Cadillac Championship

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1-1; +0.10pts  (system plays: 6-5-3) 

Round 1 play (2pts):

Matt Kuchar to beat Martin Kaymer +130 @ Boyle Sports  LOST by 2
Fair price to back the ever-consistent Kuchar. He has finished in the top-10 in five of his last seven starts and was 3rd in this event last year. His golf over the last 18 months certainly warrants his position in the top-10 in the World Rankings. Similarly, Kaymer's golf has made him a justifiable #1, but he was far from impressive from the second round onwards in the World Matchplay two weeks ago and there have been a lot of off-course distractions since earning that #1 spot last Monday, including his father flying over from Germany to congratulate him in person. And with Kaymer traditaionally a much slower starter to events - in 23 previous strokeplay events in the U.S. he has broken 70 in the 1st round just once - Kuchar may well have the advantage after day one.

[unofficial rd1 system plays: Mickelson tb Kaymer -110 (L); Stricker tb McIlroy -105 (T); Woods tb Kaymer -105 (L); Mickelson tb McDowell +110 (L); Woods tb McDowell -115 (T)]

No round 2 plays.

Round 3 play (2pts):

Martin Laird to beat Francesco Molinari +125 @ Paddy Power [available generally]  TIED
His tee-to-green play this week and the fact that Molinari has aleady won a WGC event in China makes him the favourite in this matchup. But Laird has been playing well this year - he finished 3rd in the Phoenix Open last month - and virtually leads the field in driving length and putting this week. However, it is his previous record when in contention that makes him a player to back in his current position - he is 4th, a shot behind Molinari in 2nd. He has started the third round in the top-5 on five previous occasions in the U.S. and he has finished 1st, 1st, 4th, 2nd and 2nd. He has never fallen down the leaderboard or dropped shots on the leader in the 3rd round from this position.

[unofficial rd3 system plays: Na tb Wilson +115 (W); Johnson D tb McIlroy +100 (W); Laird tb Baddeley -105 (W); Ikeda tb Davies -110 (L); Van Pelt tb Chowrasia -110 (W); Woods tb Mickelson -108 (W); Kuchar tb Watney +100 (T)]

Round 4 play (2pts):

Nick Watney to beat Dustin Johnson +105 @ Stan James [also available @ Paddy Power]  WON by 4
It was an ugly end to Watney's round yesterday after he had taken the lead, but it least it means that he starts the final round in the lower-pressure situation of being 2nd and in the penultimate group. He finished 2nd in this event two years ago and has been in very good form - his last four finishes have been 6th, 5th, 6th and 9th. By contrast, Johnson's best previous finish on this course had been 33rd and his last four finishes have been 29th, 55th, mc and 33rd. So, Watney looks the more likely to continue his good form in the final round and we all remember what happened the last time (2010 U.S. Open) that Johnson held the lead heading into the final round!

[unofficial rd4 system plays: Mahan tb McIlroy -120 (W); Donald tb Johnson D -115 (L)]