I’m not usually one for New Years resolutions, but this year I decided to make one. Nope, it wasn’t to lose weight (I’m 16 stone), it wasn’t to get a new job (I work in the Civil Service) it was to start writing my golf blog again; priorities and all that!
My last blog post was for the Tour Championship back in September, other than having a bet on Europe (thanks to the US for hitting the Pancake Factory) to win the Ryder Cup I haven’t had a punt on the golf at all. I haven’t really watched much at all either; work took over a little on the run up to Christmas and I didn’t have the motivation to go home and study the form of the golf, especially with the Fall Series and the invite only tourneys.
This week I’m just going to have a bet at the Sony Open. I had a look at the Volvo event but no prices really jumped off the page at me, so I’ll leave that down to the shrewdie tipsters to find the value there.
So, after a bit of a disaster last weekend (of the nature kind) the PGA Tour shifts to Waialae County Club. The course itself is 7,044 yards, par 70. Last year Johnson Wagner took the spoils with a 13 under par total. My first pick this week was in a tie for second, two shots behind.
Carl Pettersson was a popular pick among tipsters for the Champions Tournament and he put in a decent showing. He finished 8th (Top European) behind the bookies favourite this week, Dustin Johnson. Big Bad DJ got himself and my punting off to a perfect start for the 2013 season. His victory in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions will have pleased the army of punters who backed him ante post to win the Money Title this year.
Anyways back to big Carl. Pettersson, as I said, was tied for 2nd here last year. That together with his win at Hilton Head and his finish at Kiawah Island suggests he plays seaside (windy) courses well. The most notable difference between the Plantation course and Waialae Country Club is the size of the greens, the Plantation course being larger Bermuda greens and Waialae being a lot smaller. Though Carl’s overall 2012 GIR stat doesn’t fill me full of confidence his Top 5 in GIR here last year does. I giggled at his ‘witch hunt’ comment regarding the banning of the anchored stoke, but feel he can get a couple more W’s before that rule kicks in.
My second pick this week is Matt ‘Kuuuuuuuccchhh’ Kuchar. Kuch didn’t play at Waialae last year but finished T-5 in 2011. I like Kuch as a ball striker, his swing is plenty flat enough, but it works for him and in windy conditions it must be a plus (like DJ this week at Kapalua). Kuch got off to a great start on Sunday (the 2nd time they tried to start the TOC) only for the scores to be wiped. After a slow start on Monday he finished his tourney off well for a Top 10 finish (granted there were only 30 players). What I liked about Kuch at Kapalua was his attitude to the elements that they had to content with; much like Fowler he smiled and enjoyed the challenge whilst Poults (most notable) spat his dummy out; more than once.
I didn’t get a chance to do a blog post for the Tournament of Champions but did tweet my pick. I narrowed it down to Dustin Johnson and Nick Watney, thankfully I went with the latter and a nice 14/1 winner was very welcome to kick off the 2013 season.
If you are looking elsewhere this week you may wish to consider the following – Since 1996, every winner has played Waialae Country Club at least twice (stat from @Golf_Stats on Twitter) – all the best to the 23 Web.com tour players this week.
My Selections:
Carl Pettersson each way @ 20/1 with Paddy Power
Matt Kuchar each way @ 18/1 with Paddy Power
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