We all knew the day would come when Francesco Molinari would really announce himself on the world scene of golf, we just didn’t think it would take this long. Indeed, we here at We get golf have been long time admirers of the Molinari brothers, evident from the numerous times we have recommended them as betting tips. However, after living most of 2010 in the shadow of his brother, Fancesco came good this week. It wasn’t that anything changed in his long game, because that has always been superb. It was of course his putting.
After doing some work with Mark Roe, the now Sky Sports commentator, Franceso finally began to look more comfortable on the greens and started rolling rolling in a few. Low and behold, even with the immense pressure he was under as Westwood waited to pounce on any errors, Franceso looked calm. I firmly believe that in the past when in contention, Franceso used to falter quite regularly due to the pressure he was putting himself under to have to hit greens due to his inability to hole enough putts. It is somewhat similar to Sergio Garcia but hopefully now going forward, Franceso can maintain that standard of putting and continue to please spectators with his incredibly high calibre of golf.
For We Get Golf, I can boast to have finally gotten one over on our top tipster Ian, as 2 of my 3 selections finished in the placings. Lee Westwood produced a fantastic four rounds of golf, reinforcing the point that he is deservedly the new world number 1. Unfortunately for me, he couldn’t quite win but a place finish at 18/1 is nothing to scoff at. Luke Donald at 20/1 also did me proud to claim a place. Padraig Harrington at 28/1 and Ross Fisher at 40/1 also looked like delivering profits this week and they were well inside the placings at one stage. However, a terrible run from Fisher destroyed his chances and a sloppy final 6 holes from Harrington put paid to his chances and further raised the debate on whether Harrington can reclaim the form of yester-years. I remain hopeful he can but he must somehow eradicate the silly mistakes he is making.
Francesco Molinari leads the HSBC Champions at -9 but we are monitoring our tips for this week extremely closely in what has been a great start. Ian’s top pick, Ross Fisher @ 40/1, continued his steady progress with a second round of 70, to sit only 4 shots back. Meanwhile, Nick Watney shot out of the blocks quickly on Friday and eventually settled for a 68. He lies 5 shots back and at 25/1, Ian is licking his lips at what he sees as a great each way prospect. Unfortunately, his other pick, Graeme McDowell stuttered on the first day, not entirely surprising considering the demands of last week in my view, and will have it all to do at +1 if he is to make any impression on this tournament.
Although clearly Ian is the expert, I like to throw my opinion in now and again and see if I can get one over on our top tipster. Early days but I might just prove that this week. My top man, Lee Westwood @ 18/1, proved just why he is World number 1 with a great opening round of 66 and followed that up with a 70 to lie in second place, only one shot back. My other two selections, Luke Donald and Padraig Harrington are also in the top 10 presently, at -6 and -4 respectively. Lets hope for more of the same and who knows, perhaps another 1-2 for the blog.
Due to the fact the golf is in China, the viewing hours are hardly ideal. Nevertheless, being the addict that I am, the alarm clock will be set to 5am (I must be mad) for the 3rd round and then its off to the gym at 7am followed by a few hours on the driving range trying to replicate what I just watched on TV……one can always dream!!
The WGC-HSBC Champions is the last World Golf Championship of the season. When it began in 2006, it was simply another event on tour but last year it was ordained a World Golf Championship. An interesting thing is that the event was actually played twice last year, once as a World Golf Championship and the other as just the HSBC Champions. It is a highly lucrative event with the prize fund being an estimated $7,000,000 which equates to just over €5,000,000. This is a prize fund that will offer a huge winning prize fund of well over €800,000, which of means many of the top players in the world are in attendance. The venue itself is a 7,266 yard long par 72 that, judging by history, suits longer players that don’t necessarily have to be accurate but do have to hit a lot of greens in regulation. As well as that, the event favours high profile players and surprise winners have been scarce. It is also a historic event in terms of the world rankings because this is the first week that there has been a different world number one in some time. Last week Lee Westwood passed out Tiger Woods and the question now is, for how long? There are now a host of golfers eyeing up the opportunity to reach number one so changing of the guard should occur more regularly than it did during Tiger Woods’ 281 week reign at the top. With that being said, it’s on to this weeks tips:
Ross Fisher each way @ 40/1
I have a really good feeling about Fisher this week. We are looking for a good driver and Fisher springs to mind as one of the best in the world. At the Ryder Cup, he looked solid and extremely confident. His attitude towards every game that he played was extremely positive and even by his own admittance; it was a huge learning curve for him. Since Europe’s victory, he has played three events and has recorded two top fifteens and a top thirty, quite impressive when you consider he must have taken some time to recover from the mental and physical strain that week demands. Also, his finish of tied fourteenth last week was on a Valderrama course that was way out of his comfort zone, which didn’t suit his game one bit so I think his game is perhaps even better than results would suggest. Past form here?…..well he previously finished in a tie for second with Lee Westwood after losing out on a playoff to Phil Mickleson so that too is in our favor. Good current and past form and high in confidence is enough to tempt me to Fisher but their is one final piece of the jigsaw which makes it Ross an absolute must for my top tip this week…….his odds. At 40/1, he looks over priced and great value. The only negative may be a bit of fatigue but Im willing to overlook this.
