numerous golden opportunities in the two years since landing his last title. Most recently, Ernie dumped his second shot in the water at the final hole when holding the lead in another WGC event, the HSBC Champions Trophy . He also blew a tournament at Doral in similar style back in the 1990s on the final hole, and layers will be well aware of the constant threat of a watery grave here at the ‘Blue Monster’. In fact, everything we’ve seen so far suggests there is great scope for a dramatic turnaround on the leaderboard. There are eagle and double-bogey possibilites alike all over this course, as second-placed Robert Allenby’s card illustrates. The Aussie’s nine under tally is comprised of three eagles (including a hole-in-one), twelve birdies, seven bogies and a double

Mar 13, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

The Punter’s weekend update at the WGC-CA Championship and the Puerto Rico Open

Our man’s pre-event picks all look beat but has he found a bit of halfway value in Florida? “Given that history suggests you need to be up with the pace, Bill Haas looks a reasonably price. He’s more than capable of going low in today’s forecast better conditions and although I can’t pretend to be oozing with confidence I’m happy enough with the price, having taken 27.0 last night.” I can’t say I’ve even remotely enjoyed the first couple of days play at this week’s main event, the WGC-CA Championship . All seven pre-event picks look to be lost causes, while last week’s main bet, Robert Allenby , is right in contention in second place, a stroke behind Ernie Els . What a difference a week makes, Allenby missed the cut at the Honda Classic a week ago on a course where he hadn’t been out of the first five in three attempts, but it seems there may have been a reason that I stupidly overlooked. Allenby was drawn with Anthony Kim last week and it’s fair to say that there may just have been a bit of an atmosphere, as the two have history . After losing to Kim at the Presidents Cup Allenby called him a ‘loose cannon’ , claiming he’d been out partying until four the night before – an accusation the American refuted.

Mar 13, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

Golf Betting: McIlroy lets the Tiger out of the bag

Rory McIlroy has helped to increase speculation that Tiger Woods may return to golf sooner rather than later, says Ralph Ellis. So should you bet on him winning a Major in 2010

Mar 12, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

WGC-CA Championship Update: Four in-running trades for day two

Charl Schwartzel leads the way at Doral but it’s early days and now may be the time to snaffle up some early value on a quartet of under-rated players “The wind is predicted to be stronger in the afternoon, so the earlier tee time, the better. That’s good news for Soren Hansen , who is faring best of my pre-tournament 100.0 picks and is in the second group out this afternoon.” Strong winds on the opening day at Doral kept the scoring higher than usual, and looks to have put paid to the chances of several leading candidates. Though one should always be wary of writing players off after one round, the likes of Rory McIlroy, Retief Goosen and Zach Johnson will need to shoot very low today in order to retain any faint hopes. It doesn’t look good for European stars Lee Westwood or Sergio Garcia either. In total, 23 players beat par on day one, with Charl Schwartzel heading the way on -5. Given that the winds were so strong, the fact so many players still managed to shoot a good score is testimony to Doral’s receptive greens

Mar 12, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

WGC-CA Championship Betting: Round One 3-Balls

Last year’s runner-up is a value contender, the Goose chases gold and Stricker deserves to be favourite. Paul Krishnamurty makes his picks from the first-round 3-balls at Doral. “After four wins in nine months, and barely ever missing from a leaderboard, Stricker looks a more suitable tournament favourite than Mickelson.” 16.46 – Nick Watney @ 2.5 (vs Schwartzel, Toms) Last year’s runner-up Nick Watney can be considered a little unlucky to have bumped into Phil Mickelson on that occasion, as nobody else ever got close

Mar 10, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

PGA Tour Betting: Three against the field at the Puerto Rico Open

With the WGC event taking most people’s attention, PGA Tour betting expert Dan Geraghty looks for punting opportunities at the Puerto Rico Open “Manny Villegas was a wonderfully talented college golfer and is now starting his career on the Nationwide tour (where he has had two top 20 finishes from four attempts this year). Manny played in this event last year and made the cut on his first try on the PGA tour.” I am willing to forgive the Elephant Man’s poor performance (poor being the kindest word to describe that first round) last week at the Honda. Despite having no top 25s yet this season, it was only John Merrick ’s second missed cut and his second round 70 at least provided some damage limitation. This week’s course and opposition should be a much more appealing proposition for John, his form here reads well and offers real hope of a first win on tour.

