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.

And straight we go to Ian’s views on this week:

For all players playing on the PGA Tour, this is the pinnacle of their season, The Tour Championship. With big money at stake, every player will be looking to have as good a week as possible. But for some, it means the chance for a greater glory and the title of Fed Ex Cup champion. The tournament once again returns to the beautiful East Lake Golf Course. The course tends to suit longer hitters and those that are in good form. With only thirty players in the field, I will only give you two tips this week.

Phil Mickleson each way @ 13/2
It’s tough to pick someone at such short odds because it doesn’t offer value for money but if said person does happen to win the tournament, then it is clearly a good pick. This is the way I feel about ‘Lefty’ and I simply can’t leave him out. Granted he hasn’t been in good form lately but a tied eighth finish two weeks ago in the BMW Championship has hinted that a resurgence of form could be expected from Phil. His past form here however, makes up for this. In the last two years, this has been a very happy hunting ground for Mickleson. In 2008, he finished in a tie for third and last year he won this tournament so that alone makes him a logical tip. However, what makes him my number one tip is what would happen if he finished at worst in a three way tie for second. If this was to happen, Mickleson would rise above Tiger Woods in the world rankings and take his place on the highest podium golf has to offer. This week I’m tipping history to happen.

Matt Kuchar each way @ 11/1
I think we may have to rename this man Kuchar the Consistent, because that’s exactly what he is. His form this year has been nothing short of splendid and on that basis, he merits a tip. Kuchar holds three season bests so far this season and these are PGA Tour earnings, average scoring and most top tens which add up to an astounding eleven. His three performances in the Fed Ex Cup playoffs have easily marked him as the in-form player with a win, a tied eleventh and a tied third place finish. This week Kuchar won’t be too far off.

James here again: The great thing about owning this blog is I am entitled to voice my opinion and in what many might consider a strange twist, I’m going to disagree with many of Ian’s statements this week. Firstly, to claim that for any PGA Tour player, that the pinnacle of the season is the Tour Championship is plain wrong. I don’t know has Ian been sipping some of the auld black stuff but clearly something is a miss because last time I checked, the four majors were the pinnacle and the one thing all great players are measured by.

Instead Im going with Adam Scott (16/1) and Zach Johnson (20/1) to do well, in addition to Ian’s tip of Matt Kuchar. Scott is in flying form and if he can eradicate some of the silly bogeys, he surely wont be far away. Johnson too is back playing well and it would be a timely boost to win here before the Ryder Cup next week. Always a steely player, one would hope that if he can get off to a good start, come Sunday, he can be there or thereabouts.

Well the good news for those who you were wondering about my health is that, everything is a-okay. With foreign weddings and a busy workload building up at present, I unfortunately did not manage to find the time to write about my number one hobby…..golf! I am also in the process of showing Ian the ropes around the blog and he will in effect be taking it under his wing pretty soon. I hope to still write some pieces now and then but Ian will most likely be the one calling the shots. And calling the shots he certainly is today with his tops for the Vivendi Cup. Here are his brief, but always interesting thoughts:

“The Vivendi Cup will be played on two courses, both being par 72’s around the 6,800 yard mark. With sloping greens and numerous water hazards, both courses will require strategy. After summing up all my options, these are the players that I have decided on”

Raphael Jacquelin each way @ 20/1
The Frenchman was tied ninth last week and like Edberg, was tied second in France earlier this year. His stats might not suggest him as the perfect candidate for success this event but that doesn’t mean that he can’t do it. With home support, Jacquelin will be spurred on. Even at stingy odds like 20/1, Jacquelin cannot be ignored.

Pelle Edberg each way @ 33/1
Edberg finished tied eleventh last week and, had it not been for a poor final round, he could have finished a lot stronger. As I have already pointed out in a past post, Edberg is a long hitter but he is also accurate and is a terrific putter. This means that (a) he’ll be hitting shorter, more controlled shots into these undulating greens and (b) he will be able to cope with these greens as he is such a good putter. As if this wasn’t enough, Edberg finished runner up in France earlier this year. At 33/1 Edberg has the game to succeed.

