Note: Andy is no longer offering 18-hole spread match bets on this page. However, he will be offering 18-hole fixed odds match bets instead on the matchups page here. His picks have been very profitable, which is good for the site, but it also means that the spread firms have been experiencing a lot of one-sided action on these matches as there is not the volume of bets in 18-hole spread betting to offset his tips. Faced with the possibility of having his spread accounts limited, he will instead concentrate on fixed odds 18-hole betting. He will, of course, continue to post other types of spread picks on this page.

U.S. Open

Tournament Trades by Andy

Four Finishing Position sells at Spreadex to obtain the extra advantage of one price "Spread Free"

Sell Jay Haas at 33 M/U 10.5, Profit 11.25 pts
Sell Scott Verplank at 32 M/U 43.5, Profit -5.75 pts
Sell Mike Weir at 35.5 (Spread Free) M/U 4.5, Profit 15.5 pts
Sell Fred Couples at 34 M/U 50, Profit -8 pts

.............all for 0.5 pts

Weir has been an enigma of late. After a great start to the season he has fell away, but in an event which has 20+ amateurs, local pro's and old timers, and the offer of an extra 1.5pts, 35.5 is value. Verplank and Haas are two players we have tipped up of late and on the whole they have given us a good run. Yes, this is a major with a great field but the depth isn't as strong as the Players at Sawgrass for example so the prices are still on our side. Finally, Couples is in a rich vein of form and has no apparent fear in Majors where he has shown up well before when in considerably worse form than this.

Final Summary (Andy) 13 pt Profit
Good week on FP's with the two successful trades paying out more than the two losing bets gave up. Verplank was a disappointment to fall as spectacularly as he did on day 4, but then he wasn't the only one.


Tournament Trades by Shaker:

Buy Mike Weir/Stephen Ames 72H MB at 1.5 with IG Sport for 0.5 pts
Managed to call the end of Ames' fabulous run right last week by laying him, and I can't see him turning it back around here. He has virtually no experience of US Open golf (DQed after opening with 77 on his only appearance in 2002) and I feel he is much more likely to repeat last week's flop than have his game turn around and flourish again; I am remembering here that his MC last week was in close to US Open conditions. Weir has three top-20s in the last four Opens and has a low-ball flight to go with an accurate but imaginative game and I'm expecting him to add another high finish to that impressive record.
MU 3, Profit 0.75 pts.

Buy Padraig Harrington/Charles Howell 72H MB at 4.35 with Sporting Index for 0.5 pts
To get this price you need to use the "My Matchmakers" facility. I know this is a high price to pay but I am confident it is the right thing to do. I desperately want to get with Harrington somehow and feel taking on Howell, a one-dimensional young player with a suspect short game and poor US Open record, with him is the best way to do so, even giving up the shots. Harrington has finished 5th/30th/8th/10th the last four Opens and the likely windy conditions should help him even more this year. He nearly won the "US Open prep" tournament last week and he has the necessary qualities for this type of golf in abundance.
MU 1, Loss 1.68 pts.
Ultimately, what a lot of to-do about nothing with these two matchups! Bit gutted to select a top five player and win virtually nothing, but then in the other match Harrington was very poor until an amazing run to close round 4 with three birdies and a par ... and even then we needed a birdie-less 83 on Sunday from Howell to get that one out of jail.