Golf
Singapore Open.
Another week in the sauna like conditions in the Far East for the European Tour. The local players, or those with experience of the conditions and grainy greens have done well in recent weeks, but in the past the ‘regular’ Europeans have done well on this course. The course is very tight, lots of water hazards and deep rough. It rewards accuracy and good iron players can thrive.
Nick Dougherty is defending champion and his game and form suggests he can go close again but top price of 16/1 is hardly great value. Niclus Fasth is another with the game to well but he has very little experience of playing in this part of the world (only one event played in the Far East, missed cut).
It might be worth having a couple small e/w bets on lesser known names that could have a good run at bigger odds.
0.5 point e/w Graeme Storm @ 66/1 with BetFred, Totesport, VCBet, Centrebet
lost 1 point
Two top 8 finishes in his last 4 events (Qatar and last week in Malaysia). Regarded as a very fine iron player he was t33rd here last year after a poor opening round. His last 2 Far East events have seen him finish 14th and 8th, so he can handle the conditions. Needs a good week with the putter, but this is the kind of course that suits his game.
0.5 points e/w Jose Manuel Lara @ 50/1 generally available.
lost 1 point
Lara is at home in the hot conditions and his form in Asia is good (last 2 events 9th and 18th). His putting looks improved on last season and he is also accurate from tee to green. Twice a runner up in 2005 he looks like a player who will win this season and this tight course should suit his game.
5 points Anders Hansen to beat Charl Schwartzel @ 10/11 Ladbrokes, VCBet
won 4.54 points
Both players are in good form but it is always worth taking on Schwartzel outside his native South Africa. The Sunshine Tour is not very strong and this co-sanctioned European/Asian event is a step up in case from the events he has being playing well in back home. Unlike South African wine, Charl does not travel well, particularly in Asia where he has only once finished higher than 29th in 8 starts. He is a big hitter but lacks accuracy and this course is not one that will reward his game.
Anders Hansen has finished 9th and 4th in his last two tournaments and has plenty of solid Asian tour form including 23rd and 21st here in the last 2 seasons. He is very straight of the tee and is a much more accurate iron player than Schwartzel.
Honda Classic.
2 points e/w Camilo Villegas @ 40/1 Ladbrokes, VCbet, Betdirect
lost 4 points
This looks a huge price to me. Villegas is a young man in great form, a runner up twice in his last 4 events. This event is not nearly as strong as last weeks Ford Championship, where he came so close to winning, just that Tiger Woods bloke ahead of him. He is young, very confident and will win golf tournaments, probably lots of golf tournaments. His stats are impressive, he averages over 305 yards off the tee which will be useful on this 7468 monster. He hits nearly 70% of greens in regulation, which is very useful as the key to success on this course is about getting the ball unto the elevated greens. He showed last weekend that Bermuda grass greens are to his liking as he was ranked 2nd for putts per GIR. All things considered he looks well equipped to make a serious challenge for his debut win. An early tee time in Rd1 would have been a bonus as the breeze will be stronger on Thursday afternoon, but it is not going to be blowing a gale.
[end.htm]