Todd Hamilton each way @ 33/1
The former Open Championship champion appears to have squandered his chance of keeping his PGA Tour and so wants to try his luck in Europe. So far he has started well with two top fifteen finishes in his last two starts. He is a short hitter and should feel like he has more of a chance this week. At 33/1 and in good form, Hamilton is worth a bet.

So there is Ians concise summary. I have tipped Jaquelin a few times this year and as of yet, he has failed to deliver. Once bitten, twice shy is my course of action this week as a result. Elsewhere, I too like Edberg and fancy he could have a good week. Two others I will put a small each way bet on are Richard Green at 22/1 and Robert Rock at 40/1, both for the overall neat and tidy game coupled with solid putting statistics. However, despite the fact I won’t have money on him, the one man I hope has a really big week is Padraig Harrington. He desperately needs to find some form heading into the Ryder Cup and a win, or at least a top 10, would be the perfect preparation. Too short to back at 10/1, but Im keeping my fingers and toes crossed nonetheless!

As we draw ever closer to the Ryder Cup, I don’t know about you but Im getting damn excited. Like the players getting fitted for their uniforms, I have been checking to ensure that the elastic on the pyjamas pants will allow as much beer and pizza as I can possibly put into me over a three day stint on the couch. Like Monty, I have some big decisions, and I can relate them to the golf. For instance, do I go with the full Irish fry up first thing Friday morning (does Monty lead with the Molinari brothers?) or do I ease into it with some scrambled egg on toast (McDowell & McIlroy?). It doesn’t stop there, at which point to I introduce the veterans of Zen Chinese and Dominio’s into the mix (Harrington & Westwood)? And to complicate the matter further, at lunch, do I introduce a glass of fine red wine (Jimenez), a chilled beer (Kaymer) or a drop of fiery whiskey (Poulter)……..ahhh, so many decisions and yet all to be enjoyed and debated.

One debate that will not go away though is the one that surrounds Monty’s wildcards. So much so, I have decided to weight in and comment on each individually:

Edoardo Molinari: Regardless of what happened in Gleneagles, this man deserved a wildcard selection for the Ryder Cup in my eyes. Many are saying that his win in Gelneagles was responsible for Casey getting the axe. However, as far as I am concerned, Molinari should have been pick number one. Despite making his debut in some of the majors, he made the cut in every one of them, which is no small achievement. Add to that his impressive win at the Barclays Scottish Open and it is evident he is a big game player. More importantly for me though, was his decision to play in the Italian Open back in May a opposed to the more illustrious Players Championship in Sawgrass. It is this loyalty and national pride which stood out for me. If you ever want to see how important it is for him, just look at his reaction at winning the World Cup with his brother last year. Europe needs Edoardo’s passion and desire to win, especially now that the likes of Montgomerie, Clarke and Garcia are absent.

Luke Donald: Terrific ball striker, good Ryder Cup player and a calming influence in what can be a nerve-wracking week. Although he did not admit so, I am convinced that what sealed Donalds place was his appearance at the Wales Open at Celtic Manor, at the request of Captain Monty. Don’t get me wrong, he has played some great golf this year but his selection was not as clear cut as some might believe in my view. While he wont get the crowd fired up, his demeanor and ability to take the rough with the smooth could be a valuable asset in the foursomes and singles matches.

