Open de Espana

No return from last week's Ballantyne, despite Mark Brown topping the leaderboard on day 1 and being in the mix after 36 holes, the weather conditions, particularly Saturday paid havoc to the scores and made the weekend a bit disappointing with luck playing a big part.That said, all credit to Jaidee for showing the composure required to prevail. With scattered showers forecasted for the first 3 days this week in Spain and windy conditions promised for Sunday, it may be wise to sidestep the favourites this week. Whilst Castano has now finished 2nd in 3 events lately,odds of 16/1 are not much to get excited about so compatriot, Alvaro Quiros is number one selection this week at odds of 25/1.
Dubliner, Peter Lawrie is defending champion and whilst not a fan of backing players to defend successfully, Lawrie has good form in Spain and will be quietly confident of doing well again this week. Another who just might relish the weather conditions having shown steady form this season is Andrew Coltart and at 80/1 is worth a punt, especially as he came so close at 175/1 a few weeks back.

2.5 units e/w Alvaro Quiros @ 25/1
2 units e/w Andrew Coltart @ 80/1
1 unit e/w Peter Lawrie @ 66/1

Ballantyne Championship

After the great success last week with the tip Scott Strange winning the China Open, this week sees the tour move on to South Korea. Henrik Stenson starts off as favourite and whilst the Swede is due a win and I fully expect him to be very close this week, odds of 10/1 are too skinny in an event that can quite easily produce a winner from anywhere. Lee Westwood needs to win soon, having had a very solid 2008 and, but for a bad back 9 at Augusta last time out would suggest that form is still good but impatience may be creeping into Lee's game so at offers of 16/1 he too his overlooked this week. Graeme McDowell is defending champion having won by 7 from compatriot, Paul McGinley last year, and whilst McDowell is on offer at 20s to defend, its normally a tall order to defend successfuly which tempts me to look at Mr. McGinley more closely. Two excellent rounds last week in China, with a best of the day in rd 2, and with course knowledge and good past form under his belt ,Paul McGinley is the tip for this week at 40/1.

Some others in the mix for consideration would once again be Simon Dyson, Richard Green, Jyoti Randhawa but my 2nd select this week is 50/1 tip Mark Brown. The kiwi has excellent form in this region of the world and has shown some good promise the past couple of events.

Ballantyne Championship Selects:

2.5 units e/w Paul McGinley @ 40/1
2.5 units e/w Mark Brown @ 50/1

China Open

After a disappointing US Masters from a betting point of view, although the excitement on Sunday generated by Phil Mickelson & Tiger Woods charging up the leaderboard was breathtaking, its another week of golf where the winner could come from anywhere at the China Open. With this part of the world being a favourite for the likes of Simon Dyson & Richard Finch in particular, I will opt for better value in the betting in the shape of Scott Strange & Hennie Otto. Strange can keep it together over 4 days and if he gets off to a good start will be there or thereabouts. Otto showed solid enough form last year and at 90/1 with Paddy Power he is worth a punt this week.
Eyes will also be on Nick Dougherty(50s) who surely has to get back into some decent form soon having had a couple of tournaments under his belt but for this week I will just "observe".

China Opens Selects:
2.5 units e/w Scott Strange @ 50/1- Paddy Power
2.5 units e/w Hennie Otto @ 90/1 - Paddy Power

US Masters

Another very unlucky weekend, with my man Gonzalo Fernandez Castano beaten in a play-off ! He very nearly won it at the 2nd play-off hole but as always in sport if you don't take your chance when it comes you inevitably miss out. Still the e/w bet produced a profit and it could have been more if Alastair Forsyth had managed just one shot less !

(Profit to date showing +1 units)

So to the first major of the year and my favourite one of them all, The Masters.

To me it looks like a fairly small group of real contenders. Tiger is back and has timed his prepartion very well and he should go very close, the intense four days though will test his mental game having only had 3 competitive outings since June last year. So if the jacket is going elsewhere it must surely go to either 3-in-a-row seeking Padraig Harrington, in form Geoff Ogilvy, Phil Mickelson, or Retief Goosen who has great form at Magnolia Lane. Outside of these I also like Lee Westwood who had a very good year last year without much success, great consistency and especially in the Majors. For a good showing again and a top ten possibility is Tim Clark whose short games is ideal for Augusta.

My selects therefore for this years Masters are:

4 units win Geoff Ogilvy @ 20/1 - Paddy Power
1.5 units e/w Retief Goosen @ 28/1- Victor Chandler
1 unit e/w Lee Westwood @ 55/1 - Paddy Power
1 unit TOP TEN FINISH Tim Clark @ 13/2

An unlucky weekend last week at the Andalucia Open when 175/1 shot, Andrew Coltart, finished tied 6th preventing the each way bet boosting the bank. Not to be deterred, as the last two events are historically events that produces first time winners although Soren Kjeldsen prevailed last week, a cautious approach to the new season will continue this week as the Master looms for the elite leaving the field at Estoril quite open.

One of my tips last week was not that far off the pace and he is tipped again this week to feature. Fernando Gonzalo Castano is available @ 22/1 - 2.5 units e/w

Alastair Forsyth was 5th last week and has a good record round the Oitavos Dunes course so at odds of 22/1 also,I expect a strong showing again this week - 2.5 units e/w.