18-Hole Match Picks - Asian PGA Tour |
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Hong Kong Open |
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3-1; +0.44pts (system plays: 12-13-3) Round 1 play (4pts): Charl Schwartzel to beat Seung-Yul Noh -139 @ Unibet LOST by 1 Home Tour advantage has never been strong enough for Noh in the past, so it shouldn't be this week. They have played in four common events on the Asian PGA Tour, including last week, and not only has Schwartzel finished ahead of Noh every time, but Noh has never beaten Schwartzel in any individual round. In terms of recent form, Schwartzel has the edge, but not as strong as in course form. Noh has yet to play in this event and whereas Schwartzel has finished 8th and 11th in his last two appearances here, that does not tell the full story: in 2004 he was 2nd after the first round and when he returned last year, he held the lead at the halfway cut. [unofficial rd1 system play: Liang tb Manassero -110 (L)] Round 2 play (2pts): Soren Kjeldsen to beat Marcus Both -175 @ Unibet WON by 2 Very surprised to see Kjeldsen struggle yesterday (though he did close with two late birdies to still give himself a realistic chance of making the cut). He had finished in the top-3 in two of last five starts and has a very good record in this event - three top-20 finishes from seven starts - and in China in general - he has failed to reach the weekend just once in his last 15 visits and finished in the top-20 in more than half of those events. There is clearly a big difference between these two players and the distance between them on the leaderboard should certainly be narrowed tomorrow. [unofficial rd2 system plays: McDowell tb Poulter -125 (L); McDowell tb McIlroy +110 (W); Poulter tb Jaidee -130 (W); Wilson tb Bourdy -111 (L); Jimenez tb Hansen A +100 (L); Horsey tb Ramsay -111 (T); Poulter tb McIlroy +108 (W); Manassero tb Davies -138 (W)] Round 3 play (2pts): Jeev Milkha Singh to beat Matteo Manassero +100 @ 5Dimes [available generally] WON by 1 Expecting a relatively poor round from Manassero after he shot 63 on Friday and particularly as he turned in 30 and just managed one birdie thereafter. It is always hard to follow up such a round and, even thuogh he won the Castello Masters last month, he is still young and inconsistent. Singh has a good record on this course and has shown consistent good form for quite some time. I fully expect him to be back in the top-5 tomorrow whereas Manassero is much more unpredictable. [unofficial rd3 system plays: Hansen A tb Manassero -111 (L); Montgomerie tb Huldahl -145 (W); Aguilar tb Chowrasia -125 (L); Siddikur tb Pagunsan -125 (W); Hansen S tb Fraser -145 (L); Jaidee tb Manassero -110 (L); Singh J tb Jaidee +110 (W); Howell tb Kruger -110 (L); McGrane tb Maybin -110 (W)] Round 4 play (2pts): Damien McGrane to beat Kunal Bhasin -167 @ Centrebet [available generally] WON by 5 Bhasin has played in 11 Tour events, has yet to finish in the top-10 in any event and has missed the cut in his last three cuts by a minimum of five shots. He should be under enormous pressure starting the final round of an event that is co-sanctioned with the European Tour and in the top-20. McGrane comes into this event in good form - he was 2nd in the Valderrama Masters - and has always made the cut in his four previous starts here. He should stay in the top-20 unlike his opponent. [unofficial rd4 system plays: Jaidee tb Fraser -125 (L); McIlroy tb Dyson -163 (L); Hansen S tb Ferrie -125 (W); Maybin tb Hoey -138 (W); Hansen A tb Clarke -122 (W); Brown tb Ferrie -130 (L); Donaldson tb Fraser -139 (T); Brown tb Kang -105 (L); McIlroy tb Poulter -110 (T); Zanotti tb Kruger +106 (W)]
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