Justin Rose: It is not often you win twice in the US and still miss out on the Ryder Cup in the same year. For Rose that is exactly what has happened and yet still, most of the golfing public expected it to be so. It’s strange because Rose has a fine record in Ryder Cup and indeed would seem like an ideal partner for Ian Poulter. So why is it that everyone tends to agree in his omission? I think it is down to his apparent lack of desire to play in the event. For some reason, it is not where his focus lies at present. Indeed, David Howell commented recently that he believes Rose is solely fixated on the Fed Ex cup this season. In an individual sport, it’s difficult to criticize the players too much for keeping to their rigid schedule but Monty was no doubt disappointed by Rose’s attitude toward the Ryder Cup over the past few months I feel

Padraig Harrington & Paul Casey: And then there were two. This is where most of the debate has revolved around. Regardless of who he picked, I would be sitting here saying one was extremely lucky and the other extremely unfortunate. First, lets deal with Casey.

His injury in 2009 meant he missed some of the initial qualifying events for the Ryder Cup and therefore he was immediately at a disadvantage. He battled gamely throughout 2010 but to no avail as he missed out on automatic qualification. Still in with a chance with two weeks to go, Casey decided the Fed Ex Cup was his priority and he has subsequently paid the price. However, when you consider Casey’s matchplay pedigree and Ryder Cup record, one could make the argument that Casey’s name should have been on the teamsheet before either Molinari, Donald, Harrington or Rose. It is a valid case and one in which I cannot deny. It is also something Monty must have struggled with. However for me, Casey’s first sin in Monty’s eyes was not playing in Celtic Manor earlier in the year at his request. The second thing was his refusal to play in any of the final two European events and the final nail in the coffin came when Molinari won in Gleneagles. Supporters of Casey will justifiably fight his corner but one has ever reason to nevertheless question Casey’s decision making and perhaps point the finger of blame at what appeared to be a cockiness about his inclusion

Harrington on the other hand can consider himself a very lucky man. He has blamed his poor scheduling for his inability to qualify but in truth it has been his poor performances, especially in the majors. Harrington keeps telling us his game is fine but in truth, it is not. I understand why he keeps saying this as the mental side of the game is vital and you must believe in yourself if you are to compete at the highest level. Indeed, Woods has for years now been in denial about his long game but finally, the rest of the world has woken up to his erratic form off the tee. When Monty sat down with his Ryder Cup vice captains, what did they exactly see in Harrington? He has not won a competitive event since 2008, he hasn’t won a single match in his last two Ryder Cup appearances and after being critical of Poulter back in 2008 for not playing the last qualifying event, Harrington too skipped the final two qualifying events in Europe. One would imagine there is little case to be made for Harrington but I strongly disagree. Although harping on past glories is never advisable, in Harrington’s case, Im making an exception. He is a not a 3-time major winner for nothing and this has to be respected, although not alone enough to earn him a place in my view. So what are we missing, why did he feature so highly in the plans of Monty, Clarke, McGinley and Bjorn. Well, for one, Harrington too has had had injury issues like Casey. He agreed to Monty’s request to play in Celtic Manor earlier in the year only to be forced out with required knee surgery. This was undoubtedly browning point number one. He has also had a busy year playing exhibition matches against Rory McIlroy and I wonder if Monty sees a potential fourball partnership there in the event that the McIlroy & McDowell pair might not perform as well as we expect them to do. Then there is Harrington’s attitude towards the game. His ability to take the rough with the smooth and simply move on is something one cannot deny and it is something which will be invaluable to any rookie Harrington plays alongside. While I expect it might be Kaymer in the fourballs, I don’t think Monty would hesitate in putting him with Hanson and still expect a big performance from the pair. While Padraig’s driving is erratic and he certainly mixes a lot of bogeys with birdies, this should not be an issue at all in the fourballs and such is the strength in depth this year, he won’t be played in the foursome’s anyway. Indeed, I would only expect the likes of Poulter, Kaymer and McIlroy to play all five matches (perhaps one of the Molinari brothers too) so Harrington’s omission from the foursomes is not a problem. Where he really needs to deliver for Monty is in the singles though. Such is the faith Monty is showing, it would not surprise me to see him keep Harrington toward the tail end of the field and expect him to deliver when required. Whether he can or not will be fascinating.

