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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.

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Ian has been looking through the field and here is what he has come up with for this weeks Canadian Open:

“The RBC Canadan Open is the next stop on the US Tour and is being hosted on the Par 70, St. Georges Golf and Country Club, which measures over seven thousand yards. With three par fives and five par threes, the course is ideally suited to strong iron players. As it is a tree lined course, there is a premium also on accuracy but those that can hit it a long way, might find themselves with some short irons into greens which they can attack. Based on this, I am looking for those whose stats back up the need for strong iron play in addition to above average length combined with above average accuracy.

Paul Casey: Each Way @ 16/1
The first person to jump out is Paul Casey. What a terrific iron player, averaging nearly seventy percent of greens in regulation on the PGA Tour and over seventy three percent on the European Tour. Not only that but he is extremely long, averaging over two hundred and ninety yards in driving distance on the PGA Tour while still managing to keep it pretty accurate. Following on from his tied third place in the Open Championship last week, he is carrying some momentum. Between the European and PGA Tour, he has three further top fives this year and two further top tens. Although a ten time winner on the European Tour, he has only one single PGA Tour title to his name. While fatigue could be a factor from travel and a long week at the British Open, I am confident that Casey can put up a good showing this week.

Hunter Mahan: Each way @ 28/1
The American looks like he has the perfect game for the course. He averages over two hundred and ninety yards in driving distance and also averages nearly seventy percent in both driving accuracy and greens in regulation. These stats make up for his poor putting, but if he can putt well he will surely be there or there abouts at the end of Sunday. His form has not been particularly great this season but with valuable Ryder Cups up for grabs and Mahan fighting hard for his pace, I think we could see a change in fortunes for Hunter over the next month or so, starting this week.

Alex Cejka: Top ten @ 5/1
Cejka is quite a short hitter but he is accurate and hits quite a lot of greens in regulation. He was tied fifth last week in the Reno Tahoe Open and was tied third at the end of July in Germany in the BMW International Open. Unfortunately, like Mahan, putting is an issue which makes winning it, in my opinion, a bridge too far for Alex. We have also seem him slip away from the top of leadersboards when in contention to win more than once over the past few years. However, with odds of 5/1 for him to finish in the top ten, I think this is quite appealing considering there aren’t a lot of big names in the field this week.

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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.

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Just read this article re: Paul Casey which I thought I would share. The original can be found by clicking here

He may be golf’s world number three, but Paul Casey feels he needs to take his career up another level by winning a World Golf Championships event.

Having won three times this year, including a maiden victory in the United States at the Shell Houston Open, Casey will tee it up at Firestone Country Club in Ohio hoping to add success at the Bridgestone Invitational to two previous top-10 finishes in the event.

“Every tournament from here on out is very, very important,” Casey said. “World Golf Championship events are obviously a step up. That’s what I’ve got to focus on.”

He added: “I’ve got to focus on the majors and the World Golf events. That’s what I want to win, having kind of ticked the boxes of what I need to win.

“I’ve now won on the PGA Tour and lots (10) in Europe, but I need to continue to get better and win big events. I haven’t done that yet, so I need to do that.

“And then we’re into FedExCup and then after that right to the Race To Dubai. So there is no opportunity to back off at this point. Every tournament is crucial.”

Fourth in 2006 and eighth last year, Casey feels right at home at Firestone.

“This is a golf course that I love,” Casey said. “I think it’s a wonderful track. It’s in spectacular shape.

“I played nine holes on Monday, a few holes on Tuesday morning and, as ever, the fairways are pretty tight and you’ve got to find those if you want to shoot low scores around here.

“The greens are going to be super quick. I saw them double cutting and double rolling yesterday. I think they’re getting the (speed) to about 13 (on the Stimpmeter). It’s just a great place. The staff and the clubhouse are phenomenal. This is a week I think not just myself but a lot of players really look forward to. It’s a fun week around just a great golf course.”

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No Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson but it is nevertheless a very strong field at the Par 71 Loch Lomand venue for this weeks European Tour event, The Barclay’s Scottish Open. The Loch Lomand course is poles apart from what the pros will play next week at the British Open in Turnberry, yet it is very well supported. My personal view is that the Irish Open, played on a good traditional links course, would be the ideal tournament the week before the Open but clearly there are political decisions being made. 

My case in point is strengthened by the performances of Padraig Harrington over the past few years in the Open. Harrington has chosen to play in the PGA Irish Championship, instead of Loch Lomand, the past two years as the event is played on tough links courses. It certainly prepared him well in 2007 and 2008 as he went on to win the Open. True to form, he maintained this schedule and at the half way stage, leads by a shot from Leslie Walker this year.

