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Tommy May Be Too Busy To Get Involved – By Ian Hudson

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Southport is in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton which stretches from the suburbs of Liverpool to the famous golfing town. Liverpool and Everton football clubs and Aintree Racecourse are just outside Sefton so the area is a sporting Mecca. The British Masters is taking place at Hillside Golf Club this week which is next door to Royal Birkdale on the best run of links courses in England. This week’s event on the European Tour is hosted by Tommy Fleetwood but compatriot Oliver Wilson is a better betting prospect. He has winning form on a links golf course and Hillside lies alongside the Irish Sea. 

The US PGA Championship has moved from its traditional August date to May. The second major of the season takes place next week so the field for the AT & T Bryon Nelson has very little depth. The leading contenders in the betting are Brooks Koepka and Jordan Spieth who have both won three major championships so may not be totally focused for the job in hand. Marc Leishman has contended in majors in the past but he has a better chance of winning this week after five top 10s this season. The host course is at Trinity Forest Golf Club in Dallas which stages the tournament for just the second time so there is not a great deal of course form to assess.     

The British Masters was not played from 2009 to 2014 but then Sky Sports got involved and over the last three years the tournament has been hosted by a leading English golfer. Sky Sports ended their involvement and the event was under threat before Betfred became the title sponsors and Fleetwood became the host on a course in his home town. He is number 16 in the world rankings, not missed a cut this season and has finished in the top 10 in almost one third of his starts. Fleetwood played Hillside as a boy but hosting duties may get in the way of contending this week.  

Wilson won his last event on the European Tour on a links course. He won the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in 2014 but that is his only Tour win. However, Wilson played in the winning Walker Cup team for Europe in 2003 at Ganton Golf Club that has similar demands to Hillside. He has recorded three top fives this season including this March in Qatar on a course that is affected by local winds. Hillside is subject to sea breezes which means Wilson, the world number 35, has the game and temperament suited to the playing conditions in Southport this week. The course is in a sporting hotbed which includes four Premier League clubs within 50 miles.  

The PGA Championship is being played at Bethpage State Park in New York State where Tiger Woods won the US Open in 2002. He won his 15th major and fifth US Masters last month so is the only player who can win the calendar year Grand Slam. No player has won all four majors in the same season and Woods is preparing for the second leg so is not in the field this week. The host course in Dallas is relatively easy in still conditions and its main defence is the wind which may or may not be absent this week. Last year’s winner, Aaron Wise, was ninth for driving distance and second in strokes gained putting. The field averaged less than 70 shots. 

Leishman finished second behind Wise in 2018 after leading at the end of round one and two and tieing for the lead at the end of the third round. The Australian combines current form with course form and has a decent skills’ profile. Leishman can build some confidence for the PGA Championship by getting in the mix this week. 

Another Possible Course Win For Rory- By Ian Hudson

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Players on the PGA Tour will be competing in familiar surroundings this week while European Tour regulars are facing a new challenge. Course form is one of the key factors in identifying potential winners of professional golf tournaments. There will be many clues for the Wells Fargo Championship in the States but nothing to go on for the China Open on the European Tour. Course experience will count for a lot at Quail Hollow in North Carolina but not a factor at Genzon Golf Club in China. The former is being used for the 16th time while the later is being visited for the first time. 

Quail Hollow was a course waiting for a major for several years. The course finally hosted the PGA Championship in 2017 which Justin Thomas won with a score of eight under. It’s a par 71 track over a length of 7,600 yards this week.  There are three par 5s and the usual quota of short holes and par 4s. The last three holes are amongst the most difficult on Tour and it is one of the most demanding final stretches of the season. Any player requiring three pars from 16 to 18 to win will have earned the trophy and winner’s cheque. The average winning score since 2009 is 13 under. 

Since Quail Hollow was redesigned in the late 1990’s it has become a thorough all-round examination of a player’s game. A cool spring means the rough is not as severe as it can be but blustery conditions will increase the degree of difficulty. The ball can be chased on to many of the greens, so accuracy off the tee earns a bigger reward than distance. A number of relatively short hitters have posted high finishes in recent years despite the course being above average in length for a par 71 track. Much can change over the closing three holes which average about one over par in total. The 18th is statically the toughest hole with a creek and trees on either side of the fairway.  