I personally will be keeping my fingers and toes crossed such is my admiration for the man, but should we be looking back on another poor Ryder Cup for Harrington, the knives will be out and it will be difficult to justify his selection over Paul Casey. Until then, it’s time to put the debate to rest and get behind the European team. This Ryder Cup is certainly building up to be a cracker!

A fantastic final round from Matt Kuchar saw him seal the deal in a playoff with Scotlands Martin Laird. After being a model of consistency throughout 2010, Kuchar finally added another title to his CV. For Martin Laird, it was a case of what might have been as he bogeyed the last to fall into a tie for the lead when a par would have won the championship outright for him. At the beginning of this year, I stated that I felt Martin Laird would have a big 2010 and I reckoned he would win at least once on tour. Approaching the 72nd hole, I thought I had been spot on. Nevertheless, there is still time for a player I think could have a very promising career.

Elsewhere, yesterday was the day when Colin Montgomerie finally had to announce his wildcard selections for his Ryder Cup team. I will be posting a more in depth piece this week but for those who are unaware, Padraig Harrington, Luke Donald and Edoardo Molinari god the nod ahead of the likes of Paul Casey and Justin Rose. Watching Berhard Langer win again on the Seniors Tour yesterday, I wonder if he was a consideration for Monty? A pairing of the two Germans, Kaymer and Langer would certainly look formidable in foursomes, although in truth, a long, possibly wet, Celtic Manor would not be the ideal venue for the veteran.

On the ladies front, Michelle Wie won on the LPGA Tour over the weekend. I wrote a blog post entitled “Michelle Wie, No. 1 To Be” some time ago on this blog putting forward the case for the talented youngster. Her career has been somewhat stop-start to say the least but hopefully she can now finally push on and realize the abundance of talent that she undoubtedly possesses.

Finally, my brother and I squared off in Rosslare Golf Club on Friday evening under beautiful sunshine. Conceding 10 shots to him, he got off to a flyer with a birdie (nett eagle) on the first hole. The match see-sawed for the next 5 holes with Ian never behind but never more than 1up. When I birdied the 7th we were back to level, which was followed by the 8th and 9th both being halved in pars. The 10th and 11th were messy affairs but halved in bogeys nonetheless. With Ian having no shots on the 12th, 13th and 14th, I knew it would prove difficult for him, and so it proved. Although I missed 3 birdie putts from within 15ft, the pars were enough to go 3up playing the 15th. An errant tee shot from Ian on the 15th and a 20ft putt for birdie from me was enough to close the deal and claim a 4&3 victory. No doubt Ian will be looking for revenge soon but for the moment at least, Im winning the Battle of The Brothers.

Big hitting Bubba Watson stormed to an early lead at the 2010 USPGA Championship at Whistling Straits with a four under par 68 but was soon joined in the clubhouse at the top by Italian, Francesco Molinari. Meanwhile, Nick Watney, Matt Kuchar and Ernie Els are also on -4 but with the three hour fog delay we saw yesterday, that trio will return this morning early to complete their first rounds.

For those who may not have seen Bubba Watson on a course before, I encourage you to tune in because in my opinion, it is one of the most unorthodox swings on tour. There is so much action going on with his feet it seriously looks like he is doing a little dance as he plays. The buttoned up shirt, the enormous length, the extreme shape he hits his shots and his emotional manner all combine to create what is an intriguing golfer. There is something unique about this guy. I would almost go so far as to say he borders on “odd” but that might be an injustice to what seems like a really affable guy off the course. He is not known for his straight hitting so to see him up there leading the way on what is a course which is renowned for its demand to hit fairways, is a surprise to many. It will be fascinating to see if he can maintain his form over the next few days. One thing can be certain though, if the course stays soft, he will make birdies. The big question is whether it will be enough to offset the inevitable bogeys.