I am sure the rest of the pro’s would like to have this option; to play on a tournament links course like Harrington has, so come on, get the Irish Open moved to the week before the British Open and move the Barclays Scottish to the week after. It makes sense and I think a certain Tiger Woods, Sergio Garcia and Paul Casey would certainly be present in addition to the rest of those serious about trying to win the Open!

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The US Open returns to New York at Bethpage Black after hosting the event in 2002. Since Mike Davis took control of how the US Open courses are to be set up, the focus has changed somewhat from hitting fairways and greens to a more long hitters dream. Since 2006, Ogilvy, Cabrera and Woods have won the US Open, each enjoying great length, sometimes at the expense of accuracy. I am a little disappointed that the advantage has been handed back to the long hitters. Ive complained time and time again that the hazards the pros endue for errant shots are not hazardous enough. I believe the guy who consistently hits fairways and greens, although not as exciting, deserves a chance to win. With reports from Bethpage that the course is playing soft and long, shorter hitters, regardless of their accuracy, could struggle.

At the 2002 US Open at Bethpage, Tiger Woods triumphed and after seeing Tigers hugely impressive win at the Memorial, it is difficult to find any reason in his game not to back him. However, my top tip at the beginning of the year was Woods to win any major at 5/6 and I’m extremely happy with this bet. For this reason, I do not need to go chasing him this week at 2/1 and can instead look elsewhere to try and give you some value for money.

Phil Mickelson is at 20/1 and under normal circumstances, he would certainly be my top tip. He has a good record in the US Open and I would personally love to see him win this week. However, one cannot know what mental state Mickelson is in with his wife Amy, undergoing treatment for cancer. For this reason, it’s too risky for me to part with my money.

David Toms driving accuracy and Greens in Regulation should be ideal for a US Open, but such are the changes since 2006 and the length of Bethpage, he may not quite have enough to win, which is a pity. However, if the course were to dry up and play hard and fast, the likes of Toms and indeed Jim Furyk could be in with a chance.

So if you are not going to bet on the top 2 this week, who will you focus your attention on. For me, the following comprise my top 4:

Geoff Ogilvy: At 20/1, he stands out as a great bet. With 2 wins this season, Ogilvy is having a great season. Whats more is that he is no stranger to winning big events and if you had a choice of picking someone to go head to head with the great Tiger Woods down the stretch, Ogilvy would be your choice every time. His length is an asset but when hot, he also has an incredible putting stroke and is currently second in the putting stats this season. He has to have a great chance this week and I’m happy to recommend him at 20/1.

Paul Casey: No European has won the US Open since Tony Jacklin in 1970 but Casey can change that. He is in the form of his life and his length again off the tee will be vital. I watched him recently win at Wentworth and although he didn’t putt well, he maintained his composure superbly in the final few holes, a sign that the Englishman has matured immensely. He has in the past been an inconsistent player but now looks to be improving in this aspect. At 28/1, he takes my fancy.

Kenny Perry: After enduring such a difficult loss at the Masters, many will think Kenny Perry blew his chance at winning a major. However, moving away from that, Perry is a big hitter with one of the best putting strokes in the business. He is certainly capable of winning if he can find his top form again. 6 top-10 finishes from 14 events and 8th in scoring average this season mean at 55/1, Perry looks way over priced and I think is a good each way prospect.

Nick Watney: He is 5th in Driving distance this season on Tour and 12th in scoring average. In addition, when you consider he has 10 top-25 finishes from 13 events this season, including 1 win and 1 second place finish, Watney should not be dismissed. What really grabbed my attention was the 75/1 price on offer and so, he represents good each way value.

Tags: Tournament Previews/Odds/Reviews, US Open 2009 by admin
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A chip-in birdie on No. 17 helped Steve Stricker get into a three-man playoff. Then, lucky to be playing a second extra hole, he put his approach just 3 feet from the cup and knocked it right in to win the Crowne Plaza Invitational. The victory moved him to second in the FedExCup standings. Tim Clark wasted a two-shot lead with five holes left. He left short a 9-foot putt that would’ve won it on the final hole, then pulled a 7-footer that would’ve ended the playoff on the first hole. The final kick in the gut came when his approach on the second extra hole hit the pin and rolled more than 20 feet from the cup. The third man in the playoff, Steve Marino, narrowly missed a long birdie putt on the first extra hole, then took himself out of contention with a wild tee shot on the second extra hole. Elsewhere, Jason Day finished a shot further back on -16 while Paul Casey continued his superb season finishing on -15. Woody Austin and Vijay Singh tied for 6th with Ian Poulter a further 2 shots back on -12.