The course is clearly suited to Rory McIlroy who won the tournament in 2010 and 2015. He was expected to do well in the PGA Championship there in 2017 but finished tied 22nd, nine shots behind Thomas. McIlroy never got in contention at the US Masters so must wait another year at least to complete the career Grand Slam. He was imperious in winning the Players Championship in March and if he brings that form to a course he loves the former world number one will be difficult to beat. McIlroy is the all-time money leader at Quail Hollow, leads the tour in strokes gained from tee to green and cannot be opposed. 

Jason Day is a viable alternative because his game is in great shape. He is the defending champion and continues to post top 10 finishes but without another win over the last year. Justin Rose missed the cut here at the PGA Championship but made the top five in 2014 and 2016. His putting has improved and Rose is now a regular occupant of number one in the world rankings. However, McIlroy ticks all the boxes and can justify favouritism with a third win at Quail Hollow. The China Open is a totally different kettle of fish.

The host course measures 7,145 yards which is very short for a par 72 track. There should be a premium on accuracy over distance so the shorter hitters won’t be at a disadvantage. The class act in the field is Haotong Li but Jorge Campillo has the better skills’ profile. He could prevail at a bigger price than McIlroy who can win the Wells Fargo Championship as the single figure favourite. 

 

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Course Form Is Key In Golf This Week- By Ian Hudson

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The value of course form will be tested this week with tournaments in the United States and Europe taking place on courses that have now been used for a number of years. The Zurich Classic on the PGA Tour has been played at TPC Louisiana since 2005 and the Trophee Haasan is being played at Royal Golf Dar es Salam in Morocco for the fifth year in succession. Each course demands specific skills for good scoring and course form is an important element of a payer’s profile. Generally current form and course form identify leading contenders and there are some standout selections this week. The winners from last year are competing this week.   

However, the waters are muddied in the Zurich Classic because it is now a team event having changed format in 2017. There are 80 teams of two players, chosen from the Tour rankings and from the Tour membership or a sponsor’s invitation. The format is stroke play but better ball in the first and third rounds and alternate shots in the second and fourth rounds. The leading 35 teams and ties make the cut. The defending champions are Billy Horschel and Scott Piercy and the first winners were Jonas Blixt and Cameron Smith. Both former winning teams are playing together again this week.   

The TPC at Louisiana was a new course when it first hosted the Zurich Classic 13 years ago. It presents a good all-round test and the big hitters do not dominate despite the course being 7,425 yards in length. The Bermuda greens are below average in size and there are numerous fairway bunkers and over 70 pot bunkers which guard the lay-up areas. Wind can often be a factor but in benign conditions the course is vulnerable and pin positions are used to protect the scoring. The two winning scores have been 22 and 27 under and there has been one playoff and a winning margin of one stroke. 

Playing ability and skills are important but the team dynamic has been added to the mix. A partnership must gel and players must accept their team mates mistakes. Blixt and Smith have won in the format and both are players in form. Horschel and Piercy have played well at different stages of the season but other teams are preferred. Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel are major champions from South Africa who finished third last year. Oosthuizen is in the better form but his partner is suited to the course and the compatriots can prevail this year. They have played together as individuals and in the President’s Cup so have the right chemistry.       

The Trophee Hassan is a regular stroke play tournament over four rounds with a cut after the first 36 holes. The defending champion this week is Alex Levy who has not played on tour since the start of March. Levy won his fifth European Tour title last year but lack of a recent outing will count against him. It’s difficult to defend a title and a break from competitive action is a further negative. Conversely Levy will be fresh and will relish the tough challenges of the host course. Course form may prevail over current form and Levy can contend again.  

However, in terms of winning Levy might come up short and Joost Luiten is a viable alternative. The Dutch player was tied ninth last year with four rounds at or below par. Luiten was 10th for greens in regulation for which Levey was fifth and the runner-up was third. The par 72 track over 7,632 yards is relatively long but there is a premium on accuracy over distance but big hitting is still important. Luiten combines both skills and his course form makes him the selection in Morocco.  

 

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Past Champions Are Contenders This Week – By Ian Hudson

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The expansion of the European Tour to make it global except for the PGA Tour in the United States is getting ridiculous. The Oman Open offers one of the smallest prize funds of the season which explains why the favourite, Joost Luiten, is at number 71 in the world rankings and the highest ranked player in the field. Europe’s best players have deserted their home tour to play for more money, in better fields and in front of more fans in the United States. This week’s Honda Classic offers four times as much prize money as the Oman Open.