Francesco Molinari on the other hand is a model of consistency and we all know at this stage if he putts well, he generally gives himself the opportunity to win. He is a guy you always feel confident can rack up an high number of top 10 finishes but as of yet, he has not been able to finish the job off more often than not. Perhaps that may change this week.

Elsewhere, Tiger Woods returned to some sort of form. His putting was much better than it has been and being honest, he was unlucky that a few more did not drop for him. Off the tee, he was better but still missed quite a few, including one horrible hook on the second. For most of the day, he was gripping down the grip slightly on the tee shots and as a result was sacrificing some length for accuracy. If Woods is to maintain a challenge this week, it is imperative he continues with this strategy because when he open the shoulder for a big one, his head drops significantly, everything seems out of sync and invariably he end up with a wild push or vicious hook. Nevertheless, a one under par 71 was just what Woods would have wanted and wouldn’t it be something to see him win it after the trials and tribulations of last week.

Moving on, Sergio Garcia had an incredible outburst during yesterdays round. After getting a poor lie by one of the bunkers, Garcia semi-duffed the chip and all of a sudden, he began swinging the club viciously into the face of the bank. It was as though years of frustration on the golf course were being released by the man once touted as being the great challenger to Tiger Woods. Watching him bashing the club into the bank, losing his balance as he did so and then coming back and doing it all over again was rather pathetic and embarrassing. There is no room in golf for these moronic overreactions and the Tour should for once stand up to it and impose fines on such behavior. For years the PGA Tour has acted liked cowards in the manner they have turned a blind eye to some of the on-course antics of Tiger Woods but perhaps they will make an example of Garcia now. Despite my reservations about Garcia’s behavior, above all else, I found it sad to see such a talent reduced to such a mess on the course. Spaniards are known for their fiery character and Garcia is no exception. For a man with so much talent though, I take no joy in watching him getting beaten up on the course though. The fight, desire, hunger and will to win has been missing for some time now and his love for the game no longer seems apparent. Hopefully Garcia can take a step back now from the game for a few months, evaluate his attitude and love for the game and come back a better player. Unless he does so, I cannot see how a disgruntled Garcia can ever grace the game again with the talents which he so richly has in abundance.

Finally, it was a mixed start for the Irish boys. Padraig Harrington struggled again and slumped to a three over par 75 which means already, he is in desperate trouble to avoid missing the cut in a second successive major. Watching him and those that are in contention with him for the Ryder CUp spots, I now have great fears that unless Harrington qualifies automatically for the team, he may not be selected. When you look at the erratic nature of his game, Monty must immediately come to the conclusion that playing him in the foursomes would be a huge risk. Add to that the fact his record in the past couple of Ryder Cups has been appalling and the worrying signs are there that he may be overlooked.

At the other end of the scale is Darren Clarke though. He is -3 through his first 13 holes and I am now in the camp calling for Clarke to be selected for the Ryder Cup. His form is excellent and provided Lee Westwood is fit, I would have no hesitation in sending the two of those out together to lead the European charge. Clarke is a fine match-player and Monty will some serious consideration ahead of him.

Of the others, Rory McIlroy was +3 after only 5 holes but managed to turn it around and is now -1 in the early stages of his back nine. Shane Lowry deserves great credit as he currently sits on -2 after 9 holes. Hopefully Shane can keep it going and at least make the cut. Playing the weekend at Major tournaments will prove invaluable experience for the young man from Louth. Last but by no means least, it has been a rather subdued start for US Open Champion, Graeme McDowell. No birdies, 2 bogeys and the rest pars sees him at +2 mid-way through his back nine.

Last week he brought you Hunter Mahan at 40/1, but who does We Get Golf’s tipster Ian, suggest could win the USPGA Championship this week. Lets find out….

Once again the US PGA Champioship returns to Whistling Straits, with it last being played here in 2004 when Vijay Singh won the title. The Straits is a Links style golf course with long fescue, undulating greens and numerous deep pot bunkers. It is situated right next to Lake Michigan and this usually adds a stiff breeze to the course. Also, it is a long walking course, approximately five miles, which might favour younger and fitter players.