Graeme McDowell each way @ 25/1
I realise how hard it is for someone to win two straight weeks in a row but I firmly believe G-Mac can do it. He did us proud last week and I see no reason to drop him as a tip. He really has had a terrific year and following the Ryder Cup, many people were saying that he has capped off a terrific year. We didn’t believe that here at wegetgolf.com however, hence the reason we backed him last week. Having won last week, he is right in the thick of the Race to Dubai, where he stands in second, roughly €530,000 behind first place Martin Kaymer. In terms of how he sets up to the course, I wouldn’t say he’s ideal but he’s certainly not far off. He isn’t the longest hitter which may be somewhat at odds with my opening paragraph. However, his ability to consistently hit greens in regulation means McDowell is a serious consideration. 25/1 is over double the odds we got on him last week and considering he has just broken into the top 10 in the world and continues to impress week in, week out, Im giving the Ulsterman the nod of approval again this week.
Nick Watney each way @ 25/1
I had a real selection problem with my last pick. I was left with Mr Watney, Rickie Fowler and Danny Willett. They are all very good drivers of the ball and are in good form so what I had to base it on was wins. Since Fowler and Willett have never won an event before and have no experience in this particular event I felt that the more experienced Nick Watney, who has won twice before, should take precedence. He has also finished in a tie for sixth and a tie for fourth in his last two events so as far as form is concerned, we don’t need to worry. As for his past form here, he finished in fifth place last year, the first time it was christened as a World Golf Championship. Something to worry about is undoubtedly his ability to get in contention ans actually cross the line but he has recorded eight top tens this year and is twelfth in the Fed Ex Cup rankings so I feel he gets the benefit of the doubt. Odds of 25/1 appeal.
James View: Far be it for me to question mystical Ian after his superb 1-2 last week, but I think he may be off this week with his tips. Graeme McDowell is unquestionably in fantastic form but last weeks win was a grueling test, particularly the final 18 holes in such difficult conditions. Throw in a long trip across to China and I think tiredness may creep into McDowells game and result in enough unforced errors to rule him out of contention. As for Nick Watney, Ian is right, he has not contended and won as often as one would have hoped. With odds of 25/1, I want someone who I feel confident can actually get the job done and I don’t get that from Watney. True, he has each way potential but at 25/1, Im willing to look elsewhere. As for Ross Fisher, he certainly appeals at 40/1. Again I would be worried about fatigue but his odds justify backing him.
My top 3 are somewhat different to Ian’s however. I want players who are in form and are somewhat rested. Great odds for world number 1, Lee Westwood @ 18/1. I know he is only back from injury but I think that rest will have done him good and I don’t foresee it having much effect on his game. Being the quality player that he is, Westwood will have no problem adapting to the change in climate or the various grasses in Asia. One of his partners at the Ryder Cup, Luke Donald @ 20/1, is certainly one of the best iron players the game has today. Although not long off the tee, he is such a good player with a fantastic temperament that it is difficult to imagine him not contending every week. The fact he played last week in Asia means he has less travel than many others to endure, a major plus in my view. My final selection, a blast from the past somewhat, is mine and every Irishmans favorite, Padraig Harrington. His recent win in Asia should give hime confidence and he will be eager to kick on and prove he is once more a force to be reckoned with. The jury is still out but at 28/1, and have acclimatized for the past weeks in Asia, Im hoping Padraig has a big week.