Christian Cevaer of France won the European Open by a stroke Sunday, more than five years after his only previous victory. Cevaer, ranked 449th in the world at the beginning of the week, made only one birdie in a round of 74 after three bogeys on the front nine, but was solid again on the tough closing stretch of the 7,257-yard London Golf Club course. He birdied the 15th and parred the other four holes of the treacherous last five, getting on the final green with a rescue club before two-putting from the fringe for his victory. His four round total was 281, good for his first win since the 2004 Spanish Open. Steve Webster and Gary Orr with rounds of 71, shared second place with Alvaro Quiros (72). Stephen Dodd who drove home to Wales on Friday thinking he had missed the cut, carded a 68 and tied for fifth with Chris Wood (73) and Jeev Milka Singh (76). Former British Open champion Ben Curtis also shot 68 and finished in a four-way tie for eighth, with Rory McIlroy alone in 12th spot after a 75.

Mark McNulty, playing under the Irish flag these days, won the Principal Charity Classic for his seventh Champions Tour victory, beating Fred Funk with a 30ft left-to-right birdie putt to end a thrilling four-hole playoff. The 55-year-old McNulty closed with a 5-under 66 to match Funk (66) and second-round leader Nick Price (68) at 10-under 203 on the Glen Oaks Country Club course. McNulty and Funk birdied the second extra hole to eliminate Price. It was the Champions Tour’s longest playoff since Bernhard Langer beat Jay Hass in seven holes in the 2008 Toshiba Classic. Mark Weibe (69) finished fourth at 8 under, and David Eger 68) was fifth at 7 under. John Cook (64) topped a six-player group at 6 under.

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European Tour

Paul Casey took another step toward catching Tiger Woods at the top of the World Rankings with a cool, calm and collected win in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. Casey finished birdie, birdie to finish at -17 to win his third tournament of the season and continue his excellent form. He was pushed all the way by one of our tips at the beginning of the week, Ross Fisher. Fisher shot a superb 64 in the final round and only just missed out on a playoff as his eagle putt slipped by the edge on the last. Soren Kjeldsen battled his way to third place while Stephen Dodd continued his good form to finish a shot behind Kjeldsen at -12. Rory McIlroy made an early charge but came unstuck around the turn to finish in 5th position.

PGA Tour

Rory Sabbatini, dressed in pink in support of one of his buddies and Amy Mickelson in their battle against cancer, shot a superb 64 to win the Byron Nelson Championship. Standing on the final tee with a 3-shot lead, Sabbatini was able to enjoy the walk with the victory all but assured. Sabbatini did bogey the last to eventually win by 2 shots from Englishman Brian Davis who also shot a 6 under par 64 too finish on -17. It was Davis’ third consecutive top-5 finish so perhaps the talented 34 year old could claim hiis first tour victory in the not too distant future. D.A. Points had a final round of 65 to finish 3rd on -16 while Scott McCarron finished with a scintillating 62 to tie Dustin Johnson on -15 in 4th place.

Champions Tour

After receiving a special invite from The PGA of America, Michael Allen ended a 20-year victory drought in dramatic fashion Sunday, making a clutch birdie on Canterbury’s brutal 18th hole to win the 70th Senior PGA Championship and join Arnold Palmer as the only men in history to win the Alfred S. Bourne Trophy in their Champions Tour debut. Allen was chased all the way home by 1987 Masters Champion Larry Mize. Mize shot a final round 67 to finish 2 shots back on -4. Bruce Fleisher also had a 67 to claim third place on -2. With a final round of 66, Tom Watson was 4th while Chris Starkjohann, Fred Funk, Gil Morgan and Jeff Sluman finished in a tie for 5th.

LPGA Tour

Yani Tseng followed her excellent 62 in the third round with a solid 67 in the final round to win the LPGA Corning Classic. She won by a single shot over Paul Creamer who had back-to-back 65’s to finish on -20. Soo-Yun Kang also tied for 2nd after her round of 69. Mika Miyazato completed her with with a 70 to end the week in 4th on -19. One of our favourites, Michelle Wei, continues to show good form as she tied for 26th on -13. Her opening round of 73 just left with far too much to do. We believe she is not far away though.

Ladies European

France’s Jade Schaffer won the HypoVereinsbank Ladies German Open yesterday. The 22-year-old from Strasbourg, who recently moved to Paris, beat Spain’s Paula Marti witha birdie at the first extra hole of a sudden death playoff. Both players totalled 13-under 275 after four rounds at Golfpark Gut Häusern near Munich. Schaeffer closed with a five-under 67 to set the mark, before Marti matched her total with a final round of 73. Melissa Reid was again just outside the winners enclosure, finishing in a tie for 3rd alongside Martina Eberl. Maria Verchenova has become very popular amongst the male population so we are hoping she can push through and be known for her golf ability rather than just her good looks. She had a solid week to finish in a tie for 31st.

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