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Golf  - Johnnie Walker Classic.

It’s back to India again, this time to the DLF Golf and Country Club near Delhi. This course is very different from the short, tight traditional course that played host to the Indian Masters three weeks ago. The DLF is the usual American style course, designed by Arnold Palmer, featuring lots of water hazards, big bunkers and big rolling, fast greens. The course is just five minutes drive from Jyoti Randhawa’s home and no one knows the course better than him. Interestingly Randhawa says that this event will come down to a putting competition which suggests that players that can give it a big rip off the tees, find the greens in regulation and then sink a lot of putts will thrive. Quite different from what was required for the Indian Masters.

The field is pretty strong despite the absence of any notable American players and there are plenty of ‘big names’ that dominate the betting. Adam Scott is favourite and anyone who saw his final round 61 in Qatar will understand why, it was simply one of the best rounds of golf I have ever seen. However, Scott is no Tiger Woods and cannot perform like that week in week out. He should be a thereabouts come Sunday, but at 7/1 he represents little value.

This event has been run since 1992 and despite usually being held in Asian, it has been dominated by players from the European or US tours while the locals have never really featured. Perhaps this year will be different as the standard of the Asian Tour players is improving all the time.

1 point e/w Jyoti Randhawa @ 22/1 with Corals.
Perhaps not a great price but the fact that Randhawa is attached to the course and will have the luxury of sleeping in his own bed at night makes him a must pick. His current form is good, runner up in India last week along with two other top 7 finishes in the last five weeks. His game is solid in all departments, reasonably long off the tee, accurate into the greens and good putter. His course experience should give him confidence and hopefully he will not freeze like he did in the Indian Masters after a super opening round of 65. Perhaps he just got ahead of himself and put too much pressure on his game as he tried to win on home soil. The fact that fellow Indian S.S.P. Chowrasia went on to win will hopefully inspire him and take away some of the focus of attention.

Lost 2 points (2nd to T8 in final round - bottler?)

1 point e/w Johan Edfors @ 66/1 with Corals.
A three time European Tour winner in 2006 he struggled a bit in 2007 but looks like he returning to kind of form that took him to those wins. He likes this type of course that gives him some room and reward his length off the tees. He is a decent putter and his 4^th place in Qatar is an encouraging sign that he is ready to win again and the odds are more than fair.

won 4.5 points (T5th - 3 putted last two greens)

0.5 points e/w Prom Meesawat @ 66/1 with Corals.
Corals are getting all the business this week! Meesawat appeals on the grounds that he is in good form (five top 8 finishes in his last eight events), is ranked number1 on the Asian Tour putting stats, hits a lot of greens in regulation and he isn’t afraid to attack the pins. He can be a bit wild off the tee but this course should allow a bit of room for error and if he gets going on the greens he can shoot some very low rounds.

lost 1 point

Adding:

4 points Simon Dyson to beat Miguel Angel Jimenez @ 1.90 with Unibet
Neither player is in great form but Dyson is 3-0 up on 2008 form and in his only two events in India has finished 2nd and 4th. Dyson has beaten Jimenez by a total of 15 shots in the first three events in 2008 and with his greater experience of playing in Asia he is favoured to finish ahead of the Spaniard again.

lost 4 points

2 points Thomas Levet to beat Raphael Jacquelin @ 2.20 with Unibet.
I fancy Levet to have a good season in 2008 now he is fit again. He is 2-1 up on the 2008 season and while Jacquelin was 4th in the Indian Masters, this is totally different course set up and there is a bit of value on Levet's price.

lost 2 points

Honda Classic.

0.5 points e/w Dustin Johnson @ 100/1 with Ladbrokes.
A rare bet on the US tour, but this young guy looks a big price in an event that looks very open. In only his second year as professional Johnson has got off to a flying start making all five cuts and posting three top 12 finishes. His game is based on huge distance off the tee but unlike so many of the young generation of bombers, he can putt as well. His GIR stats are reasonable and so long as he doesn't get in too much trouble off the tee, he looks likely to score a lot of birdies and could go close.

lost 1 point.