Tipster:
Stanley
Qatar Masters
Outright picks (1pt):
Brian Davis to win 16/1 e.w. @
Sportingbet,
Sporting Odds and
BetDirect
Nothing much to enthuse about this week, but in a very weak field Davis
does look a worthy favourite. His last victory on Tour was only four
weeks ago and he has finished in the top-5 here, just as he did last
week in Dubai. This is a course that plays fairly short with more of an
emphasis on the short game and this should also favour Davis this week.
Phillip Price to win 40/1 e.w. @
Sportingbet and
Sporting Odds
Price is another who has a good short game and he should also be
favoured by the often windy conditions that prevail here in the
afternoon. He failed to deliver as a 100/1 selection last week, but at
least there were signs of form in the first round when he would had been
very well-placed had he not incurred a silly two-shot penalty. He
finished 2nd in 1999 and could easily repeat that performance in this
field. This price is too high for a player who won a prestigious event
on the Tour last year (European Open).
John Bickerton to win 50/1 e.w. @
Tote
Bickerton has yet to win on the Tour so place-only bets would seem
appropriate, but at a best price of 8/1 for a top-5 finish, it is no
alternative to 50/1 each-way. His 2004 form is steady as it usually is -
he is a good player to back in match bets as he has a high success rate
in finishing in the top-25 - but he does tend to specialise in certain
events and this is one of them. He has finished 4th, 35th, 4th and 8th
in four appearances at Doha and that cannot be ignored. So long as he
doesn't hit the front too early, he may yet secure his maiden Tour win.
Final update: 1-2; -0.50pts
Davis 3rd
Price 14th
Bickerton mc
Small loss on the plays, though there were chances for a
better return. Price started the final round in 12th place and only four
shots out of the lead, but never moved forward on the last day, while
Davis did at least look like he might catch the leaders, but never did.
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