There are four Europeans in the top 10 of the current world rankings and Europe won the Ryder Cup last September. However, other than the Open Championship and to a lesser extent the PGA Championship most of the winning Ryder Cup team will not be playing too often on the European Tour this season. This week’s event in Omar has been marketed by saying the field contains a major champion and Ryder Cup player. Paul Lawrie did win the Open in 1999 and has played in the Ryder Cup but when he is your headline attraction you are in a bit of trouble.

The bread and butter players may welcome a low grade tournament that offers a two year exemption to the winner. However, this week’s event in Oman is little more than a Challenge Tour event with a sprinkling of Asia’s better players. Selecting potential winners is fraught with danger in the second renewal of the event. Luiten is the defending champion and is proven on the course. On rankings he is the best player in the field so he must have a great chance of winning the tournament again.

By contrast to the tournament in Asia the field for the Honda Classic contains two players from the top four in the world rankings and another player in the top 10. Brooks Koepka, Justin Thomas and Rickie Fowler head the betting followed by Adam Scott and Sergio Garcia. Granted there is little strength in depth after these players but the first prize is almost $1.2 million. The winner also gets a two year exemption but for the PGA Tour which is much more lucrative than any of the others.

The Honda Classic is the first leg of the Florida Swing which is characterised by windy conditions. However, the forecast suggests still weather this week and scoring should be relatively high. The regular host course is PGA National Champion Course in Palm Beach Gardens. It’s a par 70 track that produced a scoring average of over 72 last year which is the highest compared to par for any non-majors in the last two years. The degree of difficulty goes up in wind but calm conditions are expected.

However, the fast undulating greens will still provide a tough test and hitting the putting surfaces in the correct number of shots will be an important skill. The last three winners are Thomas, Fowler and Scott with scores of 8, 12 and 9 under. The lowest winning score over the last 10 years is 13 under and there have been three playoffs in that spell. Nine US players have won the tournament this century which means that 10 players from overseas have prevailed. 

There is a great deal to like about Thomas’s chances this week. The defending champion leads the Tour in strokes gained from tee to green and was ninth in the WGC Mexico Championship last week. However, Scott is preferred on the basis of being another past champion and four top 15s in as many starts. He has gained strokes putting on the rest of the field in his last four tournaments so can win the Honda Classic for the second time. The double on Luiten and Scott pays 175/1.    

Potentially A Good Week For Spieth And Pieters – By Ian Hudson

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The Genesis Open on the PGA Tour is the current name for one of the oldest professional tournaments in the United States. The event started its life as the Los Angeles Open in 1926 and has been played at Riviera Country Club since 1973 except for two years in which it was hosting major championships, the latest the 1998 US Seniors Open. It’s a traditional tournament played on an old style course and in contrast to this week’s event on the European Tour.  

The ISPS Handa World Super 6 Perth combines strokeplay and matchplay in a unique format but in both events the best player prevails. Strokes will reduce the field from 156 to 24 players over the first three days. Matches will be played over six holes on Sunday with the top eight players getting a bye into the second round. If matches are tied after six holes sudden death will determine which player progresses to the next round. The defending champion is Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Bret Rumford won the first staging of the event in 2017 but neither former winners are playing this week. 

Bubba Watson is the defending champion and three times winner of the Genesis Open so has a game suited to the host course. Riviera is looked upon as one of America’s great traditional courses and a classic of course design. It was nicknamed Hogan’s Alley after Ben Hogan won three times there is 17 months in the late 1940’s. It could also be called Tiger’s torment because Woods has not won on the course despite a number of visits and he plays again this week. Phil Mickelson won the Pebble Beach Pro-Am for the fifth time on Sunday but the track does not play to his strengths. 

Riviera has been lengthened in an effort to recreate the original feel of the layout. It’s a course that requires players to think their way around, shaping tee shots and avoiding the sand traps. That profile does not fit the perception of how Watson and the 2017 winner, Dustin Johnson, play golf but both have more than one dimension to their game. The greens at Riviera are below average in size and similar to those at Pebble Beach last week. Driving accuracy is more important than driving distance and hitting the greens in the correct number of shots is key to good scoring. 