Mar 10, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

The Punter’s picks for the WGC-CA Championship and the Puerto Rico Open

Our man swerves the favourites this week as he plumps for some big hitting, big priced selections at Doral “Alvaro Quiros made his debut here last year and took to the place like a duck to water before fading to finish 13th. He’s certainly prone to more than the odd bad hole and I was bitterly disappointed with his finish at the Dubai Desert Classic, but he deserves a bit more respect than the layers are showing and 60.0 is definitely too big.” It’s the second World Golf Championship event of the year this week, the CA Championship , staged at the TPC Blue Monster, Doral, Florida. This is the fourth staging at Doral – prior to that it was known as the American Express Championship and was a nomadic event, last staged at the Grove in Hertfordshire in 2006. There’s more than three years course form to peruse though as up to and including 2006, Doral played host to the Ford Championship. The Blue Monster hasn’t been a monster for years now and low scores are commonplace, despite recent course changes to try and toughen it up. Since Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma ravaged it back in 2005, taking out thousands of trees, although GIR (Greens In Regulations) is still an important stat, big hitters have enjoyed improved results, and I’ve focussed a lot of my attention on them this week. The sensible place to start is with defending champion, tournament favourite, and renowned tee-ball bomber, Phil Mickelson , who isn’t an awful price at around 11.0 . He’s had a slow start to 2010 but does seem to be improving with every tournament and it wouldn’t be a shock to see him contend, but I’m going to leave him for now as I feel there’s better value elsewhere

Mar 10, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

WGC – CA Championship Betting: Top European, Top US & Top 5 Finish markets

The second World Golf Championship is upon us already so we’ve asked “Mystical” Mike Norman to look into his crystal ball and predict which Europeans and Americans will go well this week. “You won’t find a more consistent golfer at 20.0 and above in this market; in fact, all of Henrik Stenson ( 17.0 ), Sergio Garcia ( 17.0 ) and Padraig Harrington ( 15.0 ) can be backed at a lower price than (Oliver) Wilson – which is incredible to believe on what each of those three have, or rather haven’t, achieved in stroke play events recently.” I have to confess to not being a massive fan of these World Golf Championship events, though if I do have a favourite then this week’s CA Championship at the TPC Blue Monster in Doral is most certainly it. My reason for liking this event above the World Matchplay (too much of a lottery), the Bridgestone Invitational (normally a one-man event) and the HSBC Champions (too late in the year) is because it’s played at a point in the season when every player should be close to his ‘A’ game . It’s also played on a course that doesn’t take kindly to wayward tee-shots, poor approach play, or average putting – which effectively means if you’re struggling to find form going into this event then you’ll almost certainly have a tough four days ahead of you. Betfair’s resident golf expert Paul Krishnamurty , and the in-form Steve ‘The Punter’ Rawlings will be giving their thoughts on who they think will win this week, so I’ve taken a look at some of the other markets on offer. Top European It’s hard to look beyond Paul Casey – available to back at 7.6 – as his game appears to be in great order at the moment

Mar 09, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

WGC-CA Championship Betting: Bank on two Florida residents to master Doral’s tricky greens

Home advantage and course experience count for much in Florida and Paul Krishnamurty has identified a pair of golfers he fancies to go well at Dorwal “Quite simply you can’t win this title without a stack of birdies and a hot putter, which places a heavy premium on the tricky task of being able to read Doral’s grainy, Bermuda greens. It took Phil Mickelson over a decade to master them, and many otherwise strong candidates never seem to get going here.” The venue for this week’s WGC-CA Championship has been hosting an annual PGA Tour fixture for nearly half a century, and the vast bank of form collected over that period offers some useful clues

Mar 09, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

The Punter’s De-Brief: The Malaysian Open and the Honda Classic

Thai youngster, Kiradech Aphibarnrat, backed at 170.0 , just fails to bag a bumper payout for our man but he’s still crying Yes with Noh! “Jaidee had conditions to suit, came into the event in top form, was given a favourable draw and got off to a great start.

Mar 08, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post
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