From the European Masters in the Swiss Alps to the Deutche Bank in Boston

Omega European Masters at Crans-sur-Sierre

This week the European Tour visits the very picturesque setting of Crans-sur-Sierre at the top (not the very top) of the Swiss Alps. The views are ri-dic-ulous, from a man that hails from the North Antrim coast of Ireland and appreciates scenary, it’s unbelievable. With the high altitude they will be handing out oxygen masks to Monty et al (I kid). Along with the scenary, this tourney probably provides one of the more relaxed atmospheres of the year. Bjorn summed it up in his pre-tourney presser – "It comes at a great time where it's been a long season and you go to Switzerland and there's good food and good fun and you maybe don't work as hard as you do normally.

The setting this week.

I haven’t actually had a bet on the European Tour in sometime, well my own picks anyway. If I don’t post a blog, I don’t actually do a bet! Trying to fit in research for two tourneys has proved difficult this summer so I’ve just stuck with the Stateside golf as I’m guarenteed to watch it in the evenings. On the rare (ok maybe not so rare) occasion my palms are itching for a golf bet and I haven’t time to preview I usually have a peak at Sporting Life, or in particular Ben Coley’s selections. I really can’t stand it when people write up on Twitter that they ‘tip’ so and so this week, with absolutely no write up or in fact reason for picking them. That’s not the case with Ben or Sporting Life, their articles are always very interesting with plenty of stats. Last week I rushed a post for the Barclay’s where I backed Sergio, Poults and Bubba. Garcia finished 3^rd when well beaten in the end by a very good Nick Watney, thou thankfully the place money covered the bets. But if I hadn’t of rushed I might of followed Ben who had both Lawrie (33/1) at Gleneagles and Watney (92/1, on the exchanges) at the Barclays, there’s a lesson to be learned here….

Anyways, back to the Crans-sur-Sierre which hasn’t got any less attractive in the past 10 minutes. First up this week is Jamie Donaldson. I watched Donaldson get his maiden (very overdue) victory at Royal Portrush and like most felt this would set him on his way to a decent season. He finished a creditable 7^th in the USPGA before staying on and played the Wydham Championship where he made the cut but never challenged the leaders. Tourney wise, he’s had a mixed bag here, the positives being, 3^rd last year, together with three other Top 25’s, the negatives being the four missed cuts! I think he’s definitely a new character since his win and can build on the 3^rd place finish from last year.

Jamie Donaldson

Next up is the defending champ, Thomas Bjorn. To be honest I hate putting my ‘hard earned’ on a defending champion unless it’s one of the prolific winners, i.e. Tiger, just because of the media responsibilities etc, it’s a long week. Well Tommy has had 13 European Tour victories, so I suppose he knows the craic by now. On top of playing I would of thought he will start his Vice Captain duties as well this week, with Ole being in attendance I’m sure there’s a lot to discuss! But that being said he's here for the W, he really seems to like it here. In an interview already this week, he was reminiscing of last year - "I hadn't had the belief on the golf course and I needed last year. I needed to trust and believe that when it gets tough, I can stand up and hit the golf shots that matter. And I did that at Crans." Good vibes if you ask me! He’s had a solid year without getting a win, he notched up his sixth Top 10 last week at Gleneagles. I’m happy to have an each way punt on him successfully defending.

Just as a ‘saver’ bet on the European Masters I’ve decided to have a few quid on Colin Montgomerie to have a Top 20 finish. I couldn’t bring myself to back him in the ‘Outright’ market at 150/1. But a Top 20 finish is achievable for a previous winner who is just off the back of 6^th place finish at Gleneagles last week.

My selections are:

Jamie Donaldson 30/1 each way with Bet Victor

Thomas Bjorn 25/1 with each way Paddy Power

Colin Montgomerie 5/1 Top 20 finish with Paddy Power

The Deutche Bank Championship at TPC Boston

It’s Labor Day weekend in the US, or for you that can spell, it’s Labour Day weekend in the US. Due to the holiday it’s that time of year again when our PGA Tour action starts on Friday, for Sky Sports viewers Bruce and the boys will still probably start spouting their c*ap on Thursday anyways! TPC Boston hosts this week.

TPC Boston

With the US Captains picks not been finalised yet there’s going to be a few here trying to get the attention of Davis Love 1+1+1=3 (rd). Watney threw his hat into the ring last week with his victory at the Barclay’s when Sergio left the course to read my blog and subsequently went backwards in the back 9. I kid, I kid! All jokes aside with another Top 3 finish I think Watney could earn a late call up.