The par of the course is 71 and at 7,322 yards in length it’s about average for this par. The average winning score over the last 10 years is 13 under and in all but one year the winning margin has been two strokes or less and that includes three playoffs. Since 2008 there has only been one overseas winner so this is a tournament dominated by players from the United States. Jordan Spieth has a decent profile for the host course so could get his career back on track with a 12th PGA Tour win. Rory McIlroy has entered the event but his skills are not the best fit for the course.

The innovative tournament on the European Tour is being played at Lake Karrinyup Country Club in Perth and this is another course that puts a premium on accuracy over distance. Last year’s leader after the 54 holes of stroke play was first for driving accuracy and greens in regulation but also second for GIR putting. Aphibarnrat was sixth for driving accuracy but also fourth for driving distance so a player clearly must drive the ball well to contend. Putting in any matchplay format is also important so a good all-round game is required. Thomas Pieters ticks many of the boxes and the former Ryder Cup player matches the requirements of both formats so is the tip.  

Will Tiger Woods Win A Major In 2019? – By Ian Hudson

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Golf is now almost a 12 month sport and no sooner has one season ended than the next one begins. In fact the Race to Dubai on the European Tour and Money List on the PGA Tour for 2019 have already begun. The core seasons begin in January and John Rahm in Europe and Brooks Koepka in the States are the players to back to be top dogs on their main tours. Tiger Woods is 7/2 to win a major next year and that is not the worst price in the world.  

Woods looked tired and demotivated at the Ryder Cup but that was one week too many at the end of such a great season. The former world number won contended in the last two majors of the season and won the Tour Championship. Woods then had to travel to Paris for the Ryder Cup but he was emotionally and physically drained. Even in his halcyon days he underperformed in the matches so playing so poorly this time should not be of great concern to his fans and backers.   

Woods led the British Open at the start of the back nine on the Sunday but one poor hole cost him dear. He almost chased down Koepka at the PGA Championship but just came up short. However, his ability to still compete at the highest level was displayed when he beat the best other 29 PGA tour players in the season finale. It was a Woods master class thanks to a great swing, iron play and putting. The 14 times major champion is now good enough to add to that tally.

He is chasing Jack Nicklaus’s record of 18 majors but he has not won one of the four titles that matter most since 2008. Nicklaus won his last major aged 46 and Woods turns 43 at the end of the year. That means he will have 16 more chances to win more majors before passing the age at which Nicklaus won one. Given no more injuries and operations Woods could be competitive until he reaches 50 which doubles his opportunities to get to 15 majors and beyond. However, you have to think if he comes up short in 2019 Nicklaus’s total will not be overhauled.    

The US Masters is Woods’ best chance to win another major. He is a four times winner and the course is ideally suited to his game. Woods won his first major in the Masters Tournament in 1997 and the fairways provide some scope for wayward driving. Putting under pressure was always a strength and the greens at Augusta are amongst the fastest and most challenging on the tour. The second most successful player in major championship golf can bring the house down by winning the 2019 US Masters. Woods in his prime won more than one major some seasons.

Koepka has now won three of the last seven majors and that is Woods-esque when he was winning them for fun at the start of the century. He defended the US Open title and then won the PGA Championship. Koepka played on the Challenge Tour and European Tour at the start of his career so his game is more than one-dimensional. He overpowers courses of the tee and his confidence must be sky high. Kopeka has won more majors than regular tournaments but if he can start winning in the less demanding weeks the Money List is within his scope.          

Rory McIlroy is thinking about focusing on the US PGA Tour in a concerted effort to win more majors. The logic is that he will be competing against the best players more often. Rahm is more loyal to the European Tour and money won in the majors and WGC events counts. However, Rahm will play enough regular tournaments in Europe to boost his prize money and make him a leading contender for the Race to Dubai which he can win in 2019.   

Today’s Sports Betting Preview – By Rick Elliott

Harry Is Odds-On To Win In The Jungle

Is it possible to resist backing Manchester United to win a match at Old Trafford at odds of almost 2/1? During the Alex Ferguson era that proposition was unheard of even when Arsenal were in town. Some bookmakers are offering much lower odds for a home win so it will be interesting to see how the betting market reacts from now until kick-off at 8pm. Jose Mourinho’s job could be on the line. 

