Tag: Lee Westwood

Playoff Poise Enough For PGA Tour Win

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The McGladrey Classic

Robert Streb became yet another surprise winner on the PGA Tour in the recently concluded McGladrey Classic.  Streb needed two extra holes to see off Brendon de Jonge and Will MacKenzie in a tight final day; Streb’s approach to four feet on the second playoff hole delivering him his first PGA Tour victory.

Much like Ben Martin’s debut win last week, Streb’s fast finishing final round 63 was the catalyst for a win that comes with a two year exemption on the PGA Tour and a likely invite to Augusta in April.  The win betters Streb’s previous best result of a runner-up finish at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans last season.  It also once again proves how difficult golf tipping can be; my predicted winner failed to make the cut for the second week in a row.

Of the others in last week’s field Brendon de Jonge had the best chance to overtake Streb’s clubhouse 14-under; de Jonge had four birdie putts inside 25 feet to take the lead but wasn’t able to capitalise.  Ken Duke also had his chances until settling in a share of fourth with Russell Henley, Kevin Kisner and 2013 McGladrey winner Chris Kirk.

Streb’s win comes after making a double bogey on his first hole of the tournament, proving even the pro’s get the first tee woes.

CIMB Classic

Globetrotting golfers now travel to Malaysia to participate in the CIMB Classic; the PGA Tour’s fourth event of the wrap-around schedule.  Hosting the event is the Kuala Lumpur G&CC (West), home of the European Tour’s Malaysian Open in 2006 for the past five years.  The CIMB Classic sees a further 500 FedEx Cup points on offer to anyone that can withstand the heat (genuine atmospheric heat and leaderboard pressure heat).  The field features a return to top golf for Sergio Garcia.  He tends to travel very well and plays a lot of his best golf outside of America; whack him down as a favourite.  Billy Horschel will give it a nudge; a slimmer Jason Dufner will look to soak it up; and similarly shaped Patrick Reed will be a force too.

Interestingly, Guan Tianlang is making his seventh PGA TOUR start this week.  You may remember Guan as the 14 year old who made the at the Masters at age 14.

Top Predictions

Gary Woodland – $21 – bet365

Sergio Garcia – $10 – Sportsbet

Patrick Reed – $26 Ladbrokes

Lee Westwood – $17 – Tom Waterhouse

Charl Schwartzel – $17 – Unibet

Winner

I’ll play it safe and choose the best player in the field;  Sergio to win.

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

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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

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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.

 

The Open Championship 2013 Update

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

With two rounds almost complete, many of the big names have already fallen by the wayside. There has been some shocking golf from the likes of McIlroy and Donald and the bookies are battening down the hatches for a Tiger Woods gamble this weekend.

Two steady rounds have left him only a couple of shots off the lead and his price has been slashed to 3-1. Lee Westwood put in a fine second round performance and is now a best priced 7-1. They will be the two names that the bookmakers will be hoping to get beaten this weekend.

Of the rum crew that I selected at the start of the tournament, only Ian Poulter and Jordan Spieth hold any lingering hopes of getting involved at the business end of the tournament. Neither are currently in pole position to claim top spot from England or the States in their respective markets but a good round on Saturday could give them a squeak.

The third round is the last chance for those on the edge of affairs to put themselves in with a chance of lifting the claret jug on Sunday evening and I expect there to be some strong forward moves. If you’ve got a decent bet on one of the early leaders you will probably be wanting to sit tight but I sometimes like to top up my bets at this stage of the tournament. At least it prolongs the interest in the tournament a little longer!

Adam Scott is on the periphery at the moment at +1 so I think he is good value to creep into contention tomorrow at 22-1. I did wonder if the shine might have gone off his game since his epic Masters victory but he seems to be back in the zone. He has played steadily so far and he only need shoot something like a 69 or a 68 tomorrow to be right in the thick of it.

My second selection is Charl Shwartzel who is on the same score after shooting 68 today. My first glimpse of him yesterday was seeing him smash his club but I take it things have picked up since then! He has a confident air about him and his confidence will be up after today’s exploits. He is currently 31-1 on Betfair.

My third new recruit is American Ryan Moore (not to be confused with the jockey of the same name!). I have been following his progress on the PGA Tour and almost included him in my bet on the top American this week. He is nicely placed at –1 and only needs to keep chipping away to be near the top on Sunday night. The bookies evidently don’t think he will last as he’s still available at 59-1.

It’s getting far too hot outside to do anything so a couple of hours watching the golf doesn’t sound so bad, particularly if we can finish up with a winner!

Adam Scott 22-1 Coral
Charl Shwartzel 31-1 Betfair
Ryan Moore 59-1 32Red