Tag: Golf

Ben Martin Shrines on PGA Tour

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

If you’re lucky, one of the takeaways from a trip to Las Vegas is a massive wad of cash (the unlucky, is undoubtedly an invoice from a night of what you thought was reciprocal passion).  Ben Martin understands the financial beauty of Vegas now, as the winner of the PGA Tour’s Shriners Hospital Open last weekend he walked away with $1,116,000 (USD).  The jackpot also came with 500 FedEx Cup points, which skyrockets Martin up to 1st equal in the FedEx Cup standings.

The win capped off a remarkable turnaround for unheralded Martin.  During a run in April Martin missed seven of eight cuts.  In the 2014/14 PGA Tour opener he was the second worst player in the field.  Even at the Shriners he was scrambling poorly (only got up and down 4-of-13 times), and in the final round was struggling with the putter (until 16 he had only made one putt over 3 feet – he then bombed an eagle and closed 18 with a 19 footer).

Of note:

– Rookie Tony Finau played well again.  The huge hitter is right at home on the PGA Tour.  T12 at the Frys.com and T7 at the Shriners.

– Two time leukemia battler Jarrod Lyle used a sponsors exemption nicely to again make a cut.  He finished T42 and now heads to Australia to compete in the popular Triple Crown (including Rory McIlroy defending his Australian Open title).

– Wes Roach birdied 8 of his first 9 holes on Thursday at the Shriners.  The run didn’t last though; he made just 10 more over the rest of the week to also finish T42.

The McGladrey Classic

The move to Georgia this week is not to Augusta unfortunately.  However, the Sea Island Golf Club near Brunswick is still a beautiful PGA Tour venue.  The Seaside course is a picturesque oceanside layout featuring creeks, dunes and marshland.  Notwithstanding, the strong filed (of which 87 are making their third starts of the season), the test for the players will be in the difficulty in pulling away from the filed under the stigma of the McGladrey title.  In the four PGA Tour McGladery tournaments all of them have been decided by one shot or less; a playoff here looks a distinct possibility.

A local winner is also strong possibility; the field features locals Chris Kirk, Matt Kuchar, Zach Johnson.

Top Picks

Chris Kirk – $17 – Unibet

Russell Knox – $34 – Tom Waterhouse (E/W)

Webb Simpson – $13 – Unibet

Zach Johnson – $26 – Centrebet (E/W)

Scott Brown – $34 – Luxbet

If anything Ben Martin’s stats from the Shriners prove just how difficult it is pick a winner on the PGA Tour.  But this week lets go with Russell Knox.  He makes the cuts at the Seaside course; led the field last week in Par 4’s and finished solo 3rd.

Bae-Leaves Field In His Wake On Route To PGA Tour Win

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

To begin with some personal gloating, I predicted Sang-Moon Bae’s Frys.com win in my preview article last week.

The kid didn’t disappoint.  His efforts on Thursday and Saturday secured a huge lead heading into Sunday which he never relinquished despite closing out the tournament with a one over 73.  The disappointing 73 meant he became the first player to win a PGA Tour event with a final round over par since Ben Crane at the St. Jude Classic in June.  I doubt he will care though.

The fact is no one got within two of him on the final day.  Coasting in to victory and 500 FedEx Cup points was somewhat surprising for the South Korean 28-year-old given his relatively weak putting performance.  Bae ranked 44th in strokes gained putting for the week and took 31 putts in the final round; proving that some exemplary ball striking and scrambling can deliver wins.

Bae held off challenges from Steven Bowditch and several Ryder Cup notables in the field.  Hunter Mahan had the best finish (T3), while Lee Westwood finished T12, Matt Kuchar (T21) and Jimmy Walker a disappointing 63rd.  Bowditch’s second place was especially surprising, not because of his ability, but due to his wayward swinging that saw him T67 in fairways hit and T71 in greens in regulation.

There were some shakes.  Bae made bogeys at 11,13, and 14 during his final nine.  However he already looks mentally tougher than he has in devious years, and closed it out with four straight pars.