The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship is hosted on three different courses, all being links. St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns are the venues of choice and the event usually suits players from Great Britain and Ireland. In fact, eight of the nine champions have come from Ireland, England and Scotland. Time for a Northern Irish or Welsh winner perhaps? The only other winner was Robert Karlsson from Sweden. In terms of the weather, it will clearly suit players from colder, wetter climates and the more experience they have of links golf the better. For the first three rounds, there will be a pro-am event and the cut is then brought in after the third round. A star studded field grace the tournament, with nine out of the twelve of Europe’s Ryder Cup team taking part as well as some other big names. I have gone over my options and after much consideration, these are my selections.
Francesco Molinari each way @ 33/1
Despite being the lowest scoring player on the European Ryder Cup side, Francesco played quite well and I feel that the he was the reason why Edoardo and he got half a point against Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar. He ran into some really tough opponents and he played a Tiger Woods that we have not seen for ages. All in all, I was quite pleased with Francesco’s Ryder Cup because, if he could putt, he would have come away with more than what he did. From tee to green he was superb, but his putting let him down. So this week there will be less pressure, he will be on a high, he’s in good form and the crowds will be behind him. That makes him a pretty tempting bet to me. If Molinari can get his putting right and he’s not too tired after his Ryder Cup experience, he has a great chance at going close here.
Damien Mcgrane each way @ 66/1
It’s tough to look past the top players in this field but I’m going to have a try with Damien Mcgrane. For those of you who don’t know Damien, he is a short but accurate player with plenty experience of playing in bad weather. In fact, his only win on tour happened at the Volvo China Open where the weather was brutal and he won by nine clear shots. The reason I bring this up is that it is possible for the weather to turn nasty, especially since this event is being played in Scotland. Mcgrane will struggle with length this week but he has a golfing brain and should be able to overcome that with a sharp short game. At 66/1 Mcgrane is worth it.
Lee Westwood each way @ 10/1
There is only one reason for Westwood to be so far down in my tips and that is because of his odds. Basically, Westwood is the new world number two and it seems more likely that he, instead of Mickleson will take top spot off Tiger. After a steady Ryder Cup, Westwood will really look to make a charge at Tiger number one spot with a win here.
I would also like to mention one more player and that is Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie. Monty has done nothing this year, absolutely nothing except, captaining a team that would win the Ryder Cup. Now he returns to singles action with thousands of his home fans cheering him on. Trust me, they will be cheering. This could really give him a lift and with such an experienced links and bad weather player how can you say no to him at 250/1.
James’ Opinion
I think it is very difficult to pick a winner this week more than most because so many top players are coming off such a high that was the Ryder Cup and yet so many are in such great form. The fact it was a week that ran into Monday and due to the undoubtedly, extensive celebrations that followed, Im hesitant to put too much faith into the Ryder Cup stars and yet Im finding it difficult to ignore them.
Lee Westwood was in such startling form last week, he is an obvious choice but Im going to overlook him due to the tight odds. Rory McIlroy has an incredible record at St. Andrews and I expect that to continue. However, I would be concerned that if it is a wet and windy day when he plays Carnoustie, he could get beaten up. Im not willing to take the risk for a meagre 11/1. Therefore, Im going to go with Reteif Goosen. His form is quite good and he is coming into the tournament fresh. Regardless of weather conditions, his demeanor is pretty much the same always and he tends to just get on with things. At 18/1, I think he represents value. Elsewhere, Im going to go for two slight outsiders. Oliver Wilson is finding some form again and you feel its only a matter of time before the confidence starts flowing through the veins once more. I still think he is a winner in waiting and after coming second here last year, his odds of 45/1 appeals and he is worthy of an each way bet. He can also be backed at 7/2 for a top 10 which provides a bit more of a cushion. My final man was involved in the Ryder Cup, not as a player but as a vice captain. Darren Clarke has impressed me hugely in the second half of this year. His long game has always been solid but it is his short game which looks sharper and above else, his attitude on the course looks so much better. His lack of golf over the past few weeks as well as the strain last week may have inflicted is, I will admit, a large concern but at 66/1, he represents enough value for me to have a gamble. He can also be had at a very impressive 11/2 for a top 10 finish and something that warrants serious consideration. Two further people who I considered but who just missed out on my top 3 were Ross Fisher and Peter Hanson. Hanson in particular is 40/1 and despite being a rookie last week, he showed enough flashes to justify his place on that team. His odds are incredibly generous this week but again, its difficult to know how he will perform on the back of a long tiring week. Hence, he was left out in favor of Clarke.
