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Scandinavian Masters
This event alternates between Barseback G.C. (Malmo) and Kungsagen G.C. (Stockholm) so there are very little past form on this course - just the 1998 event as this course was built only in 1994. It was designed by the leading Swedish player at the time, Anders Forsbrand, though it has been continually modified ever since. The primary work has been on the greens which were slow and bumpy the last time around - hopefully just a consequence of the youthfulness of the course. In terms of yardage, it is alarmingly short at just 6,724 yards, but it is no pitch and putt course. It is a parkland course set in and around pine forests is which good ball-striking and course management are well-rewarded. When Parnevik won here in 1998, it was with a 15-under-par total. Parnevik also won in 1995 and with Haeggman the victor in 1997 that makes three home victories in the last five. More than any other continental European country, the crowds will be large and loud in support of their home players, especially Jesper Parnevik.
Parnevik and Monty are top of the ratings for this event, which is hardly newsworthy. Monty won this event last year at Barseback, was 8th two years ago here and has been outside the top-20 only once in this tournament in the 1990s, having played it every year with only four rounds of forty over par. Not in the Westwood league of current form, but would be an attractive proposition if odds of 8/1 and above could be found. Parnevik appears to be over his hip injury and with a 50,000 crowd supporting him each day, he will be hard to defeat. He has been 1st and 2nd the last two years in this event and so long as the greens are not as difficult as they were two years ago - he is used to the smooth, fast greens of the PGA Tour - he looks a good proposition if odds of 10/1 and above can be found.
Will have matchup plays later and the final outright plays when the tee-times are announced.
Outright plays:
Still sticking with Monty and Jesper, believe they could very well be
together in Sunday's headline pairing. Very skinny odds on both players though,
but 6/1 at Easybets for an outright Monty is just about acceptable and 10/1 at
Ladbrokes is just on the mark for making it an each-way play on Parnevik. In
terms of this week's dark horse, it's time for last week's villain to make
amends. Have heard nothing to contradict the view that Gary Orr's withdrawal
last week was purely precautionary - there is the US PGA and WGC NEC later this
month. On a course that rewards accuracy, he is ranked 4th in driving accuracy
and 2nd in greens in regulation in this field and the 66/1 on offer at Ladbrokes
[same odds @ Sportodds] seem to take too much of last week's withdrawal into
account. Would be a nice win, even if 3rd/4th behind Jesper and Monty, just so
long as he withdraws before teeing off if he feels another back twinge this
week! 
72-hole plays:
Ian Woosnam to beat Robert Karlsson -115 @ the Starnet books [2 units]
Both experienced a drop in form in the past month and especially Karlsson, so
don't expect this one to still be alive on Sunday afternoon. But on a course
that rewards accuracy, Woosnam's greens in regulation stats are significantly
better than Karlsson's and it may have been the reason he missed the cut here
two years ago
Colin Montgomerie to beat Lee Westwood -111 @ Easybets
Most books have Monty the favorite and I agree. Westwood is Europe's best
putter and this will not be a putting ground; inferior to Monty in the accuracy
stats, this is one of the few times I will oppose Westwood this year
Mid-point update:
One play is concluded after the 2nd round: Woosie made the cut, but Karlsson didn't; Woosie won by four shots. Not so great on the other one, Monty trails Westwood by nine shots. The outright plays are not looking too great at this stage: Monty is 15th, nine shots behind the leader Westwood, Parnevik is a shot further back in 24th and Orr is a further two shots back in 44th.
4th round play:
Raymond Russell to beat Diego Borrego -125 @ Intertops
Final update: 1-0-0 and +1.00 units for the day; 2-1-0 and +1.89 units for the week
A quiet week with very few plays looking attractive, but Raymond Russell carded a good 67 to beat Borrego by one shot, while the other remaining 72-hole play ended in a convincing loss - Monty was never in the tournament once he trailed Westwood by five after the first day and he looked like he was simply going through the motions thereafter. He finally lost by nine shots.
Update on outright plays: 0-3 and -3.00 units
Only the 2nd time in the last two months that it has been a wipeout on the Euro outrights. As mentioned above, Monty offered little by the way of fight after the 1st round - he finished in 17th position - while at least Parnevik was only 3 shots out of a place win; he finished in 11th place. Finally Gary Orr had a poor first day and was never in contention; he finished in 38th place.