Some big names also jumped in on the first page of the leaderboard.  Joining Mahan in a tie for third was Retief Goosen, Hideki Matsuyama, Martin Laird and Bryce Molder.

Bae’s at it again this week in the PGA Tour’s next start.  More on that below

Shriners Hospitals for Children Open

The PGA Tour now moves to TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas.  The course is described as a 7,255 yard par 71 roaming through canyons and arroyos of the Nevada desert.  It’s well known for Tiger Woods’ first professional victory in 2006 , and it’s affiliations with pop superstar Justin Timberlake.

The most interesting stretch of holes should be from 15th home.  A drivable par four, is followed by another birdie chance at the par 5 16th, then comes the water logged 17th and the tight closing triumph.  That said, rounds in the 70s won’t win here.

No major changes to the field this week.  Although Billy Horschel makes his first appearance post FedEx Cup, loads of money, and a new baby.  There will be plenty of punter interest in his ability to reprise his feats of September.  Webb Simpson lines up again after his win here last year; so too does Martin Laird a winner here in 2009 and coming off the back of a tied third effort last week.

Top Picks

Billy Horschel – $16 – Unibet

Hideki Matsuyama – $21 – Betvictor

Webb Simpson – $29 – Sportsbet

Steven Bowditch – $101 – Luxbet

Tony Finau – $67 – Topbetta

Sang-Moon Bae – $56 – Bet365

Winner

Not mentioned above but I’m going for Cameron Tringale ($45).  Solid last week.  3 made cuts out of 4 at TPC Summerlin with a T11 in his first appearance in 2010.

Frys.com Preview – PGA Tour

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

No sooner has the bunker dust from the FedEx Cup Playoffs and Ryder Cup settled, than the first tournament of the new PGA Tour season is thrust upon us.   The Frys.com open is held in the Napa Valley, California. The field features an interesting mix of seasoned Americans and Web.com Tour graduates all looking to make a fast start in the FedEx Cup.

While the field is not the strongest, there will be plenty of interest in how the Rookies get on. It’s also worth checking to see if anyone can make a Jimmy Walker-esque start to the season.   Notables in the field include Ryder Cup players Lee Westwood, Jimmy Walker, Matt Kuchar, Hunter Mahan; champion cancer survivor Jarrod Lyle; and youngsters Chesson Hadley, and Carlos Ortiz.

It’s not fair to suggest the field is weak. That simply does not happen on the PGA Tour. However, all things considered, this a great opportunity for players to grab some cheap points (500 on offer for the winner).

This week’s Frys.com tournament is being held at the Silverado Resort, unused on the PGA TOUR since 1980. The par-72 North Course will play 7,203 yards; it is a favourite of commentator Johnny Miller. Not only did he win two titles here, he also helped redesign it.

Players have the winning score somewhere between 10 and 12 under. Lee Westwood saying “there’s a decent bit of rough and the greens are very quick and severe in places. … I think it’s a difficult test.”

Top Picks

Picking a winner on the PGA Tour is never easy. Here’s a look at some of the players who I expect to be there or thereabouts come Sunday.

Hideki Matsuyama – $21 – Unibet

Cameron Tringale – $26 – Unibet

Brooks Koepka – $15 – Totesport

Matt Kuchar – $17 – Sportsbet

Sang-Moon Bae – $26 – Bet365

If I had to stick my neck out and pick a Frys.com winner, I would go for Sang-Moon Bae. Good odds; had a win in 2013, and six top 25’s last year.

 

Ryder Cup Preview and Predictions

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Ryder Cup Preview

With no Tour golf to focus on the golfing World shifts its attention to the three day masterpiece that is The Ryder Cup.  The 2014 addition will be held at Gleneagles in Scotland, with many pundits asking whether the Americans can win their first Ryder Cup since 2008.  The answer to that question is, much like the result of the recent Scottish referendum on independence, likely to be ‘no’.

The Americans simply do not play good team golf. Phil Mickelson is an exceptional golfer but his Ryder Cup record is a poor 14 wins from 38 matches. Tiger’s record is similarly average – he’s won 13 of 33.  On the other hand the Europeans thrive in the pressure cooker.  Ian Poulter is the perfect example of passion.  His Ryder Cup record is impeccable – never having lost a point a singles match (12 wins and three losses in total).