Highlights of round 1 from the WGC Bridgestone Invitational, brought to you by Casey Black (who looks striking in red don’t you agree?). It was a good day for scoring with Bubba Watson leading the way at -6 but Mickelson, McDowell and co are in hot pursuit.
It was not a day for Tiger Woods though as he slumped to a horrible four over par 74. The worst thing for Tiger is that he cant simply point to one part of his game being the problem because every aspect of it was horrible. On numerous occasions, he missed fairways by 40 yards+. his distance control was average at best and his putting was terrible. The world is now wondering are we now witnessing the demise of the great one? I’m reserving judgement for now!
Finally, Ive decided to take a swipe at golf commentators, surprise, surprise!! For those who watched on the Golf Channel yesterday, the commentary was brought to you by Ewan Murray, Craig Perks and Ian-Baker Finch. Now while I generally enjoy listening to them, I sometimes wonder do they suffer from amnesia or something during the days play. For instance, let me explain what annoyed me yesterday.
Lee Westwood starts off yesterday one group ahead of Padraig Harrington. Westwood is known for his immaculate play from tee to green but suspect short game. Harrington is the complete opposite, a somewhat wild, inconsistent ball striker with probably the best short game in the world (possibly joined by Phil Mickelson but I still think Harrington has a wider array of shots in the bag).
So, as the round gets going, Im watching and commenting on how Lee is enduring such a non-Westwood like round as he sprays the ball off the fairways and misses countless greens. Meanwhile, Harrington is still missing fairways but his greens in regulation are pretty good so all in all, its not bad from Padraig. Bearing all this in mind, you can imagine my surprise then when as Westwood approaches the end of his round, Ewan Murray suggests Lee has been a little unfortunate with his round in that he hadnt played badly and gotten nothing out of it. Meanwhile, they are still harping on about Harrington’s erratic driving and how he has gotten the max out of a substandard round. Here were three “professional”commentators who were completely disillusioned with their stereotypical views as opposed to analyzing the game that was being played in front of them. Im not saying that going forward, Harrington will be a more consistent player than Westwood but on this particular day, Harrington was less erratic than Westwood and it was Lee who got the max out of his game with some great sand saves etc. To back up my conclusions, I checked the stats and here they are:
Driving Accuracy: Lee Westwood – 50%, Padraig Harrington – 50% Putt Per Round: Lee Westwood – 28, Padraig Harrington – 28 Greens In Regulation: Lee Westwood – 50%, Padraig Harrington – 67% Sand Saves: Lee Westwood – 100%, Padraig Harrington – 50%
So to sum up, Westwood hit 9 greens while Harrington hit 12 greens in regulation. Considering the superior short game of Harrington, you would think that Harrington would have outscored Westwood by 4 shots or so! Not the case though as Lee hung in there and ground out a 71 while Harrington returned a 69….One would hope that these commentators could conduct a similar analysis and maintain perspective throughout a round rather than making silly unfounded claims.
Fresh from posting Ian’s tips earlier, I always like to do my own betting on any of golfs majors and world events. So, for those that are interested and for those who want to see me pitted against Ian, here is my take on this week.
Firstly, there are a few points worth noting:
1. Every winner since 2000 has either a win or multiple top 5 finishes on the PGA Tour in the season to date.
2. Players with a link to Florida or Georgia succeed – every single winner since 1997 either has a residence there, schooled there or was brought up from one of those 2 states.
3. Other than Tiger Woods, no-one has won this event at their first attempt.
4. The course is long at 7,400 yards as a par 70, therefore long accurate hitting is required.
Now some of the names I seriously considered were Lee Westwood, Steve Stricker and Matt Kuchar but if we stick rigidly to the criteria above, all are eliminated. So, who was left……well there were a total of 10. These were Els, Allenby, Woods, Goosen, Kim, Poulter, Johnson, Palmer, Mahan and Villegas. To narrow it down, here are my top 3.
