Volvo PGA
A top class event and a top class field, this is a classic golf event. Monty has won this event for the past two years, Woosnam the year before, and with Faldo 4 times, Langer 3 times, and Olazabal being the winners over the past fifteen years, this is an event and a course which brings to the fore the best players. As the course compatibility figures show, this is a ball-strikers' event and as such, there is no reason to oppose Monty and he leads the Tour-Tips rankings by a merry mile! His reluctant putter will be less of a hindrance this week.
The 72-hole plays:
Colin Montgomerie to beat Lee Westwood -133 @ Easybets
WSEX have this matchup at -170 which looks about right; really can't see
beyond Monty winning this event so looks an attractive price against Westwood
who won last week but the week before was complaining of being at an all-time low on
confidence!
Bernhard Langer to beat Michael Campbell -110 @ WSEX
Fabulous long-term course record for Langer who will be sore at missing the cut
in his home country last week; Campbell's explosive start to the season seems to
be petering out
Retief Goosen to beat Michael Campbell -120 @ the Starnet books
Not as good a start to the season as many expected of Goosen, but 13th last week
and on a course well-suited to his game (4th last year) should be a strong
contender for a top-10 place; will be enough to easily beat Campbell
Padraig Harrington to beat Jean van de Velde -115 @ the Starnet books
Two of the form horses in Europe at the moment, but Harrington more suited to
this course - ranked 6th in the field in greens in regulation; Velde is 70th
Miguel Angel Martin to beat David Howell -111 @ Sportingbet
Top-20 in four of last five tournaments for Martin, last week's 9th place for
Howell was completely out of the blue, don't expect a repeat
Peter O'Malley to beat Geoff Ogilvy +100 @ Easybets
Ogilvy's length not such an advantage this week; O'Malley the much better
ball-striker and with two top-10 finishes in last three weeks is obviously in
form
Update: 5-1 and +3.90 units for the week
Another very satisfying week on the Euro Tour, the only loser being Langer who had been ahead of Campbell for 3 1/2 days, but not the most important part! Monty won the event as predicted as so beat Westwood by three, Goosen won by one, Harrington by five, Martin by two and O'Malley by eleven.
Roll on the English Open