Though my accounts Sunday night did not reflect it, last week showed a marked improvement in my picks.
5 out of 6 in the top 20 3 out of 5 in the top 10 Sadly only 1 in a tied for 5th So another week in the red.
Volvo China Open
I doubt there will be a more difficult tournament to predict this season, with no course form and a mix of European and Asian Tour Players, with a few big names from the PGA Tour.
The new course brings a level playing field and Stenson, Poulter and Dufner must fancy their chances, but the bookies have ensured there's no value.
Rightly or wrongly, I decided that the shorter hitters will not be at a disadvantage this week, so went for players with a mixture of recent form, regional form and players who's game is built on ball striking as opposed to power.
Pablo Larrzabal - 28/1, Already a winner on tour this season and a strong finishing tied 8th last week.
Richie Ramsey - 55/1, One of the shorter hitters on tour. Missed the cut last week, but was tied 2nd in Spain the time before that. If his lack of length off the tee isn't a hindrance this week, he could go very well.
Jbe Kruger - 80/1, Plays a lot of his golf in Asia so will be comfortable with conditions. His record on the European Tour was poor in 2013, but this season his results are improving significantly. Tied 13th last week.
Zurich Classic
Looking at the results over the yeasr, it sort of looks to me as if players who play well at the Masters also score well here. Perhaps both courses suit the same ball flight?
There's not that many 'Masters' players in the field, but based on that theory I suppose Rickie Fowler would be the stand out pick, but at 16/1 I've reluctantly swerved him.
Instead I've gone for:
Ryan Palmer - 28/1, has a 10th place finish at the Masters on his cv, good course form here and very good form in 2014.
Russel Knox - 40/1, decent form here, tied 9th last week, Knox is Knoxing at the door for his first win on tour.
Bo Van Pelt - 110/1, had a couple of very good finishes at The Masters, also played well here, shown glimpses of form in recent weeks, maybe the conditions this week will get Bo back on the leaderboard this week.
One further comment....
Read the form and 'expert' picks and it would be difficult to ignore the merits of a Canadian golfer winning this week, especially if you are of weak will and mind, when it comes to these sort of things.
Tried betting without posting on here last week, just to see if my luck changed. Just the one bet was all I had.... Donald ew 20/1..... So my luck didn't change at all. Infact it got worse!!! Serial choker Kuchar managing to hole out fom the bunker.....
Oh well.... Picked two from each event this week. Decided that there's a possibility the favs may outclass their fields, and backed Stenson and Rose win only singles, and in an ew double. Also on Ross Fisher in China, and Nicholas Thompson in The Zurich Classic, both ew singles.
Edit:- after 9 holes took added Hoey in China @ 20/1 in running
Bit late putting my bets in this week. Not really got any that stand out for me this week which is never a good sign. So what I've done is decided to spend money on it anyway. Volvo China - Looks like a mixed course but with quite a few long par 4's, so considering there is no course history I've gone with the bombers with a big hitting outsider... Nicholas Colsaerts - 20/1 Alvaro Quiros - 50/1 Alexander Levy - 125/1 Zurich Classic - A course that's used year after year, which makes you think there should be some players with good course history. I had a look through and there is very little consistency. I decided Webb Simpson would be the best bet with course history and recent form. Then found out he wasn't playing, so decided not to bet on him in the end. Ryan Palmer 28/1 Nicholas Thompson - 80/1 Posted by FlashFlush
Can't ask for much more from day 1 in China. Colsaerts was a major disappointment for many, but it's looking good for the other 2! Levy was tied with Quiros until bogeying his 17th hole, and unfortunately the tour have stopped play with the last group (Levy's group) still going up the last! I'm sure they were consulted and if it was possible they would of carried on as it seems a crazy time to stop play. Considering it's a par 5, he could easily birdie that and effectively be T1 with Quiros going into tomorrow!
I was happy enough with Ramsay in 5th, even hopeful with Larrazabal and Kruger in 20th, but with Levy and Quiros, you are sitting there with Pocket Aces at the moment!
Wells Fargo - One of those tournaments that has been played at the same course for years. Quail Hollow has a lot of history, and I think course history is just as important as current form this week.
Jonas Blixt - 50/1 - Although he missed the cut here last year, he did have a T9 the year before, and if he carrys on his form from Augusta then 50/1 could be a steal.
Bo Van Pelt - 100/1 - Been around the block a few times, his results have been improving the last couple of weeks and with a T6 here last year I can't see why he is 100/1.
Robert Karlsson - 125/1 - Not actually got his card this year, I think he may have come back to the European tour. He has only played 3 events this year on the PGA tour, and although they were all weak fields, he has finished T10, T6 and T14. He also finished T4 here last year which was his best result all season by a country mile. Put that together with the fact he will be trying to win his card back and the Swede will be trying his heart out this week. In terms of the European tour, he already has a T8 and T11 this season.
Comments
5 out of 6 in the top 20
3 out of 5 in the top 10
Sadly only 1 in a tied for 5th
So another week in the red.
Volvo China Open
I doubt there will be a more difficult tournament to predict this season, with no course form and a mix of European and Asian Tour Players, with a few big names from the PGA Tour.
The new course brings a level playing field and Stenson, Poulter and Dufner must fancy their chances, but the bookies have ensured there's no value.
Rightly or wrongly, I decided that the shorter hitters will not be at a disadvantage this week, so went for players with a mixture of recent form, regional form and players who's game is built on ball striking as opposed to power.
Pablo Larrzabal - 28/1, Already a winner on tour this season and a strong finishing tied 8th last week.
Richie Ramsey - 55/1, One of the shorter hitters on tour. Missed the cut last week, but was tied 2nd in Spain the time before that. If his lack of length off the tee isn't a hindrance this week, he could go very well.
Jbe Kruger - 80/1, Plays a lot of his golf in Asia so will be comfortable with conditions. His record on the European Tour was poor in 2013, but this season his results are improving significantly. Tied 13th last week.
Zurich Classic
Looking at the results over the yeasr, it sort of looks to me as if players who play well at the Masters also score well here. Perhaps both courses suit the same ball flight?
There's not that many 'Masters' players in the field, but based on that theory I suppose Rickie Fowler would be the stand out pick, but at 16/1 I've reluctantly swerved him.
Instead I've gone for:
Ryan Palmer - 28/1, has a 10th place finish at the Masters on his cv, good course form here and very good form in 2014.
Russel Knox - 40/1, decent form here, tied 9th last week, Knox is Knoxing at the door for his first win on tour.
Bo Van Pelt - 110/1, had a couple of very good finishes at The Masters, also played well here, shown glimpses of form in recent weeks, maybe the conditions this week will get Bo back on the leaderboard this week.
One further comment....
Read the form and 'expert' picks and it would be difficult to ignore the merits of a Canadian golfer winning this week, especially if you are of weak will and mind, when it comes to these sort of things.
I was happy enough with Ramsay in 5th, even hopeful with Larrazabal and Kruger in 20th, but with Levy and Quiros, you are sitting there with Pocket Aces at the moment!
Schoolboy error Flash, schoolboy error!
If he finishes off his good work, I'm you'll console yourself with the £'s from a 125/1 winner.
didn't even know the guy existed let only back him.
Well Done Flash.
Very nice win indeed.