1. Reteif Goosen @ 40/1
2. Dustin Johnson @ 45/1
3. Ernie Els @ 33/1
While i like Ian’s selections of Westwood and Mahan, I dont think Molinari stands out as a candidate considering this is his first time playing there. Considering no one other than Tiger Woods has won at his firstt attempt here, I think that stat is pretty conclusive of just how difficult this course can be. We shall wait and see but Im hoping my guys can outperform our top tipster this week.
A little behind schedule but here is our tipster Ian’s verdict for this week.
The Bridgestone Invitational returns once again to the beautiful Firestone country club. It has been described by Phil Mickleson as the best course the pros play on tour. It is a long course that demands accuracy but also requires length. Tiger Woods has won this event seven times which is quite spectacular in itself, which is made even more spectacular by the fact that the Bridgestone Invitational has only been played eleven times. But this week I am going to ignore Woods as a tip as I feel he is not back to his best and that he will find it difficult to compete with some of the other amazing golfers on tour.
Hunter Mahan each way at 40/1
I tipped the man a couple of weeks ago and he ran out of steam going into the weekend but I feel he could well be dangerous this week. He enjoys Firestone, finishing tied tenth here in 2008 and tied fourth here last year. His stats also match up with what’s required for the course. He drives the ball at an average of 291 yards. He couples this with driving accuracy of sixty nine percent. Mahan had a slow start to the season and the Ryder Cup will be playing on his mind, which should be an incentive for him to try to play well.
Lee Westwood each way @ 13/1
Slight odds for the Englishman but they could well be justified. On the European Tour, Westwood knocks the ball off the tee at an average of nearly 290 yards. Despite his accuracy only being just over sixty percent, he can rescue this with his terrific putting. He is clearly a man for the big competitions as he keeps coming close in majors and with over thirty wins worldwide, he is no stranger to victory. Also, he will have his own agenda knowing that Woods and Mickleson aren’t playing great; it could be his time to close in on the world number one spot. Even at 13/1, Westwood looks promising.
Edoardo Molinari each way @ 70/1
The young Italian has been in fantastic form lately, beating a star studded field in Scotland and then maintaining that form and finishing third in Sweden. His stats are as impressive as his win. He hits the ball nearly 299 yards off the tee and has a driving accuracy percentage of 67.5 percent. But this next stat is one of the most impressive anybody will ever hear. Molinari manages to 77.5 percent of greens in regulation. Unfortunately his putting isn’t exactly impressive but if he can get the flat stick working I don’t see why he can’t win this competition. Also, like Mahan, he is looking for a Ryder Cup place. With his brother in the team at the present he would love make it and trust me, brotherly rivalry will motivate you more than anything in this world.
I also took into consideration this week, Francesco Molinari, Boo Weekly and Padraig Harrington but didn’t choose them for different reasons.
There will be more later including videos and my own personal view of who we should be looking out for this week. For now though, it’s 7:40am and I’m getting ready to head off and play the Jack Nicklaus designed Mount Juliet in an open fourball. More updates on my return.
The debate about who is the Worlds Greatest golfer is of course always hotly contested and always will be. In the video above we get two different view points and now, I am going to weigh in with mine.
Firstly, I had to grapple with what exactly are we looking for when we say the “worlds best golfer”. In the video, one member picks Westwood on current form while another picks Woods on past form and future form. This is all a little confusing so to make it a bit more clear in everyone’s mind and to get that brain of yours working into overdrive, here is the scenario:
Tomorrow morning, every male professional golfer will tee it up in a competition, lets call it “The Ultimate Major”. There will be 4 consecutive rounds with one each played on what I consider some of the best courses in the world: Augusta, Carnoustie, Pebble Beach and Sawgrass. If you can correctly pick the winner, you stand to win $100,000, if you fail to pick the winner, you lose, lets say, your house. So, with that in mind, you really need to now consider just who would you bet your house on? Who in your mind, is the best golfer in the world? Who will net you $100,000? Well, if it’s my money and my house, there are only 5 men Im considering:
Lee Westwood: If there is one man in the world right now that has to come into your reckoning, it is Westwood. His record isn’t one that simply includes European wins, he is a multiple international winner. There is little doubt either that from tee to green right now, he is the most solid trust worthy player on tour. His chipping remains weak although it has improved and despite some still lackluster days on the greens, his putting has come on along way in the past few years also. The big question with Westwood is that being in contention is simply not good enough in our case here. Each way doesn’t cut and unfortunately, Westwood’s ability to close out majors is in question and something I have to consider too.
