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.

While I am hoping the wind picks up and dries the course out somewhat so that it plays more like a links course, Phil Mickelson is suggesting that while it may look like a links, it will play like an American course. That may not suit some of the shorter players considering the length of the course but if the greens are soft, the players rarely have much problem these days. This observation is further enhanced when you consider that Firestone last week measured over 7,400 yards and yet still, despite it being only a par 70, the course yielded plenty of birdies.

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

Rory McIlroys win in Quail Hollow a few months ago, completed in a manner with which only pure golfing geniuses posses, was his official arrival on the world scene. His swashbuckling aggressive style is refreshing in a game that is clouded with technical analysis and his gentle, accepting demeanor on the course suggests McIlroy has it all to be not just a champion, but the peoples champion. It almost seems like the public are ready to adopt a new hero. One that can give them everything they want, everything that a certain Tiger Woods looked sure to give until Tiger believed he was too big for just about everything that had made him what he was.

I personally have lost a lot of respect for Tiger Woods, the golfer. Over 12 months ago I wrote on this blog about his disgusting behavior on the golf course……the club banging, the foul language, the spitting and just his all round petulant spoilt ways. Nothing I have seen since his dramatic comeback at the Masters has led me to believe he has changed in any way, although I do acknowledge the fact that the personal problems he is going through are anything but pleasant and to have it played out in the media like it has been, must be incredibly difficult. However, once he steps on that first tee, he has a responsibility as the World number 1 and sadly, he is failing the game of golf badly in my opinion at this stage. Sure, he could go on and win another 10 majors but true champions are not only be measured by the success, but on how they handle failure. In the words of Rudyard Kipling:

“If you can meet with triumph and disaster
and treat those two imposter’s just the same……
…Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And – which is more – you’ll be a Man my son!”

Of course, I could be wrong about McIlroy. Perhaps he will flatter to deceive in similar fashion to previous pretenders to the throne like Sergio Garcia. It seems McIlroy is a different breed though. He looks ready to step up and adopt the role of the closest thing to Tiger Woods that golf has today. Mickelson, Westwood, Harrington and Rose are all incredible talents and indeed Mickelson is vying hard to become world number 1 but McIlroy is another step up in class. He reminds me of the Tiger Woods of old that we all fell in love with….the prodigy that revolutionized golf and provided us with some of sports most fascinating memories that will long remain etched into the record books. Things change though and unless Woods can change and adapt to a new role where he must accept his imperfections on the golf course, it won’t be long before McIlroy is breathing down his neck. In fact, he already is.

The next few years could be one of the most fascinating in the sport of golf. As I have alluded to, the stage is now set and two incredibly talented sportsmen look set to go to head to head to determine just who is the real champion of golf. My money is on McIlroy to take Tigers crown, but will he ever be able to match what the Woods of old has achieved…..I find it hard to accept, but maybe, just maybe…..

A while since we brought you a “whats in the bag” post but who better to kick us off than world number two, Phil Mickelson. Enjoy

What an incredible performance overall from Fred Couple’s American team but in particular, that man Tiger Woods. 5pts from 5pts in what was near flawless golf, along of course with Steve Stricker. Phil Mickelson was also inspiring which has me a little worried ahead of next years Ryder Cup. However, on home soil, I am still confident our European lads will be more than capable.

Greg Normans controversial, and in my view plain stupid, decision to select Adam Scott backfired badly as the Australian failed to produce any form or much points. Normans decision in my view was a patriotic one that he should not have made. I was expecting Rory Sabbatini to get the nod ahead of the rest, especially Adam Scott, whose form has been appalling.

I did feel sorry for Scott though. Although I am sure he was desperate to play, he should not have been put in that situation. It will be interesting to see if Norman now remains at the helm after making such a critical error in judgment. I hope Colin Montgomerie is taking note!!

A cracking field in this weeks Bridegestone Invitational at Firestone with all eyes and expectations resting with Tiger Woods. However, there are other contenders which the PGA Tour Video above outlines. This week also marks the return of Phil Mickelson. How great would it be to see him walk away with the top prize!

On a separate note, Irishman Shane Lowry, who won this years Irish Open, is competing. It is a huge step up when you consider Shane was taking part in a local competition this time last year and making €500 for his efforts. This week, with no cut in operation, he is guaranteed a minimum purse of €24,500. More than that however, the experience he gains from this week will be invaluable. I’m keeping toes, fingers, you name it, crossed for Shane and hope he has a respectable week. If any of you are attending the event, please check him out and give him a big round of applause. His rise to stardom is truly unforgettable and hopefully he can continue to progress in the game.

Finally, what a cracking name for a golf course…..FIRESTONE. The name alone is intimidating. In fairness, there are some great golf course names worldwide. Please leave a comment if you know of any worth a mention?