08-07-2015, 09:31
This week's golf is interesting & tricky.
Scottish Open
Justin Rose is the favourite after his win last year. However, a change of course give him less of an edge although he has the game to compete on a links course. Traditionally, it has been considered a curse to win the Scottish Open as winners never did well in The Open the following week. That all changed when Mickelson did the double a couple of years ago. He is here again & is available at 20/1.
I have picked five players on the basis of form & links play.
Shane Lowry is the perfect links player brought up in links courses in Ireland. He showed his form in the Irish Open & again in the US Open. I expect him to contend this week and again next week and is brilliant value at 25/1 (Paddy Power - 6 places)
Branden Grace did us proud in the US Open and was one careless shot from winning it. He has the perfect game for links courses and is value at 22/1 (Paddy Power - 6 places)
Victor Dubuisson is a talent but lacks the consistency. He got into a great position in the French Open last week but a poor final round threw it away. However, he now has two consecutive Top Twenty finishes for the first time this season & his short game is ideally suited to the Gullane course. He represents decent value at 50/1 (SKY Bet - 6 places)
I have also gone for Byeong Un An at 50/1 (Paddy Power - 6 places)
Matthew Fitzpatrick is a player I like. He won The Open qualifier on this course two years ago so is worth a punt at 125/1.
I also like a few other lively outsiders - Tyrrell Hatton, Mark Warren & Thomas Aitken but will settle for the above.
John Deer Classic
I have mentioned previously the perils of tournaments the week before a major, particularly when playing on a different continent.
Three players stand out here because they have a track record of taking this tournament very seriously. One is the favourite, Jordan Speith. Speith won here two years ago in a playoff and was let down by a poor first round last year. I am torn whether this will have his full attention with the possibility of a third consecutive major on the horizon and odds of 7/2 are pretty skinny. At the moment, I am going to pass.
Zach Johnson is probably the best bet here. He has the best record in this event over the last five years, winning it three years ago. He is decent value at 10/1 (Bet365 - 5 places)
Steve Stricker has won this event three times since 2009 so is guaranteed to give it his best. He represents great value at 40/1 (Coral - 5 places)
There are others I like here - Ryan Moore, Harris English, David Hearn & Justin Thomas but I will stick with those that I know will give it 100%.
Scottish Open
Justin Rose is the favourite after his win last year. However, a change of course give him less of an edge although he has the game to compete on a links course. Traditionally, it has been considered a curse to win the Scottish Open as winners never did well in The Open the following week. That all changed when Mickelson did the double a couple of years ago. He is here again & is available at 20/1.
I have picked five players on the basis of form & links play.
Shane Lowry is the perfect links player brought up in links courses in Ireland. He showed his form in the Irish Open & again in the US Open. I expect him to contend this week and again next week and is brilliant value at 25/1 (Paddy Power - 6 places)
Branden Grace did us proud in the US Open and was one careless shot from winning it. He has the perfect game for links courses and is value at 22/1 (Paddy Power - 6 places)
Victor Dubuisson is a talent but lacks the consistency. He got into a great position in the French Open last week but a poor final round threw it away. However, he now has two consecutive Top Twenty finishes for the first time this season & his short game is ideally suited to the Gullane course. He represents decent value at 50/1 (SKY Bet - 6 places)
I have also gone for Byeong Un An at 50/1 (Paddy Power - 6 places)
Matthew Fitzpatrick is a player I like. He won The Open qualifier on this course two years ago so is worth a punt at 125/1.
I also like a few other lively outsiders - Tyrrell Hatton, Mark Warren & Thomas Aitken but will settle for the above.
John Deer Classic
I have mentioned previously the perils of tournaments the week before a major, particularly when playing on a different continent.
Three players stand out here because they have a track record of taking this tournament very seriously. One is the favourite, Jordan Speith. Speith won here two years ago in a playoff and was let down by a poor first round last year. I am torn whether this will have his full attention with the possibility of a third consecutive major on the horizon and odds of 7/2 are pretty skinny. At the moment, I am going to pass.
Zach Johnson is probably the best bet here. He has the best record in this event over the last five years, winning it three years ago. He is decent value at 10/1 (Bet365 - 5 places)
Steve Stricker has won this event three times since 2009 so is guaranteed to give it his best. He represents great value at 40/1 (Coral - 5 places)
There are others I like here - Ryan Moore, Harris English, David Hearn & Justin Thomas but I will stick with those that I know will give it 100%.
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.