Wednesday, 23 January 2013

Lefty to blitz Torrey Pines



The Farmers Insurance Open @ Torrey Pines

It’s a bit of a Wham, Bam, thank you Mam sort of post this week. I usually like to get my blog up on the Tuesday night but it’s been a busy week. The Qatar Masters started today (Wednesday), so I’m just scudding the Farmers Insurance Open this week. I didn't blog on Qatar last year and ended up with a 40/1 winner thanks to Paul Lawrie, so I'm quite content leaving it again this year.

Last week was a disaster; Jamieson was like a Class 5 horse running in a Listed race and Peter Hanson, well, he just missed his kick from the stalls. To be fair to Hanson, only one player outscored him over the weekend, he was two better than the eventual winner. Hanson will be giving a few boys a run for their money this week in Qatar. For the ‘One and Done’ tourney I went for Sergio Garcia, solid start.

This week on the PGA Tour we head to Torrey Pines for the Farmers Insurance Open. A decent field has assembled, including Nikes second string Tiger Woods. Woods is the bookies favourite, but I’m taking him on. Torrey Pines is split into two courses, the South Course, where you scramble for your life then the North Course where you could break par with a half set and a box of Pinnacles. It’s imperative you get a low number on the board on the North Course, as you play the other three rounds (assuming you make the cut) around the South.

My first selection this week started his 2013 season last week at the Humana Challenge where he finished a lot stronger than he started, Friday through Sunday he was a total of 17 under par. Phil Mickelson, like Woods is a bit of a Torrey Pines specialist, with 10 Top 10’s which include three victories. You’ve got to like his chances of scrambling his way around the South Course, though slightly concerned that he might have one of his erratic driving weeks. Everyone knows he’s a birdie machine when on form and can blow holes in the North Course. Fingers crossed!



My second selection is last years winner and current Fed Ex Champ, Brant Snedeker. Sneds (we’re buddies) started what was his most successful season on the PGA Tour with a play off win here last year. He won after Kyle Stanley guaranteed himself a Hall of Fame spot in the Pancake Factory with a triple bogey on the 72nd hole, to hand Sneds a chance at victory. It was up there with Van de Velde's meltdown at Carnoustie as the most difficult things I’ve ever had to watch. But, fortunate or not, Snedeker still got the W and he went on to win the Tour Championship (subsequently the Fed Ex Cup), ensuring that he won’t have to worry about the kids college funds. Brant has had Top 10’s in his last three visits here and with his putting; he can knock the stuffing out of a few here this week. He was ninth in ‘Strokes gained through Putting’ last year and I expect something similar this week.


This week, as both picks are under 20/1 I’m just slapping my pennies on the nose.

Be Lucky!

My selections:

Phil Mickelson ‘Outright 18/1’ with Paddy Power
Brandt Snedeker ‘Outright’ 14/1 with BetVictor.

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