Volvo PGA Championship

Course: Wentworth Club, Surrey, England
Yardage: 7075
Par: 72 (four par-fives)
Greens: Poa Annua with Bent

Weather Forecast

Best Players Last 10 Years

Past Winners:
2001 - Andrew Oldcorn
2000 - Colin Montgomerie
1999 - Colin Montgomerie
1998 - Colin Montgomerie
1997 - Ian Woosnam
1996 - Costantino Rocca
1995 - Bernhard Langer
1994 - Jose Maria Olazabal
1993 - Bernhard Langer
1992 - Tony Johnstone

Outright plays:

Angel Cabrera to win 16/1 e.w. @ Sporting Odds or Heathorns
Eight top-10 finishes in his last ten strokeplay events. Cabrera has become a must-pick while at these odds and particularly on a course that suits his game. Last year he was 16-under-par for the par-fives and finished 2nd, two shots behind Andrew Oldcorn. In much better form this year coming into the event (including victory in the Benson & Hedges International two weeks ago) and should once again go close.

Darren Clarke to win 20/1 e.w. @ Bet365, Sporting Odds or Victor Chandler
Not a player I normally side with in the outrights - he is far too erratic - but he does have an excellent record in this event - twice a runner-up in the last five years - and comes into the event with some erratic, but impressive showings this season. He followed a missed cut in the Players Championship with 2nd in the Houston Open and a top-20 finish in the Masters; he followed a missed cut in the Benson & Hedges International with a strong showing last week. Unpredictable, but a genuine title contender.

Thomas Bjorn to win 33/1 e.w. @ Sporting Odds or Heathorns
"Unpredictable, but a genuine title contender" could also be written about Bjorn. Two great rounds and two poor rounds last week was typically erratic, but it was evidence that he was rediscovering the form that had deserted him on his return to European action. In four starts on the PGA Tour, he had secured three top-25 finishes. Who knows which Thomas Bjorn will be playing this week, but hopefully one of Clarke and Bjorn will be showing their 'Jekyll' side this week.

Matchup plays (1.5 units):

Nick Faldo to beat Paul McGinley -111 @ William Hill
Not a lot of interest this week, no doubt partly a consequence of last week's whitewash! But most matches were lost by a single shot and the two on Faldo were just that. Will side with him again as I believe he is still in great form - he did have a slight arm strain last week - and has finished in the top-3 in three of his last four starts on this course. McGinley's form on this course is not as impressive: a best-finish of 10th and two missed cuts in the last five years. This is also only his second start in Europe this season and he missed the cut at the Belfry in the first, shooting 74-81.

Nick Faldo to beat Peter O'Malley -118 @ Easybets
O'Malley edged out Faldo by a shot last week, despite missing the cut himself. Was a good player to oppose, but Faldo just let the side down. In his three starts in Europe this season, he has finished 71st, 41st and missed the cut. Definitely worth opposing again on a course on which he has a mixed record: two missed cuts in the last four starts.

Nick Faldo to beat Gary Orr -111 @ Sporting Odds
Orr has a decent record on this course - 2nd in 1998, top-10 last year and in 1996 and no missed cut since 1994 - but he is struggling with his game at the moment. He has only missed the cut once in nine starts this year, but his 20th place finish in the French Open has been his sole top-30 finish of the year. Not the level of golf that Faldo has playing.

Mid-point update:

Faldo/McGinley WON by 6
Faldo/O'Malley Leads by 1
Faldo/Orr WON by 7

Cabrera 22nd
Clarke 22nd
Bjorn 14th

Faldo shot 6-under-par for the last eight holes to jump out of danger of missing the cut and end the day in 7th place. McGinley and Orr were not so capable in the blustery conditions and that's two wins so far. The outright selections are all on the fringes of contention, but one of them will have a secure a top-5 if Faldo's work is not to be undone.

Final update:

Matchups: 3-0; +4.50 units

Faldo/O'Malley WON by 3

Outrights: 0-3; -4.50 units

Cabrera 40th
Clarke 7th
Bjorn 19th

Faldo completed the sweep, but as feared the outrights cancelled them out. Fine effort from Clarke who finished just one shot out of a top-5 position, but a disappointing break-even on the event.