Let’s look at both of The Ryder Cup teams:

Team USA

Captained by Tom Watson the team features a nice mix of Ryder Cup veterans (Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Zach Johnson) and up and coming youngsters.  The youngsters in this group who have featured prominently in majors and tour golf this year may well provide the impetus the dour Americans desperately need.  Keegan Bradley, Webb Simpson, Patrick Reed and Jordan Spieth, and Rickie Fowler are all under 30 and should have the requisite enthusiasm based on their solid years and the fact that most of them have played recent golf in the FedEx Cup playoffs.

The one positive of the US side is that without home advantage viewers won’t have to put up with the aggressive chants of USA after every shot.

Team Europe

Paul McGinley leads a European team that is littered with top 20 golfers.  Rory McIlroy who is rightly the first player mentioned when it comes to discussing the European team is joined by Garcia, Stenson, Rose and Kaymer.  All of whom have played some exceptional golf at times this year.  Add to the mix Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, and Rookie of the year nominee Victor Dubuisson and the European team will again be hard to topple.

On paper the Europeans look to have the advantage.  They ooze confidence and have historically found a way to use the home advantage and momentum to their benefit.

Predictions

Bet365 are offering a number of options on this weeks play.  Here’s where I would be focusing my attention.

Top Debutant – Debutants don’t always see a lot of action and Jordan Spieth is attracting the bulk of the money, but I wouldn’t look past Victor Dubuisson (9/2).  Three top 10s in the Match Play Championship, The Open and The PGA highlights his incredible season.

Top Combined Points Scorer – Picking one player from 24 when they’re effectively the best players in the World this year is no easy feat. Poulter’s record is incredible.  Rory is in fine form and has been driving the ball beautifully.  Furyk and Kuchar are incredibly solid and would make highly sought after teammates. Interesting I’m picking Sergio (8/1).  Although short odds, Sergio’s team record is strong he just plays singles poorly.  I’m backing him to turn it around.

Correct Points Score – Like predicting how many women Shane Warne has bedded, but lets’ try Europe to win the Ryder Cup 15-13 (15/2).

The Tour Championship and PGA Tour Review

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The culmination to the PGA Tour season is always a confusing affair. With all the talk about bubbles and projected standings it can get a little tricky working out whether your favourite player has the opportunity to win the coveted FedEx Cup, not to mention if they’ll even make it through to the next event.

Luckily, with Billy Horschel’s win in the season ending Tour Championship we don’t need to worry anymore. Instead we can look forward to the passion and prestige of the Ryder Cup, set to begin at Gleneagles on the 23rd of September.

But before we start predicting whether the USA can prevent a Europe three peat, let’s take a look at the Tour Championship and review the 2013-14 PGA Tour season. 

The Tour Championship 

Held at Eastlake in Georgia the final event of the season is played by only the top 30 players in the FedEx Cup standings and comes with an excellent purse of $8 million. (The FedEx Cup too comes with a $10 million bonus.)

The Eastlake course was the home of the legendary golfer Bobby Jones, and while none of the current field have reached his lofty heights (seven majors), two players playing pretty great golf of late were locked in a gripping final round battle.

Coming in to the final event at number 2 and number 4 in the FedEx Cup standings, Billy Horschel and Rory McIlroy could both get their hands on the FedEx Cup with a win. Paired together for the final day the two were expected to buck the trend of 4th round conservatism. However, with only Jim Furyk (and he hasn’t had a win since 2010) offering any real challenge the two could play match play of sorts – winner takes all. Rory’s challenged was effectively over on the sixth when he found water and when Horschel signed for a 12th consecutive round in the 60’s the double was his.

It was, on reflection, a wonderful achievement from a guy who started the playoffs in 69th position and before today was best known for being a bit of a hot head. Today’s win makes him a good pick for next year’s events and a sleeper for the majors.

