The Open	Subscribe

This week's US Bank Championship is being ignored with all my bets being advised on what is effectively the main US PGA Tour event this week, The Open.

Bet 1 - Buy Ben Curtis over Martin Kaymer 72H MB at 0.95 using the "My matchmakers" facility at Sporting Index for 0.5 Pts M/U -12, Loss 6.5 Pts
Kaymer is going for three in a row after success in France and Scotland the last two weeks and he openly admitted he is knackered after the effort. He also admitted he has never seen Turnberry and could only really commit to one practice round between now and Thursday to try and get mentally and physically prepared the best he can. He is paired here with Curtis who has a 8-7 record over the last two years in this event and is ridiculously thrown in with Major winner's like Micheel and Hamilton when people talk of one hit wonders who have won the greatest prizes of all. Curtis is anything but, but that allows us to back him at good odds and of those on offer this week this may be the best value of all as I would not be surprised if the German misses the cut.

R1 18 Hole Bets (0.5 Pt Stakes)
 
Sell Paul Broadhurst over Michael Campbell at 9 with Sporting Index M/U 34, Loss 12.5 Pts
For all Cambo's problems over the last few years where his game has literally collapsed he has continually made the cut at the Open with a worst finish of 57th in the last 5 years. Broady has an ok Open record generally, with a high of 12th in 07. However, allowing for that and even with the failings of Campbell recently Cambo shouldn't be as high an outsider as he is here.

Sell Kenny Perry over Greg Norman at 7 with Sporting Index M/U 28, Loss 10.5 Pts
Norman's 2008 display demands more respect than the price being offered here, and he will have positive vibes from the course having won here. Perry has a good record in this event but like the offer above, the price is too high.

Sell Henrik Stenson over Steve Stricker at 0 with Spreadex M/U -25, Profit 12.5 Pts
Stricker is coming off of a win on Sunday back in America and although I dont particularly like backing players who have just flown across the Atlantic from another event, I am making an exception here. Stricker has finished in the Top 10 here the last two years and is in better current form than Stenson who has done little bar his 9th at the US Open since winning at Sawgrass in May. Sporting go 0-3 Stricker which seems a closer estimation.

Sell Stewart Cink over David Howell at 8 with Sporting Index M/U 16, Loss 4 Pts
Cink, for a player of his standing, has a fairly average Open record. 6th in 07' and 14th in 04' the only Top 25's in 11 starts. Howell, meanwhile, hasn't faired much better but did finish 7th last year whilst in a slump, a slump it must be admitted he is yet to come out of. 8 is high though given the opponent's overall record although taking any less wouldn't be advisable.

Sell Brandt Snedeker over Branden Grace at 5 with Extrabet M/U -25, Profit 15 Pts
This is an interesting match up as Snedeker has the stats to contend and Grace is somewhat of an unknown. Grace, in a period on the Sunshine Tour in early 09' posted figures of 2/10/3/9/6 in a 5 event spell which is pretty impressive and since moving up to the European Tour has managed to make 3 Top 25's in 9 starts. Snedeker is a man in form with 5th and 2nd in his last two starts but he has flown in after that 2nd on Sunday and that in itself could be problematic. His Open form is one cut miss from one so with all known info 5 may be high on European soil.

Sell Todd Hamilton over Tomohiro Kondo at 4 with Sporting Index M/U -22, Profit 13 Pts
It's almost a given that a Japanese Tour player shines in this event, certainly pre-cut and this year it could be Kondo who has two Top 5's to his name in his last two events. He missed the cut in his only start in this event in 07' but will hopefully be better for the experience. Hamilton has a bit of form earlier in the year where he contended for a couple of weeks in April but has done nothing since. 

Sell Thomas Aiken over Peter Hedblom at 2 with Spreadex M/U 0, Profit 1 Pt
Hedblom leads 12-10 in H2H's and his Open form reads one 7th and 4 missed cuts to Aiken's one cut made, one missed. The price seems high as expected the players to be rated as "choice"

R2

Sell Tom Watson over Matteo Manassero at 3 with Sporting Index M/U 0, Profit 1.5 Pts

Sell Soren Hansen over Tomohiro Kondo at 9 with Sporting Index M/U 31, Loss 11 Pts

Sell Stewart Cink over David Howell at 8 with Sporting Index M/U 13, Loss 2.5 Pts

Sell Rory McIlroy over Anthony Kim at 1 with Sporting Index or Extrabet M/U -13, Profit 7 Pts

3 pts profit, 12 Bets, 6 wins, 6 losses.