Golf Betting Column: What The Golfinggods Say….

There just some players who, for all the world, look like they have a game that should win them a tournament at least a year, but for some reason or not they do not. Well two such players had well deserved wins over the weekend.

Firstly Brad Faxon shot a wonderful nine under par final round and then birdied the first playoff hole to beat Tjaart van der Walt. Brad has always had a putting stroke to die for and perhaps his driving has held him back. But you still wonder why he has not won more tournaments. Perhaps I have estimated the strength of his 'on paper' game and perhaps he can only be competitive in mid strength fields. I hope I am have this wrong because such a popular guy as Faxon deserves a win every year, especially if it means we can watch a putting stroke that has been touched by God!

On the other side of the pond David Howell was winning the BMW International tournament in Germany. Here is a guy that has all the talent under the sun but I think he does not believe in himself enough. I mean it seems that every week he is in contention and with only two wins to his European Tour career this seems a small reward for some obvious talent. Perhaps he will be the David Duval (pre crash) of the tour with this win opening the door to many more and quickly too.

The US PGA tour heads to Massachussetts for the Deutsche Bank Championship played at the TPC of Boston. Measuring at 7,415 yards this course, like so many others on tour, will favour the longer hitters. Both the fairways and greens are of an adequate size and slope and the rough difficult but not severe. This is a tournament that encourages low scores and anything worse than 15 under par this week will not be close.

Selections:

Tiger Woods: perhaps he is too short to back at 2/1 but it is better than Bank interest and in the form he is in now it could be the best bet you have all year.

Fred Couples: the length of the course will not bother Fred and his overall game has improved this year. If his putting is sound then he could contend come Sunday.

Charles Howell III: he has the length and the game for this course because it does not require genuine shot making ability. Charles has a fairly one dimensional game and that will suit this course. He could go well this week.

Others to consider: Vijah Singh, Brandt Jobe and Ryan Palmer.

The European tour moves to the beautiful course at Crans-Sur-Sierre in Switzerland for the Omega European Masters. The course is very short at 6,857 yards and added to this is the extra ten percent carry achieved at altitude. However low scores are achievable if the greens are mastered. Most of them are up turned saucers with severe run offs and will test the short game and the putting stroke of every player. Add to this the greens are hard to read and you have a course that allows almost anyone to win.

Selections:

Sergio Garcia: in form and has the short game and driving ability to really shoot low here. His only weakness is the putter and a solid week on the greens should see him go close.

Luke Donald: the defending champion is too consistent to not play well this week. No real weaknesses in his game and one of the best young players in the world. Must go close again.

Henrik Stenson: will hit more fairways and greens than most players this week and it is only a cold putter that can hold him back. If the putter is behaving this week he can will this easily.

Others to mention: Maarten Lafeber, Peter Hanson and Mark Foster.

Until next week – May The Golfinggods Be With You!