The PGA Tour Season

It’s admittedly hard to think back to October 2013 when the season started, not because of too many gold rum and cokes, simply because of the sheer number of tournaments and the musical chair winner’s circle that the PGA Tour entails. Having said that there were some players and some moments that stood out.

Jimmy Walker dominated the early stages thanks to thee wins (at the Frys.com Open, the Sony Open, and the AT&T at Pebble Beach) and sat in pole position for the post-season events. Bubba Watson won twice including his second Masters title. Lots of Aussies enjoyed wins (Adam Scott, John Senden, Matt Jones, Jason Day, Steven Bowditch, Geoff Ogilvy, and as a nation they won the World Cup of Golf). Tiger spent most of season on the operating title, and Rory dominated every golf story in the latter part of the season, both for his golf and for the abrupt halt to his engagement.

Outside of the golf, Dustin Johnson had his ‘issues’. Adam Scott got married in secret and broke the hearts of a host of female fans. McIlroy’s dad, Gerry, got in on the action too by netting a huge payout from a ten-year-old bet, predicting his son would win an Open Championship.

Looking ahead to 2014-15 here are a few predictions:

  • Tiger won’t win a major. Rickie Fowler will.
  • Anthony Kim (remember him) will return to the game. But will be terrible.
  • More pros will throw away their anchored putters in preparation for the 2016 ban.

US PGA Championship Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The US PGA Championship is not only the last major of the season; it is also last in terms of importance. A major is a major and that’s not to decry any golfer who has won it in the past. I’m sure that Lee Westwood or Luke Donald would happily put their name to it right now! The Masters has its own special brand of golf on the manicured greens with the flowery backdrop, the British Open is the oldest and best and the Americans are entitled to their own US Open…but the PGA?

If I were to ask anyone but a complete golfing anorak who won the PGA in 2002 and 2009 I very much doubt many of you would know? The answers are Rich Beem and YE Yang. Enough said.

Of course, such scepticism carries little weight with the bookmakers who have all the usual suspects priced up at the top of the market. Tiger Woods is entrenched in his role as automatic favourite and is even shorter after strolling around Firestone at the weekend. Phil Mickelson is second favourite after scooping the Scottish and British Opens on a profitable little stopover in the UK. By the way, his tax bill was a cool £900,000 for that weekend alone!

I have already previewed the event in some depth at golfbettingtip.com and have selected five against the field. With the bookies paying ¼ the odds down to sixth place and Woods very short at 4-1 there could still be some each-way value in the long shots.

The last winner at this year’s venue of Oak Hill was Shaun Micheel in 2003. He was 169th in the rankings at the time. That victory elevated him into the top 50 but where is he ten years on? Well, think of a number and double it…337! With that in mind, I’m going to have a bit of fun with some long shots and hope that one of them can sneak into the frame.

First up is last year’ Open champion Ernie Els. He didn’t do too badly defending his title but 26th place never really raised any hopes of victory. The reason he is worth a flutter here is that he finished 5th at Oak Hill in 2003 so he knows better than most what to expect this week. He is surely overpriced at 90-1.

My second choice is AT & T winner Bill Haas. He played well at Firestone last week to finish tied for seventh place. His form is slightly erratic with a mixture of top ten finishes and missed cuts but it wouldn’t be the biggest surprise to see his name on the leaderboard at some stage.

My third selection is less of a long shot having put together a sequence of tied 2nd, tied 6th (Open) and tied 4th. Zach Johnson had his moments at Muirfield and is clearly in fine form. He is playing like one of the top six golfers in the world and 55-1 is surely on the generous side.

Finally, Australian Jason Day has yet to win this year but has hauled in $2.7million! Nice work if you can get it! At the Masters he was trying some kind of weird brain gadget but I’m not sure what his state of mind is at the moment. If he’s tuned it into the most valuable tournaments of the year he’s not doing a bad job.

Ernie Els 90-1 Paddy Power, 112-1 Betfair
Bill Haas 66-1 Paddy Power
Zach Johnson 55-1 Youwin
Jason Day 50-1 Paddy Power, 55-1 Betfair