World Matchplay

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6-4; +1.68pts 

Round 1 plays (2pts):

Adam Scott to beat Tim Clark -165 @ 5Dimes and The Greek [available generally]  LOST 2&1
The Australian doesn't have a particularly good record in this event and on this course - just one win in the last four years - but he is playing much better than Clark who has finished mc-49-46-mc in his last four starts. And then there is the weather forecast. Scott does have a very good record when playing in bad weather - his (adjusted) scoring average is lower in both rain and over 15mph winds than in calm conditions; the opposite is the case for Clark.

Sergio Garcia to beat Thongchai Jaidee -165 @ 5Dimes [available generally]  WON 1 HOLE
Garcia is another good 'bad weather' player and his record on this course does list a 4th place finish in 2010. For Jaidee, he did have a good week in his only previous start in this event (2010), but in his other events on an American course in the last three years, he has finished 56-wd-mc-19-47-mc-wd-mc. It is not convincing that he will be at his best on this American course.

Round 2 plays (2pts):

Luke Donald to beat Scott Piercy -171 @ 5Dimes [available generally]  LOST 7&6
Backing the former winner on this course (2011) who played very well yesterday - he shot 67 despite the conditions - and warrants being a short-price favourite against Piercy who is making his debut in this event.

Fredrik Jacobson to beat Marcus Fraser -140 @ 5Dimes [available generally]  WON 4&3
Fraser did beat Keegan Bradley yesterday, but he shot 74 in the process so it was clearly a matter of Bradley losing that match. Jacobson has been in good form recently - 7th and 3rd in his last two starts - so I expect him to provide Fraser with a much tougher opponent today.

Richard Sterne to beat Hunter Mahan +140 @ 5Dimes [available generally]  LOST 4&3
Mahan had an even easier match yesterday. Manassero had no birdies, just five pars and nine over-par holes in his 14-hole match. Sterne's form coming into this event speaks for itself - 2nd and 1st in his last two starts - and he withdrew from last week's event to prepare for this one. He looks set for a very good week.

Jim Furyk to beat Bubba Watson +120 @ ToteSport and BetFred [available generally]  LOST 1 HOLE
Good odds to back Furyk who played well yesterday and has shown good form in his two starts this week. These are also good odds to oppose a player who has stated this week how much he dislikes matchplay.

Martin Kaymer to beat Rafa Cabrera-Bello -166 @ Pinnacle [available generally]  WON 2&1
Cabrera-Bello beat Lee Westwood in extra holes yesterday, but I don't see him progressin to the 3rd round. Kaymer has been playing much better than his opponent, finishing ahead of him in each of their last five common events, and has finished 2nd and 9ht in the last two years here; Cabrera-Bello won his first match in this event yesterday.

Round 3 play (2pts):

Steve Stricker to beat Scott Piercy -105 @ BlueSq [available generally]  WON 1 HOLE
Piercy's 7&6 win over World #2 Luke Donald made the headlines yesterday as he was 7-under-par for those 12 holes. It is difficult to follow up such as impressive performance, as Charles Howell found out yesterday. And Stricker didn't play too badly yesterday either - he had seven birdies in his match. Piercy can be a very hit-and-miss player as he has shown this year, whereas Stricker is much more dependable. He is a former winner of this event and finished 2nd in his only previous start of 2013. I make him a clear favourite in this match.

Semi-Final play (2pts):

Matt Kuchar to beat Jason Day -137 @ Pinnacle [available generally]  WON 4&3
Kuch has displayed the ball control that is needed to win this event. Not only is this a gruelling week physically - and even moreso because of the condensed schedule due to the snow on Wednesday - but mentally as well. His 'rarely in trouble' approach should leave him fresher for this match. And then there is his record in this event. In the last two years, he has finished 5th and 3rd, but notably the only losses that week were to the eventual Champion.

Final play (2pts):

Matt Kuchar to beat Hunter Mahan +120 @ William Hill [available generally]  WON 2&1
Both players evenly matched in terms of performances this week, so if I was to pick a player it would be marginally Kuchar. But I can't pass over these odds.