Whenever I provide a tip for my readers, I am looking for value for money and a golfer who I feel can give them a good run for their money. Its never nice when the tips dont perform and even before Sundays round, you feel like you are out of the competition. Thankfully this was not the case this week as Chapchai Nirat at 25/1 was well in contention heading into Sunday.

The day began excellently for me. Andrew Coltart (7/1 to finish in the top-10) shot 66 and to move into the top-10 which looked profitable. A fantastic round from a man in form. Chapchai Nirat then produced some solid golf to get to -6 with only 1 hole to to play. So, with only a handful of players left on the course and Nirat in T2 playing the last and Coltart T10, I was in for a great weekend. Then, by some cruel twist of faith, the golfing gods looked down on me and decided, nope…not today. Marcus Brier birdies the 18th to knock Coltart down to T11 and therefore out of the money. This was unfortunate but when Nirat double-bogeyed the last…well this was just downright frustrating. This left Nirat at -4 and amazingly, one shot outside the placings. In the space of 1-hour, my profitable bets had turned into loosing ones. Golf can be a cruel game but this was just ridiculous!

We cant take anything away from the winner Scott Strange though. A fantastic final round of 68 got him to -8, enough to pip Fernando Gonzalo Castano by a single shot. It is interesting to note that Castano has now been 2nd in his past two events and therefore it would seem, due a win! Andrew Coltart is also in good form, T6, T21 and T11 in his last 3 events..worth keeping an eye on in future events. From an Irish point of view, it was great to see a top-10 finish from Paul McGinely. Here’s hoping for more good play from the likeable Irishman.

Well, I said this tournament would be wide open and it was. I’m off now for a little cry and an hour of waving my fists in the air at the golfing gods shouting “Why me? God damn you, can you see we are in a recession!!”