Mark Hughes has not let his backers down by winning the next-manager-to-leave market but Mourinho is the new favourite. However, he has a habit of getting a result when he needs it most. There is a good chance that could be on the cards by half-time because Arsenal have not been in the lead at the break in any match this season. The logical bet is MANCHESTER UNITED/DRAW at 14/1 with bet365.

Harry Redknapp’s name is not appearing in any lists for the next manager of a club. He has been in charge at Southampton and there is a vacancy now that Hughes has gone. It’s questionable whether Redknapp can be taken seriously as a football manager as his main role in the jungle appears to be cleaning out the dunny. REDKNAPP is 4/7 to be the winner of I’m A Celebrity.    

Southampton have appointed a caretaker manager and the temporary role begins with a Premier League fixture against Tottenham at Wembley. I wonder if Mauricio Pochettino will now rest players so his squad peaks for the FA Cup third round tie at Southport or Tranmere early next month. The home team won the fixture 5-2 last season so anything similar makes TOTTENHAM -1 the bet at Evens with Betfair.   

There is an early evening All-Weather meeting at Kempton but it’s debatable whether the place will be packed out for the Class 5 race that opens the fixture at 3.55 on a working day. The fifth race at 6pm is a Class 2 handicap over six furlongs and there is a decent prize up for grabs. TROPICS is the top weight but the horse has performed well on artificial surfaces over the last year and is the nap at 11/1 with Ladbrokes.  

Will Tiger Woods Win A Major In 2019? – By Ian Hudson

Golf is now almost a 12 month sport and no sooner has one season ended than the next one begins. In fact the Race to Dubai on the European Tour and Money List on the PGA Tour for 2019 have already begun. The core seasons begin in January and John Rahm in Europe and Brooks Koepka in the States are the players to back to be top dogs on their main tours. Tiger Woods is 7/2 to win a major next year and that is not the worst price in the world.  

Woods looked tired and demotivated at the Ryder Cup but that was one week too many at the end of such a great season. The former world number won contended in the last two majors of the season and won the Tour Championship. Woods then had to travel to Paris for the Ryder Cup but he was emotionally and physically drained. Even in his halcyon days he underperformed in the matches so playing so poorly this time should not be of great concern to his fans and backers.   

Woods led the British Open at the start of the back nine on the Sunday but one poor hole cost him dear. He almost chased down Koepka at the PGA Championship but just came up short. However, his ability to still compete at the highest level was displayed when he beat the best other 29 PGA tour players in the season finale. It was a Woods master class thanks to a great swing, iron play and putting. The 14 times major champion is now good enough to add to that tally.

He is chasing Jack Nicklaus’s record of 18 majors but he has not won one of the four titles that matter most since 2008. Nicklaus won his last major aged 46 and Woods turns 43 at the end of the year. That means he will have 16 more chances to win more majors before passing the age at which Nicklaus won one. Given no more injuries and operations Woods could be competitive until he reaches 50 which doubles his opportunities to get to 15 majors and beyond. However, you have to think if he comes up short in 2019 Nicklaus’s total will not be overhauled.    

The US Masters is Woods’ best chance to win another major. He is a four times winner and the course is ideally suited to his game. Woods won his first major in the Masters Tournament in 1997 and the fairways provide some scope for wayward driving. Putting under pressure was always a strength and the greens at Augusta are amongst the fastest and most challenging on the tour. The second most successful player in major championship golf can bring the house down by winning the 2019 US Masters. Woods in his prime won more than one major some seasons.

Koepka has now won three of the last seven majors and that is Woods-esque when he was winning them for fun at the start of the century. He defended the US Open title and then won the PGA Championship. Koepka played on the Challenge Tour and European Tour at the start of his career so his game is more than one-dimensional. He overpowers courses of the tee and his confidence must be sky high. Kopeka has won more majors than regular tournaments but if he can start winning in the less demanding weeks the Money List is within his scope.          

Rory McIlroy is thinking about focusing on the US PGA Tour in a concerted effort to win more majors. The logic is that he will be competing against the best players more often. Rahm is more loyal to the European Tour and money won in the majors and WGC events counts. However, Rahm will play enough regular tournaments in Europe to boost his prize money and make him a leading contender for the Race to Dubai which he can win in 2019.   