First up this week is Jason Day. Like others Day needs a good finish to advance to the next round of the Fed Ex Cup at Crooked Stick (BMW Championship). Some people around the ‘bubble’ will be thinking Top 20 would be enough but I think Day will be thinking he can get the W here. He’s sure to be a popular choice with punters this week, third here last year,T-2 in 2010 and his closing 66 at the Barclays last Sunday. This year has been a disappointing one with a few missed cuts, a couple of injuries and not much else. He obviously enjoys it here, a little momentum from last Sunday coupled with good memories and he should more than cement his place at the BMW Championship.

Jason Day

My second pick is Rory McIlroy. Rors had his little hangover last week from Kiawah and I think he’ll be back on form this week. Winning the Fed Ex Cup would top off an already successful year and I think with the course (tends to produce birdies) Rors could do a Congressional/Kiawah and run away from the field if given the opportunity, he’s 2^nd in both birdie average and scoring average this year on the PGA Tour. He had a really poor mid season after a great start and he will want to finish it off in style too, he could of course head to the Ryder Cup as World Number 1 with the right results.

I was tempted to go with a third pick but I’m happy enough with my three bets in the Omega event and my two here. In reference to my earlier rant regarding tipsters on twitter if you aren’t following @BenColeyGolf, @DaveTindallGolf and @GolfBetting12 I suggest you do, there are my favs to follow at the moment, they all give insightful info pre-tourney and during it as well.

Until next time, be lucky!

My Selections are:

Jason Day @ 50/1 each way with Bet365

Rory McIlroy @ 12/1 each way with Stan James

Bethpage: The first stop on the way to $10 million!

The Barclays at Bethpage Black

Unfortunately I haven’t been getting anytime to do my blog properly these past few weeks and this week is no different! However I didn’t want to miss the start of the Fed Ex Cup Play offs so I’ve thrown together a couple of paragraphs on whom I’ve picked.

They've been warned

First up is Sergio Garcia. Last week was epic, clutch golf at it’s best, he knew the Ryder Cup pick was probably on the line and went and got the job done. Medinah just wouldn’t have been the same without him; after all it’s pretty much where it all began for him. Last time Sergio picked up a win it was on the European Tour last year and he followed it up with a win the very next week, so I’m hoping he can do the same here, granted, it’s a much stronger opposition. He finished in a tie for 10^th at Bethpage when the US Open was here in 2009 and with his confidence levels sky high I think he’s a decent each way alternative to Rors and Tiger at the head of the market.

Sergio getting the W last week

Bubba Watson is next up for a pick. I also had a few quid on him in the USPGA but he didn’t seem to be able to put everything together. But I’m sticking to my guns that he will pick up another win this season and fancy he could do well this week. He has had a successful season, major win, a couple of runners up finishes and a couple of other Top 5’s, a win in the Fed Ex Cup Play offs would top off his season nicely.

Bubba Golf

Ian Poulter is my third and final pick. His start to the final round at Kiawah Island was ridiculous! Birdies everywhere, although he faded a little in the end a Top 3 finish has pretty much guaranteed him a spot at Medinah with a Captains Pick. But with Ollie’s picks not until next Monday, Poults will want to put on another show here. He was in the Top 20 here in 2009, but with confidence sky high like Sergio’s, he could well post another Top 5 at decent odds.

The Drag Queen Poults

My Selections are:

Sergio Garcia 28/1 each way with Will Hill (5 places)

Bubba Watson 25/1 each way with Ladbrokes (6 places)

Ian Poulter 55/1 each way with Boylesports (5 places)

It won't be a war, but it'll be one hell of a battle!

The US PGA Championship at Kiawah Island (Ocean Course)

It's the last major of the season this week and it looks brutal, from a betting prospective and a playing one too. I was still building sand castles when the infamous ‘War on the Shore’ took place at Kiawah Island in 1991. From what I’ve read online the Americans were even more patriotic than usual, the Gulf War had just ended; but this time, the Yanks were at a war that they were actually welcome too, the Ryder Cup.

Kiawah Island Ocean Course

I am sure you have all read, or for the older readers saw what happened that week, but to sum it up quickly, there was poo everywhere! In the final day pairings Calcavecchia was 4 up with four holes to play against Monty and finished triple bogey, bogey, triple bogey, bogey! Wow, Pancake Factory or what?! And people talk about Scott’s finish at the Lytham! The US won the Ryder Cup that year when Langer missed a short putt on the final hole.

Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course, is a monster, designed by the master Pete Dye, it measures 7,676 yards and from what I’ve read it can be stretched further with most holes having multiple tee boxes. If it wasn’t already long enough, it’s wet this week and with ten of the holes running along the Atlantic the wind is going to play a massive part, as I said MONSTER! Another aspect of the course that is sure to get the players attention are the Paspalum greens. They have very little grain; this type of grass is used to deal with the seawater air (or so I’ve read). Tiger has stated that he has only played on these types of greens once! So expect a lot of “I just couldn’t get my speed” comments from Tiger in his pressers if things aren’t going right!

I haven’t been online much this week due to my slight obsession with the Olympics but from what I have seen it’s almost like a Barney Curley style gamble on Dustin Johnson. This bothers me for two reasons, one, its very rare a popular punt comes off and two I didn’t take the bigger antepost price even though I’ve had him in mind for months, amateur gambling at it’s very best folks! Anyways, I can’t desert the big man now so he’s my first selection this week. I have posted DJ’s performance stats a little too much recently, he seems to be a constant headline act on my blog so I’ll spare you the figures again this week. What I will say is that he has the attributes to win here, most notably his length. His short game has improved, which will be a big plus with the run off areas around the greens. There'll be a big emphasis on scrambling. I backed him last week and he just seemed to be missing something, but the PGA owes him after ‘Bunkergate’ in 2010 and hopefully he gets his revenge with a W on Sunday.

The Barney Curley gamble - Dustin Johnson

My second pick is another player I had last week, Bubba Watson. Like DJ I fancy Bubba to do well because of his power. I just don’t see how a Luke Donald or Zach Johnson type player can win this week. Length is key and as Bubba showed with his Masters victory he can also pitch and putt when required. I like mentioning omens on my blog, so here’s another…. Bubba and the Missus got custody of their son Caleb on the Monday of Masters week; Monday past they “officially” became parents! From reading the article about this, it appears the whole adoption case was a lot more complex than was first portrayed by the media, with all the T’s crossed etc Bubba might be ready for another big performance in a major.

He needs to be 'Bubba long' this week - Bubba Watson

My third pick is a past winner; a short game extraordinaire and I don’t think has ever appeared on my blog! Phil Mickelson is on a terrible run of finishes on the PGA Tour, and quite frankly I don’t know why I fancy him to go well this week! His lone victory this year did come at Pebble Beach (similar elements), which is a plus, and I think he’s got the skills for a few up and downs (sarcasm), so that’s a couple of pluses! Negatives would be his driving accuracy (168^th on tour) and as stated above his poor run of results. But I don’t think you have to be the straightest driver on tour to get round here, length from the tee will be much more important. Putting wise he’s in good shape this year and add the fact that when in position he can get the job done his price this week mumbles “value” to me so he’s getting each-way money from yours truly!

You  can't put a price on experience - Phil Mickelson

For my fourth pick I was going to have McIlroy but I have changed my mind for a bigger price option. Last years Fed Ex Cup Champ Bill Haas is another golfer who has had a very quiet/poor season after a win early on. But he has had a couple of Top 20’s in his last two outings (Open Championship, Bridgestone) which is a step in the right direction. It’s approaching that time of the year where he won a lot of dollaaa last year. He’s a consistent driver of the ball, not massively long but ranks in the Top 30 in ‘Total Driving’ this year and he can scramble too, he’s in the Top 5 for Scrambling from 30 yards or less, did I mention the run off areas? Ok, it appears I did!

Bill Haas

With my obsession of an American winner this week I thought I’d have a look at the ‘Top European’ market. GMAC jumped straight off the page to me. Luke Donald as market leader made me chuckle a little. McDowell has had a stellar year in the Majors (T-12^th, T-2^nd, T-5^th) and there’s nothing to suggest that the elements at Kiawah Island should stop him putting in another decent showing this week. Some people might say he’s in the Luke Donald, Zach Johnson group with his length off the tee, but with his love of the wind and ‘the grind’ he jumps out of that group and into the group of players that could grind their way to a good finish. At the prices I think he’s real value for ‘Top European’.

"Cheers Timmy" - Graeme McDowell

My picks are:

Dustin Johnson 25/1 each way with Paddy Power (6 places)

Bubba Watson 35/1 each way with Bet Victor (6 places)

Phil Mickelson 45/1 each way with Bet365 (6 places)

Bill Haas 75/1 each way with Bet365 (6 places)

Graeme McDowell 12/1 each way ‘Top European’ with Bet365 (4 places)