With Ian on a family holiday and me set to join them all for a few days today, the updates have been few and far this week but will return as normal next week. With that being said, Ian has written up a short piece for this week.

Gleneagles once again hosts the Johnnie Walker Championship. It is a course that will test every aspect of your game. It is a 7,316 yard long par 72 course that particularly rewards those who hit a lot of greens and putt well. The Championship ran for the first time in 1999 and has been a permanent fixture ever since. It is a tournament that has thrown up some up some unlikely winners like Peter Hedblom who won last year at I believe, 80-1 and Miles Tunnicliff who won it in 2004. It is also well worth noting that this competition seems to be a happy hunting ground for Swedes and Englishmen. In fact, if you go over the past winners, there have been four English winners and two Swedish winners of this event, not to mind all the top tens that these nationalities have amassed over the years. Also, the weather is meant to be ‘iffy’ so this will suit players who come from colder, wetter climates. So essentially what we are looking for in terms of stats is a player that hits a lot of greens in regulation and is a good putter. For his background we are looking for someone who is from a cold, wet country, preferably England or Sweden and this is what I came up with.

Simon Dyson each way @ 20/1
If anyone deserves my top tip it’s Dyson. His determination to get onto the Ryder Cup team is phenomenal and automatic qualification can only be made possible by a win this week. He’s had a disappointing season so far but a tied twelfth place at the US PGA Championship and a tied fifth last week in the Czech Open have given Dyson an unlikely chance to make the European Ryder Cup side automatically. The second thing that Dyson has going for him is that he is from England. His background of having to play in poor weather should benefit him hugely when he comes to Gleneagles this week. The third thing he has going for him is his general game. He is very much a precision player who hits a lot of greens and even though this year’s putting stats are worse than average, past years suggest that he is a good putter. Despite his miserly odds, many contributing factors to this tournament are going in Dyson’s favour, which make him well worth a bet.

Stephen Gallacher each way @ 25/1
Ok he’s not English or Swedish but Im sure a Scotsman of all people, can handle the weather conditions. He will have home support which will do him the world of good and, since he is from Scotland, he will clearly be used to whatever is thrown at him this week. The Scot clearly likes competitions in the UK, recording four top sixes in this part of the world already this year. He is a long, inaccurate hitter but this is also caused by the fact that he runs out of fairway a lot of the time because he is so long. On top of this he hits over seventy percent of greens in regulation which is huge especially for someone who hasn’t won on tour yet. His putting stats aren’t amazing but this is also down to the fact that he hits so many greens in regulation. With two top twenty finishes in his last two events, Gallacher can be trusted to put up a strong showing this week. Not the best odds but this could well be the Gallacher’s week.

“My personal opinion is that Simon Dyson will not win this week. There is an immense amount of pressure that goes with trying to make the Ryder Cup team and I think it will effect him as the weak wears on. I think the same can be said for the likes of Ross McGowan and while Alvaro Quiros may mount a challenge, I don’t think you can justify parting with your cash on such a player. Instead, I would be looking at a more solid, all-round player who does not have the pressures of the Ryder Cup on their shoulders and that man is Raphael Jaquelin. Best priced at 55/1, Im willing to have some of that!”

Have a great week all. Friday sees me going one on one with Ian in Rosslare Golf Club. Although I will be giving away 10 shots, Im confident I can take him