After going through my filtering process, six players remained: Mahan, Kuchar, O’ Hair, Overton, Harrington and Goosen. I had difficulty narrowing it down to three players but in the end, I was left with and all American affair.

Matt Kuchar each way @ 55/1
Consistency is the name of the game when it comes to Kuchar. He has already recorded eight top tens this year, which include two third places and one second place. Yet, despite this brilliant play, a win has evaded him so far. Surely a win can only be just around the corner for a golfer as talented and in form as Kuchar. Already this year, he has been tied sixth in the US Open and tied third in a World Golf Championship proving that he can play difficult courses and is not fazed by the big events. Also, in last week’s Bridgestone Invitational he finished in a tie for ninth which gives him another good finish in a big competition. Although only an average length hitter, he is very accurate and hits a lot of greens in regulation with a short game which is equally impressive. His scrambling stats are over eight percent better than the PGA Tour average while his putts per round are nearly half a shot better. When you add to the mix that his scoring average is also impressive on Tour, it can be confirmed that Kuchar is an in form player with a great game. At odds of 55/1, I cannot see how he can be ignored.

Sean O’ Hair each way @ 40/1
Following the Open Championship, I picked two players who I thought might do well in the USPGA and O’Hair was one of them. With his recent form, that remains the case. He has an impressive record in the majors, making all three cuts and finishing tied seventh in the Open Championship and tied twelfth in the US Open. His stats, while not being as impressive as Kuchar’s, are still much better than the PGA Tour average. The only part of his game that lets him down is his putting but if he can keep the flat stick working like he has in the other majors this year, O’Hair will not be without his chances. While he slipped back in the final round of the Bridgestone to finish 5th overall, he was leading going into the final round and this reinforces my belief that he is not far off his best form. At 40/1 O’ Hair looks good value.

Hunter Mahan each way @ 35/1
Yes, I am returning to the winner of last week but with good reason. As I said, I was following two people since the Open Championship and believe it or not but Mahan was my second man. Everybody knows that it is hard to win two competitions back-to-back but I firmly believe that Mahan has the game. His major performances this year have been average though he did record a tied eighth in the Masters which should give him confidence. However if you include into that, 2007, 2008 and 2009’s major performances, he amasses four top tens and eight top twentys in only fourteen tries. If anything this surely shows that Mahan is a man for the majors. Now for recent form and the result that clearly stands out is last week’s win at Firestone. Fatigue of course could be an issue coming off the back of his win last week but Im hoping it drives him on more than anything. In terms of stats, he is a lot like O’Hair in that the only weak part of his game seems to be his putting. Even though his odds have been cut since his win, Mahan still looks promising at 35/1.

So there are Ian’s tips. As always, for the main competitions, I always throw in the players I like and will be backing also. From what I have read about Whistling Straits, it will very much depend on the wind. Pete Dye set this course up on the back of the inspiration he received from multiple Irish links golf courses. Therefore, Im expecting it to play hard and fast, possibly not to dissimilar to that of Pebble Beach at times earlier in the year. I do not think looking at results from this years British Open is of much use because St. Andrews wide fairways and inability to cope with many of the pro’s length, made it a disappointing test of golf in my view. So, should the wind pick up this week, I am especially looking for guys with a good US Open record and those that are comfortable on fast greens. If the greens do indeed dry out, we can expect to see the chipping skills of the pro’s tested. With the Americans dominating this event over the past 10 years (Harrington upset the odds somewhat), my selections are also primarily Americans. Ross Fisher and Padraig Harrington are two Europeans I think could go well but on this occasion, I will let my head rule my heart and go with the following 5 players:

Matt Kuchar @ 55/1
Reteif Goosen @ 30/1
Dustin Johnson @ 50/1
Sean O’Hair @ 40/1
Nick Watney @ 50/1

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.