Tiger Woods: Who could argue with his past record and his ability to win tournaments that seemed beyond his reach. Time and time again, the Tiger Woods of old would hit irons shots to pins barely legal, produce chip shots that were barely imaginable and hold putts that seemed barely hole-able. He was, and still is according to the rankings, the undisputed world number 1. However, a lot has happened in a year. Before, he was the game of golf, he seemingly wrote the rules and you were either with him, or you were simply out….end of story! Now, the spotlight is focused on his behavior and every minute detail and move he makes is rightly scrutinized. His golf as a result is suffering. His driving is average at best (I am being nice here) and all of a sudden the hole has gone from being the size of a bucket to the size of an egg cup holder. Heck, somedays he must wonder does the hole just keep moving on him with the amount he is missing. And so, here is my dilemma, do I really think Tiger can get it around Carnoustie and Pebble Beach especially without getting into trouble once too often? I know he can be there or thereabouts but can he maintain that level of consistency for 72 holes? Add to the fact we know already he tends to struggle at the British Open when the wind picks up.
Phil Mickelson: I don’t think there is anyone on the world who wouldn’t cheer if Mickelson dethroned tiger as World number 1. Not only because he is such a likable, genuine role model but also because of his cavalier approach to the game. He knows nothing but attack and he thrills audiences the world over with this style. If Mickelson is in contention in any tournament, it is always worth tuning in to watch because you never know whats coming next. Of course, we all know that his particular weakness is his erratic driving, made up somewhat by without doubt the best short game in the business. There is no one, absolutely no one better or more imaginative around the greens than Mickelson. The worrying part though, in addition to the driving is his putting. He really has struggled for the past few years with the short stick and for now, the inconsistencies show no signs of letting up. Weighing it all up, we know Mickelson will be in contention in Augusta, Sawgrass is manageable too and perhaps Pebble Beach, but what of Carnoustie? Could you imagine Mickelson being tied for the lead with Westwood, Woods, Els and McIlroy on a windy final day at Carnoustie and your house is on the line. I myself would be a nervous wreck because every time that driver gets pulled out of the bag, its shut your eyes and pray time. Could he really hold it together for the entire 72 holes?
Ernie Els: The big Easy and another of golfs more likable and gentle role models. It was difficult to watch what seemed to be the demise of Els only for him to resurrect his career in the manner champions only know how. To be honest, there are not many weaknesses in his game but in each department, you would not say he is the best. It is his all around game and consistency which leads me to believe he has to be a serious consideration. Whats more, like Westwood, none of the 4 courses would give him any undue extra problems. He has the game to win anywhere, which is what he has proven throughout his career. The biggest fear I have with Ernie, particularly when it comes to majors, is that putting stroke. I flat out don’t like the look of it and come the back nine on Sunday in previous majors I have watched him, I think it begins to look a bit twitchy. Do I really think he can hold the putts when required to save my house?
Rory McIlroy: This is the man I believe will fill Tigers boots, although maybe not emulate the career that Woods has had. The young Irishman is an incredible talent and for those who have yet to witness his ball striking in person, you are honestly missing out for it is a think of beauty. From tee to green, McIlroy can be sensational. One only has to think back to the weekend of Quail Hollow to justify such a statement. There are however some question marks over McIlroy. One is that he is still very young and we should expect that his learning curve will last a little while longer yet. Evidence of such was at the second round of the British Open this year where he shot an 80 in testing conditions. The ability to grind out scores and turn 80′s into 75′s, like Woods so often does is what you need to be the Worlds best. There is also the issue with his putting. It is the single part of his game that looks…well…..ordinary! To become the Worlds best, he must find a way of improving it in my view because he rarely looks like the invincible machine that Woods did in the past on the greens. Taking everything into account, could McIlroy really upset the odds and stand toe to toe with the Worlds best, stare them in the eyes coming down the stretch and produce the shots needed to win. Is he at this early stage capable of holing the putts that matter?