Today’s Sports Betting Preview – By Rick Elliott

Harry Is Odds-On To Win In The Jungle

Is it possible to resist backing Manchester United to win a match at Old Trafford at odds of almost 2/1? During the Alex Ferguson era that proposition was unheard of even when Arsenal were in town. Some bookmakers are offering much lower odds for a home win so it will be interesting to see how the betting market reacts from now until kick-off at 8pm. Jose Mourinho’s job could be on the line. 

Mark Hughes has not let his backers down by winning the next-manager-to-leave market but Mourinho is the new favourite. However, he has a habit of getting a result when he needs it most. There is a good chance that could be on the cards by half-time because Arsenal have not been in the lead at the break in any match this season. The logical bet is MANCHESTER UNITED/DRAW at 14/1 with bet365.

Harry Redknapp’s name is not appearing in any lists for the next manager of a club. He has been in charge at Southampton and there is a vacancy now that Hughes has gone. It’s questionable whether Redknapp can be taken seriously as a football manager as his main role in the jungle appears to be cleaning out the dunny. REDKNAPP is 4/7 to be the winner of I’m A Celebrity.    

Southampton have appointed a caretaker manager and the temporary role begins with a Premier League fixture against Tottenham at Wembley. I wonder if Mauricio Pochettino will now rest players so his squad peaks for the FA Cup third round tie at Southport or Tranmere early next month. The home team won the fixture 5-2 last season so anything similar makes TOTTENHAM -1 the bet at Evens with Betfair.   

 

There is an early evening All-Weather meeting at Kempton but it’s debatable whether the place will be packed out for the Class 5 race that opens the fixture at 3.55 on a working day. The fifth race at 6pm is a Class 2 handicap over six furlongs and there is a decent prize up for grabs. TROPICS is the top weight but the horse has performed well on artificial surfaces over the last year and is the nap at 11/1 with Ladbrokes.  

 

Hong Kong Can Be Good For Garcia – By Ian Hudson

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The 2019 European Tour golf season begins in Hong Kong this week. The 2019 US PGA Tour season has already begun. The lesser lights have a chance to shine and winning a tournament on both tours gives a player a two-year exemption. Rory McIlroy is considering giving up his European Tour card. These facts may seem unrelated but a world tour now seems inevitable. The global tour would combine the biggest events in the United States and Europe and it would sit alongside a rest of the world tour. Patrick Reed is the favourite to win the Hong Kong Open.  

The four major championships are the pinnacle of the sport and they bring together the best players. Many years ago Greg Norman proposed a world tour but the concept did not get off the ground. However, it did lead to World Golf Championship events that aimed to pit the best players against each other more often. McIlroy has identified that he must play against the best players in the world to win more majors. His loyalty to Europe is not as important as his major championship ambitions. By focusing on the PGA Tour as the rules stand he can’t captain Europe’s Ryder Cup team.

Professional golf is always evolving but television viewers want to see the best players in competition. The subplot to last season was the form of Tiger Woods but he can’t sustain interest in golf on his own. There are no dominant individuals just now so more tournaments that involve the best US and European players is the way forward. Jason Day is the only player in the top 20 from other parts of the world. Eight golfers in the top 50 in the standings were not born in Europe or the States. The top 10 is made up of six Americans and four Europeans. 

The highest viewing figures are in the US and Europe and that will attract the advertisers and sponsors. The new world tour would include the majors and WGC events and in theory the 10 biggest tournaments from the two main tours. The second tier events would form a secondary tour and there could be promotion and relegation based on world rankings. Even though the favourite for this year’s Hong Kong Open is the 2018 Masters champion it would be a second tier event. Tommy Fleetwood has also entered the first counting event for the Race to Dubai. 

The tournament has been on the European Tour schedule since 2002 and it has always been played at the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling. It’s a short course on which accuracy is more important than power. However, a player with a hot putter can contend. Low rounds are possible so this is a catch up track on which players can make up ground quickly. At 6,700 the course is short by modern standards. There are only two par 5s and the last five holes are par 4s at less than 430 yards in length. Wade Ormsby from Australia is the defending champion.

Fleetwood and Rafa Cabrera Bello finished in the top 10 last year so can handle the course and are respected. Lucas Bjerregaard has the greens in regulation stats to contend this week but hitting enough fairways could be an issue.  Sam Horsfield is a potential winner in Europe this season but he is more suited to longer courses where driving distance is more important than driving accuracy Miguel Angel Jimenez from Spain has by far the best course form with four wins in the event but winning may be beyond the veteran this year. His compatriot, Sergio Garcia, has the best skills’ profile and decent accuracy numbers last season so he is the player to back. 

