Matchup Picks

Tournament Trades (1pt):

Paul Casey to beat Ian Poulter +100 @ SkyBet
Opposing Poulter with two of the outright selections. He is simply not consistent enough to be supported in matchbets. He did finish in the top-10 last week, but it was the first time that he had done so in a strokeplay event since January. Good course record, but there are others who can play this course well and are in much better, and more consistent, form.
(available widely)

Darren Clarke to beat Ian Poulter -125 @ BetandWin, William Hill and Easybets
Clarke's course form cannot be questioned and while his form on the PGA Tour has been patchy, though improved in the last six weeks, he is a far better player when in Europe.

Retief Goosen to beat Ian Poulter -111 @ Ladbrokes
Simply the better player and, like Clarke, raises his game when in Europe where he is definitely a big fish in the proverbial little pond. Lots of good course experience and while I didn't fancy Goosen's outright odds, I would be very surprised to see him finish outside the top-10.

Bradley Dredge to beat Gregory Havret -125 @ Centrebet
Not reading too much into his 3rd place finish at the rain-shortened Italian Open last week and that leaves a lot o very average results for Havret. Dredge looks to be getting back to his best form and his withdrawal after the 1st round last week can be easily ignored.

Michael Campbell to beat Trevor Immelman -125 @ Sportingbet and Sporting Odds
Backing the third outright selection in the matchups as well. Immelman's top finish outside South Africa this year has been 24th (strokeplay events only), he comes into the event off three missed cuts and he has poor course form. Should be straightforward for Campbell.

Final update: 3-2-0; +0.64pts

Casey/Poulter WON by 3
Clarke/Poulter WON by 6
Goosen/Poulter LOST by 6
Dredge/Havret WON by 2
Cabrera/Immelman LOST by 2

Small profit, though would have been enough to cover the losses on the outrights had Poulter not finished right on the cut line. Generally encouraging though.

European Tour

Tournament Trades (1.5 pts):

Darren Clarke to beat Retief Goosen -111 @ Stan James
Clarke has the clear edge on course form and current form.

Raphael Jacquelin to beat Brian Davis +100 @ Sportingbet and Sporting Odds
Davis is not normally one to take on in matchbets but his return to golf after the birth of his first child was not a happy one last week. He also doesn't have the record here of Jacquelin, who missed the cut in Italy too but actually played OK. Only a disastrous finish to his first round hurt his scorecard (two double bogeys in his last three holes) and he played the back nine in four under in round two. Expect a big week from him.

Raphael Jacquelin to beat David Howell -111 @ Ladbrokes
Howell, like Davis, returned from a break to play disappointingly last week and has similarly average course form too.

Raphael Jacquelin to beat Trevor Immelman -111 @ Paddy Power
A third try for Jacquelin instead of an outright bet. Immelman has been missing cuts in the US and struggled a little in Australia before that too. It will be a shock to me if he comes back to Europe and contends immediately.

Alastair Forsyth to beat Thongchai Jaidee -111 @ Paddy Power
Forsyth showed last year what he was capable of and I'm happy to support him after a welcome return to form last week. Jaidee's finishing position did little to suggest he'll suddenly do the business now we're on wet British soil.


Final Update: 3-2; Profit 1.17 pts

Clarke/Goosen WON by 12
Jacquelin/Davis WON by 3
Jacquelin/Howell TIE (losing bet)
Jacquelin/Immelman LOST by 3
Forsyth/Jaidee WON by 8

Slightly frustrated by Jacquelin's inability to build on a good first round, and also that two of the players I took him against finished top 20.