Tipster: Stanley

Buick Invitational

Matchup plays (1.5pts):

Robert Allenby to beat Thomas Bjorn -110 @ BetInternet
Siding with an outright selection against a player whose only appearance this season has been in Asia and has no course experience. Bjorn did play well as a selection in the Johnnie Walker Classic, but the way that he threw away the tournament must be a concern for him and with a relatively poor record in the United States - his last top-10 finish on American soil was in in 2000 (20 starts ago) - this does no look the week that he will make amends for the Johnnie Walker Classic.

Fredrik Jacobson to beat Lee Westwood -120 @ William Hill and Easybets
Similar story here. Westwood last played in the Johnnie Walker Classic, finishing 45th, and his last top-10 finish on American soil was also back in 2000, also 20 starts ago. No hesitation in backing this outright selection again either.

Alex Cejka to beat Rory Sabbatini -130 @ WWTS
Quite a contrast in form between these two players. Cejka has had one start this year, finishing 14th in the FBR Open; Sabbatini has finished 25th of 30 in the Mercedes Championship, then withdrew after an opening 78 in the Sony Open and has then missed the cut in the last two weeks. With little difference between them in course form, their current form is rather decisive.

Vijay Singh to beat Phil Mickelson -137 @ Sportingbet and Sporting Odds
The hardest-working man on the Tour is now only two good finishes away from equalling Jack Nicklaus' record of 14 consecutive top-10 finishes and he has now secured his maiden win in California. He has his sights set on Tiger and no longer being the 2nd best player in the world. In that respect there is a huge gulf between these two players, despite Mickelson's wins on this course. He has also missed the cut in two of the last five years though and has yet to display the consistency this season that will elevate him into a second serious challenger to Tiger this year.

Adding (1.5 pts)

Shaun Micheel to beat Mathias Gronberg -150 @ WSEX
Opposed Gronberg last week and will confidently do so again as he missed the cut last week and has never played at Torrey Pines until this week. Didn't think I'd find myself siding with the PGA Champion, but with finishes of 13th, 20th and 4th in his three starts of 2004, he is slowly starting to impress. Shouldn't need to do much against the Swede who, like all the rookies, has to learn fast at this stage of the season.

Final update: 1-4-0; -6.41 pts

Allenby/Bjorn LOST by 8
Jacobson/Westwood WON by 4
Cejka/Sabbatini LOST by 9
Singh/Mickelson LOST by 1
Micheel/Gronberg LOST by 7

Very poor. Completely failed to predict how this leaderboard would finish.

Tipster: Shaker

Buick Invitational

Matchup plays (1.5pts):

Lee Janzen to beat Rod Pampling +100 @ Stan James
Ordinarily two fairly evenly-matched players but I think there's enough here to warrant a bet. I think this week is going to be a tough week for the players: the course is rumoured to be very difficult for both getting to, and putting on, the greens and these are the conditions where Janzen usually excels. I see him as being favourite for this match as many of Pampling's missed cuts come on tough courses (one of them last week) and the fact Janzen is put in as outsider is the clincher.

Briny Baird to beat Rod Pampling -128 @ Five Dimes
Opposing Pampling again here at a shorter price but with a better player. Baird's driving has let him down so far this season but I can't see this fine player of tough courses losing his accuracy for too long. He had a fine season last year, very consistent, and is taken to enjoy returning here to try and maybe even equal his top five finish of twelve months ago.

Briny Baird to beat Steve Flesch -109 @ Centrebet
Baird's consistency is taken to win the day here against the more volatile Flesch. The latter has had a fine start to the season but it is unlikely to last too much longer - this will be the sternest test of golf he's faced so far and patience isn't his strong point. He's done virtually nothing here since the course was toughened up two years ago and it's surprising to me to see Baird as outsider here.

Brad Faxon to beat Steve Flesch +100 @ WWTS
Flesch generally isn't quite in the same class as Faxon so opposing him again here at favourable odds. Obviously the current form displayed by the two is the factor but Faxon bounced back well from a poor first outing last season and progressed as last week went on. 3rd place here last year shows he likes the place and a much better showing is expected of this consistent and sometimes underrated player.

Brad Faxon to beat Luke Donald -107 @ Five Dimes
Even more that the previous matchup, Faxon is in a different league to his opponent here. Again, it's the current form which has swayed the odds but it is by far too much I feel. Donald has done well here before (not as good as Faxon last year still) but to make him clear favourite in this match is just plain wrong in my opinion. He had a bit of a torrid time last Sunday and will do very well to contend again here.

Final update: 1-4-0; -4.74 pts

Janzen/Pampling LOST by 6
Baird/Pampling WON by 5
Baird/Flesch LOST by 5
Faxon/Flesch LOST by 11
Faxon/Donald LOST by 8

Faxon played absolute rubbish but had little chance anyway when up against players who ended up right in contention for the tournament.
Called Flesch and Donald completely wrong, Pampling a little better.