Ryder Cup Pedigree Players Win In Turkey – By Ian Hudson

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The Turkish Airlines Open is the first of the three playoff events which will determine who wins the Race to Dubai and it would be appropriate if Francesco Molinari was the top dog in Europe this season. The Italian won the two most prestigious events played in Britain and won five points from five matches in the Ryder Cup. He leads the Race to Dubai by over 1.2 million points and the player in second place is his partner in crime, Tommy Fleetwood. 

Molinari and Fleetwood form golf’s most famous bromance and it would be great for European golf if they went head-to-head in Dubai over the weekend with the title up for grabs. Fleetwood was the European number one last season and a win this week with Molinari not playing would make the Race to Dubai interesting with just two remaining qualifying events. The Turkish Airlines Open is being played at a golf resort in Antayla for the third successive year. Justin Rose and Thorbjorn Olesen are the course winners taking part.    

The course is a par 71 and measures 7,159 yards. There is only one par 5 on the front nine and it measures over 600 yards. The two other long holes at 12 and 15 are reachable in two shots so there will be plenty of eagles and birdie opportunities. Seven of the par 4s measure less than 450 yards on a course that rewards accuracy over distance. The layout suits Rose more than Fleetwood but both players have had long and mentally demanding seasons and other players are preferred. 

Rose birdied the 72nd hole to clinch the Turkish Airlines Open in 2017. It was his second win in two weeks and 10th European Tour title. In the tournament’s five year history no player has won back-to-back and Rose needs a good week to get into contention for the Race to Dubai. He is over 2 million points behind Molinari and would have to win at least twice during the playoffs to overhaul the race leader. Rory McIlroy is fifth in the standings but is not playing in Turkey. 

The Turkish Airlines Open was added to the European Tour schedule in 2013 and every winner has been a past or future Ryder Cup player. Brooks Koepka won the tournament in 2014 and after winning two majors in 2018 is currently the world number one. The nature of the course and the prize money at stake means the cream rises to the top and one of the leading contenders prevails. The champion is of Ryder Cup calibre and Thorbjorn Olesen played for Europe in the match this year.        

In winning last year Rose was fifth for driving accuracy and 2nd for greens in regulation. He also finished in the top 15 for driving distance and GIR putting so clearly a player must have a good all-round game to contend. Olesen was fifth last year when he was first for putts per round and fifth for putting when finding the green in the correct number of shots. His driving and second shot accuracy falls short of the standard required to win this week but his putting could compensate. However, another Ryder Cup player has the game to beat the field. 

Ian Poulter has not played much golf in Europe this season because he has a PGA Tour card. He is based in the States and concentrates on the US tour. He had another good Ryder Cup in France last month and confidence restored he is not afraid to get in contention in the lucrative events. This week Poulter could become another Ryder Cup player to win the Turkish Airlines Open and start thinking about winning the Race to Dubai.     

Molinari Can Win His First WGC Event – By Ian Hudson

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It’s a World Golf Championship week with the HSBC Champions taking place and one of the leading contenders is Brooks Koepka who is the new world number one. Justin Rose defends the title as he returns to action after a break following two tumultuous weeks in his outstanding career. Only Rose truly knows if he felt better winning the Ryder Cup or FedEx Cup and $10 million bonus. Money is probably not an issue for such a wealthy man and you can’t put a price on betting the United States. 

Koepka won the US Open and USPGA Championship this season and was named the PGA Tour Player of the Season. Tiger Woods made a wonderful return to the sport and won the Tour Championship but the measure of the true greats is their tally of major championships. The best two players in the history of the sport are probably Jack Nicklaus and Woods and they are the leading major champions numerically. Both have won each of the four majors at least three times.

Koepka is rare in that he has won more majors than regular tournaments in the States. He won the Turkish Airlines Open on the European Tour in 2014 which means he has won the same number of majors as regular events in total on the two main tours. Koepka hits the ball a long way and overpowers courses so this week’s host course may not suit his game. Sheshan International in China is a par 72 layout over 7,261 yards. The course is short by modern standards and rewards accuracy more than distance. Rose is the defending champion this week.     

