Moravia Open

A bad week last week with two of the three selections missing the cut despite Alaxander Noren was nicely placed after round 1! This week sees a weakend field assemble in the Czech Republic for the first time in quite a number of years and the fact the course is tight but not long has me looking at some long shots that I have considered in the past. Fabrizio Zanotti is a lovely golfer who can be very tidy on a course, exactly what's needed this week and at 80/1 he cannot and will not be overlooked this week. David Horsey has had a good season and so he too is selected at 100/1. I did look and consider Alejandro Canizares (80s), Broadhurst (100s) and even Shane lowry (125s) but have opted for Christian Cevaer at 125/1 despite his slow play he can crop from time to time and this is kind of the tournament that he does. Noren is bypassed this week very reluctantly as i await a good showing before opting to punt again.

Moravia Selects

2 units e/w F.Zanotti @ 80/1
2 units e/w D.Horsey @ 100/1
1 unit e/w C. Cevaer @ 125/1

SAS Masters

After yet another near miss last week with two of my selections just missing out on the Claret Jug (Westwood & Goosen), the action returns to Sweden this week. The field is not great this week although home favourite Stenson tees it up as 8/1 favourite, and whilst there is an abundance of Swedish players heading the market,and they usually do go well at home, I can't ignore Alexander Noren at 50s. Having returned from injury a couple of months ago, Noren hasn't really challenged yet this season but playing in Sweden just might help ignite his season. I have said all season Thomas Aiken will win this season and this type of field represents a great chance and having had a top ten finish at the Open the weekend, he goes into this with confidence. Looking for value this week I am tempted by Zanotti (80s), Canizares (80s)and Coltart (150s) and will opt for the affable Scot as he has had a good season to date and can show that by going very well here this week.

Bank Balance after British Open (YTD) + 214.18

SAS Selections:

2 units e/w T.Aiken @ 35/1
2 units e/w A.Noren @ 50/1
1 unit e/w A. Coltart @ 150/1

British Open

No Joy last week at Loch Lomond altough both selections were well placed at the halfway stage. Good win for Kaymer again it has to be said and Westwood gave it a good shot again- surely gotta win soon ?
This week its the 3rd Major of the year at Turnberry. Interesting statistic for this is that 2 weeks prior to the Masters this year, Tiger Woods won, 2 weeks prior to the US open, Tiger Woods won and 2 weeks prior to the British Open, Tiger again won. He did not win either Masters or the US Open! That said, the last two Opens at Turnberry were won by the then World #1 golfers, Nick Price & Greg Norman. I firmly believe Tiger was still rusty at Augusta and he got the real bad draw weather wise at Bethpage. The weather forecast is not great this weekend again but I think he will be prepared well and will win. Its hard to see who has the good form coming into this with this type of course in mind and as always the Open does throw up some surprises. I will be taking the market without Tiger for selections in the shape of Retief Goosen and Lee Westwood. Both are in form and if they find their putting game will be very close. I would like to have a flutter on Ross Fisher whose tee to green game is excellent at present but its his putting form at the moment that has been outstanding. I won't back purely because his mind will be on pending arrival of his first child due on Monday.As a good value bet, Soren Kjeldsens short game is excellent at the moment and must be Mr Consistent on the European Tour this year and at 80/1 (w/o Tiger) he has to be backed although tempted to back at 100/1 with Boylesports at 100/1 as they are paying 8 places !!(think thats what I'll do)

British Open Selections

2 units e/w R.Goosen @ 30/1 (w/o Tiger)
2 units e/w L.Westwood @ 22/1 (w/o Tiger)
1 unit e/w S.Kjeldsen @ 100/1

Scottish Open

Yet more heartache last Sunday when my select, Lee Westwood who shot joint best of the day, 65, only to lose the play-off with another favourite of mine Martin Kaymer. Still though, a small profit on the week keeps the bank balance in order and restores confidence in the selection process for the weeks ahead.(sounding like Padraig Harrington taking the positive out of something!)
This week the best field of the year to date assembles at Loch Lomond, a week before the British Open taking place just an hour down the road. There are some serious candidates to ponder for this week.Rory McIlroy is in great form whilst his compatriots, Graeme McDowell is defending champion, and Darren Clarke who boasts great form at this venue and had a good outing last week which has tempted me but due to the quality of the field have decided to steer clear of Darren for this week at least. Westwood likes this course, and the course should also favour my favourites Fisher & Kaymer,but I do fancy the chances of Tim Clark & Soren Hansen, the latter getting the nod purely on price (33/1) and the fact Paddy Power are paying 6 places and the fact that he has 3 top 10 finishes in his last 5 starts(Clark available at 25s). My second selection this week is Francesco Molinari who will have no problem hitting fairways which is key on this course and with the weather forecast showing rain (again!) this weekend I have opted for him at 50/1 ahead of the likes Fisher, Kaymer & Westwood (about 18s in the betting). Thomas Bjorn is a past winner here and but for the weather forecast I may have had some small interest at 100/1.

Bank Balance after Open de France (YTD) +215.51

Scottish Open Selections

2.5 units e/w S.Hansen @ 33/1 (6 places)
2.5 units e/w F.Molinari @ 50/1 (6 places)