So many questions, so many debates, but I have to make a decision and my top 5 in order of preference at this moment in time are as follows…….drum role please:
1. Lee Westwood
2. Tiger Woods
3. Phil Mickelson
4. Ernie Els
5. Rory McIlroy
Lee Westwood gets the nod because as far as I am concerned, he is due a major and the most consistent golfer in the world today. People kept telling me Harrington was a choker and all of a sudden, he had won three majors in the space of 18 months. It takes a bit of good fortune to win a major, a bad shot getting lucky, a bad putt dropping when it shouldn’t, a lucky bounce etc. For my money, Westwood is doing everything right to win a major. I am confident he will win one and it may as well be “The Ultimate Major”. He is the only one I could possibly feel confident of with my house on the line (I should point out I actually still rent but just go along with it). Woods and Mickelson are just that little bit wild for me and I would be nervous of both around Carnoustie in difficult conditions. Ernie is generally quite steady but I sadly think his majors days could be behind him and McIlroy is simply too inexperienced for my liking to handle courses to the magnitude of Pebble Beach when it is set up in a US Open style. His time is coming, and probably sooner than most expect, but it will not come this week unfortunately!
So, with that evaluation done, why don’t you have a little think about it and leave a comment below with your top 5. Needless to say, it doesn’t have to include my 5 picks. I am aware that Stricker, Furyk, Poulter, Donald, Casey, McDowell, Ishikawa and more were left out so let me know why I was wrong in doing so. I look forward to your comments but rest assured, any top tip other than Lee Westwood and as far as Im concerned, it’s bye-bye house and not even the sniff of $100,000.
Lee Westwood……We Get Golf’s “Ultimate Major” Winner
If it was drama you were looking for at the final round of this years British Open, you were most likely disappointed. Thats because South African Louis Oosthuizen strolled to a 7 shot victory in what seemed like one of the most comfortable British Open successes we have seen in a while. In fact probably not since Tiger Woods back here in 2005 have we witnessed such a procession. However, no one had it in the script that Oosthuizen could maintain such calmness and quality of playing for 3 days following on from his opening 64, except Louis himself of course.
The manner in which he won was simply sensational. If you are a golf purist, you have to admire the courage it takes lead a major from early Friday morning and maintain that lead until Sunday afternoon. When he three putted the opening hole on Saturday, there was a feeling that perhaps his slide had started. Oh how we couldn’t have been more wrong. On Sunday, as Casey fought hard and closed the gap to just 4 shots after a bogey from the South African on the 8th, you again thought perhaps now Louis would really feel the pressure and inevitably start coming back towards the rest of the field. Yet again, he dispelled such notions by driving the green on the 9th and rolling in the putt for an eagle two. A triple bogey on the 12th from Casey and it was all over. Perhaps not officially over until the fat lady sings but at this stage, the lungs were filled and she was ready to blast out the tune.
What followed for the remaining 6 holes was a lesson from Oosthuizen on how to close out a major. The game plan remained the same, he continued to swing with a freedom and each booming drive was greeted with a fairway. The crisp iron shots were finding their targets, the putting stroke was smooth and above all else, he remained perfectly calm and in control of his emotions.
It may have seemed like a one man show but there were other people out there who played and can be satisfied by the performances. Lee Westwood finished second at -9 in what was another strong showing from the Englishman (or will we call him British?) and surely it is only a matter of time before he wins a major. Of course, the longer he goes without winning one, the more doubt creeps into the mind and the task becomes that little bit harder…just ask Monty and Garcia!
Back in third place were Rory McIlroy, Paul Casey and Henrik Stenson. McIlroy in particular will look back on this week with mixed emotions. Having shot that fantastic opening 63 on Thursday, the manner in which he slumped to an 80 on Friday was disappointing. It was upsetting for me as an Irishman to watch because it was clear his head began to drop and instead of grinding out a 75, he was compounding his errors with further silly mistakes. It is something which McIlroy will reflect upon with regret but he is young and he is still learning his trade. To have gotten such an important lesson at such an early stage of his career is invaluable and he remains the greatest hope golf has of somehow matching at least some of Tiger Woods achievements in the game thus far.