The English player chased down Dustin Johnson a year ago who won the title in 2014. Rose is suited to courses that require sound course management and could get in the mix again on his first start of the 2018-19 Tour. The field also includes Francesco Molinari and Patrick Reed which means the current holders of the four majors are playing in Shanghai this week. Rory McIlroy is prominent in the betting for a championship he has never won and Tommy Fleetwood also competes. 

There have been nine WGC-HSBC Champions which have been played on the same course. Six of the winners have been former or future major champions so the cream rises to the top. The average winning score is 19 under and there has been just one playoff since 2009. Three Americans have won the title and five players from Europe have prevailed. Hideki Matsuyama from Japan was the champion in 2016. Rose won with a score of 14 last year and the joint runners-up were Johnson, Koepka and Henrik Stenson. The Swedish player also finished tied second behind Matsuyama.    

Four of the top five players in the world rankings are teeing it up at Sheshan this week. The field features 19 of the leading 30 players in the current standings. Ten members of the winning European Ryder Cup team are competing but only four US players from the beaten side in France have entered. It’s the first tournament of three stops in Asia but for most of the US contingent it could be the last meaningful tournament before the Tournament of Champions in January. 

One notable absentee is Justin Thomas, the 4th ranked player in the world. The PGA champion from last year is struggling with his game and the putting stroke does not look good. If another major champion is to win again Molinari has the best game. Mental letdown could be an issue but he has the skills to add a WGC event to his CV which now includes a major championship.   

Westwood Can Win Rose’s Tournament – By Ian Hudson

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The British Masters is sponsored by Sky Sports and hosted by Justin Rose so it will be a great tournament at Walton Heath. Matt Wallace and Matthew Fitzpatrick might want to make a statement while three Ryder Cup colleagues have accepted Rose’s invitation to appear this week.  However, there could be life in one of the old dogs and Lee Westwood can bring back some memories by winning for the 24th time on the European tour and clinch his 43rd professional title. 

Tommy Fleetwood and Francesco Molinari are in the field and it would really be something if they challenged against each other over the weekend. They combined to win four points from four matches in the Ryder Cup. They became the first European pairing to win all four of their matches in the four balls and foursomes. Molinari is now the only European to go 5-0 in the Ryder Cup and he is the current Open champion. The Italian leads the Race to Dubai but mental letdown could be an issue. 

The British Masters returned to the European Tour schedule in 2015 with the backing of Sky Sports. One of the innovations was to designate a tournament host. Ian Poulter, Luke Donald and Westwood have performed the duty but Rose is the highest ranked player to host the week. He won the FedEx Cup and $10 million dollar bonus on the PGA Tour and is currently only behind Dustin Johnson in the world rankings. Duties off the course will keep Rose busy so winning this event looks beyond him. 

Paul Dunne is the defending champion but bookmakers are suggesting he won’t win again. He has not had a great season and not looked like adding to his first win on the European Tour. However, he did win the Golf Sixes tournament in May but that wasn’t a regular individual 72 hole stroke play tournament. Dunne has positive mental associations with the event and his nine under par round of 61 clinched the title last season when Rory McIlroy was in contention.         

Rose has a say in the course and venue and the three previous hosts chose layouts close to their heart which one part of the benefits of hosting the British Masters. It will never have the prestige of the US equivalent but Sky make it a special week with a number of unique features. Walton Heath has two demanding heath land courses and it will take a good all round game for decent scoring this week. The Old Course is being used with a par of 72 over 7.394 yards which is about average in distance.    

Thomas Bjorn made the right calls with his wildcard picks for the Ryder Cup. He had to take into account the five rookies who qualified by right so he went for experience. His four picks all contributed points (as did each member of the team) but also brought a wealth of Ryder Cup experience to the environment. Jim Furyk’s picks gave very little so Bjorn made the right choices. Wallace and Fitzpatrick were in the running for a pick so may feel slightly aggrieved they didn’t get the call. Winning the British Masters would be compensation and both players are in good form. 

Westwood is a former world number one and multiple winner in Europe and the rest of the world. It would be churlish to say he has underachieved because he has not won a major. Westwood has finished in the top three in all four majors and has won over €34 million in prize money in Europe and more than $19 million on the PGA Tour. He won the English Open in 1998 so it would be appropriate if Westwood won a second British Masters 20 years after his first win on home soil.