For Woods, he will be encouraged by the fact his driving was much better. Calling me cynical but I think the fact he was aiming down fairways 100 yards wide and knowing there was little trouble down the left, made the task a little easier. Nevertheless, there were some improvements in the swing despite the fact he never really hit too many shots within “gimme” distance. True, not many players managed to do this all week but Woods isn’t just any other player. His putting too was disappointing which must be a concern. It is the one part of the game that technique goes out the window. You are either a good putter or you are not. For so long, Woods seemed to will balls into the hole. Will we ever see this Woods again? I wouldn’t rule it out but it certainly isn’t the case right now. For him to finish 13 shots behind the leader on a course that he really should be competing on will be a bit of a concern no doubt.
Today though was all about Louis. His routine par up the 72nd hole ensured he had written himself into the history books, following in the footsteps of his countrymen Bobby Locke, Gary Player and Ernie Els who have all won the Open Championship. It also occurred on the day South African legend Nelson Mandella celebrated his 92nd birthday…….perhaps it was simply meant to be! Our congratulations and respect go out to a most worthy champion.
2 years ago, we almost had the spectacular story the British Open craved when Greg Norman came down the final stretch in contention, only to be foiled in the end by the excellence of Harrington. Last year, again we all but witnessed the most spectacular story of major golf when Tom Watson led the Open with a single hole to go, only to be denied by a bit of misfortune and an attack of nerves it has to be said. This year, after only one day of the 2010 British Open at St.Andrews, a potentially phenomenal story looks like it could play out before our very eyes.
21 Year old Irish sensation, Rory McIlroy tore into St.Andrews today with the ruthlessness that could only be expected from someone so young and unconcerned by reputations. Despite only being -1 after 8 holes, an eagle two at the ninth kick started his round and his back nine of -6 was simply magical as he signed for a major record equalling 63. It was strikingly similar to that of his performance in Quail Hollow a few months ago, which is something for the others to sleep on and shudder at the mere though of it being repeated so soon.
Despite this incredible start though, it is still early days at the 2010 British Open and there are 3 long rounds ahead for Rory, especially when he sees the array of talent right behind him. Louis Oosthuizen is only a shot further back on -7 while Bradley Dredge, John Daly, Peter Hanson, ANdrew Coltart, Steve Tiley and Marcel Siem are all on -6. Daly was particularly impressive and only for some misfortune on the greens, he could have easily equalled McIlroy’s 63. On four separate occasions over the final 6 holes, Daly hit puts from within 15 feet that looked sure to drop, only to slip by the edge. I am a huge fan of Daly for his cavalier style approach on the golf course. Should he lift the Claret Jug come Sunday, he will be one of the most popular winners among the fans. If only he had some sort of dress sense to match his golf talents!
Tiger Woods sits ominously at -5 after a solid opening round. He actually got it to -6 before a short missed putt on 17 cost him bogey. Overall, Tiger was swinging it okay but he still looks vulnerable to the occasional snap hook. Todays conditions were perfect so mistakes were minimal out there during the morning session. Should the adverse weather roll into St Andrews, I still fear Woods could struggle a little. Needless to say, he will be there or thereabouts come Sunday but with the talent around him, I don’t think he can afford any mistakes, something he is still prone to and this early stage of his comeback.
Notably joining Woods on -5 are Lucas Glover, Nick Watney and Lee Westwood. I don’t think there is anyone in the World of golf who would begrudge Westwood his first major this week, such is the effort he has put in over recent seasons. Not to mention the fact he is one of the best ball strikers in the game today. Whats more, my English mate Paul always backs Westwood in the majors….and I mean always….but in a text I received from him today, he told me he remained loyal to the other English boys but chose not to back Westwood this time around. My, how costly will that prove come Sunday.
All in all, it was a reasonably entertaining opening round to the 2010 Open. I will confess that I am one of these people who would like to see the wind and rain move in for a few days and watch the pro’s really earn their keep. Forget the 63′s and 64′s, I want to see them grinding it out for 71′s and 72′s. Makes them seem human as I watch from the comfort of the armchair!!!
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