LAST week I mentioned Emiliano Grillo was one to watch this year but even I was shocked when he won the Frys.com Open on Sunday at 50-1.
He certainly put me through the hoop when he missed a three-footer at the first extra hole but all was forgotten when he birdied the same hole next time round. So after my 35-1 winner with Matt Fitzpatrick at Woburn and 103pts profit a fortnight ago it was another great weekend.
At the Portugal Masters Chris Wood was never going to catch Andy Sullivan on the final day but my 20-1 shot pick added to my tally of second-place finishers this season with a solid 68.
I can't pick winners every – although I usually manage a runner-up – but let's go for three in a row. And thanks to everyone for the kind comments – much appreciated.
The Euro Tour moves to China this week for the last tournament before the Final Series in the Race To Dubai. The UBS Hong Kong Open returns to Fanling where this competition has been played for the last 57 years. It is a composite course of the East and New courses and although not long the rough can be quite penal in places.
Every time I look at the participants here I can’t get passed Fitzpatrick. He’s ninth in Driving Accuracy (71.2%) and seventh in GIR (75.6%) which is what is needed on this course. The boy is hot just now and if he has recovered from his British Masters win he will do well here.
The Englishman is third favourite behind big guns Justin Rose and Dustin Johnson – and that shows how far he's progressed in such a short space of time.
I was impressed with Eduardo de la Riva hitting four rounds under 68 in the KLM last month and finishing T2. In the Portugal Masters last week he hit 65, 67, 68 and 71 (T3) and is in form but has pulled out the Hong Kong event which is a disappointment.
So instead I'm on Anirban Lahiri who has had a great season, having won more money in his first season than any other rookie and sitting 16th on the Race to Dubai list.
With four top-six finishes from his last six outings including T5 at the US PGA his form is up there with the top guys. In the three Asian Tour tournaments he has played this season he’s won twice. His driving accuracy is over 60% and GIR 71% so those stats alone make him one to follow.
The PGA Tour moves from the wine country of the Napa Valley to the lights of Las Vegas for the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.
Ryan Moore had a nine-under par weekend at the Frys.com and looked good. He won here at the TPC Summerlin in 2012 and has another two top 10s. At the Frys his GIR stats were 72.2%, driving accuracy was just over 55%, but his putting was good, averaged 28 putts per round, which will come in handy. Missed the cut last year but has the knowledge to get round this course and do well.
You can’t take anything away from Kevin Na’s performance last week apart from the fact he took a driver off the fairway at the second extra hole and duck-hooked it. Why his caddie allowed him to take that out the bag when Grillo had landed in the bunker was beyond me.
His driving accuracy stats at the Frys was over 66% and GIR 76.39 and the fact he won here in 2011, with the memories of that win, this could be the best place for him to play after last week.
Recommended Bets
Matthew Fitzpatrick 2pts ew (16-1, Betfred, Ladbrokes)
Lahiri 1pt ew (25-1, Ladbrokes)
Ryan Moore 2pts ew (25-1, Ladbrokes, bet365)
Kevin Na 1.5pts ew (28-1, Coral)
Ace Venturer
In December 2020 we sadly 
Best of luck Ace!
Think Holman and Kapur cud b decent ew bets
Can’t see De La Riva in any betting markets for the Hong Kong open
Neil Brookes, that’s what Ace said. Maybe get a price tomorrow but I’ve had a look and there are pics online of him practising in Hong Kong today so must be playing.
Patrick Reed for me at 16/1 e/w Ace…bags of potential and seems to be maturing well.
Little pop on YE Yang for 1st round leader at 66/1
Good luck
On it like a car bonet ace
Shriners
B.Snedeker 25/1
R.Knox 50/1
Hung Kong Open
T.Jaidee 25/1
D.Horsey 40/1
A.Oaetgui 125/1
SSP.Chawrasia 150/1
Could not see any odds for De La Riva either,
Ace,he looks a bit tentative when he gets to the top of the leaderboard, understandably
Just checked the tee times on the European tour website and de la riva is not listed- not yet anyway. Will check again later.
Cheers Ace.
sorry guys thought de la Riva was playing this week.
Will put up a substitute shortly.
Ace – is it 13 points staked in total?
Iddy, that’s correct – with Lahiri instead of De La Riva.
Anirban Lahiri and Marcus Fraser with his bags of experience at this course. top 20 and e/w for me this week
Poulter is playing in the Hong Kong Open btw, he may have replaced De La Riva
DrWooll, funnily enough Ace has sent me Lahiri as a sub for De La Riva.
Mr. F has been commenting on the football platform lately about his great wins in the golf section so i will be trying it out. However the issue is that my bookmaker here only has an option of who will win the tournament, so are u saying any of this guys are going to win or one will win while the other gets to be the runner up? please who are we staking to win?
Thanks Mr F – wasn’t sure if it was 6.5 or 13
Iddy, they’re all eachway which makes it two times 6.5.
Iddy, they’re all eachway which makes it two times 6.5.
Anyone else getting on bet365 when you select the EW option it only doubles your stake for instance £10 returns £20 is that the minimum or is something wrong?
Great choice on Lahiri. I’d already included him in my selections,which gives me even more confidence that I’m looking at the right things.
Great week at golf ..again..grillo , hend amongst others..Ace not only one picking winners regular
malkster, nice one – it’s been a nice little run although I’m not as confident this weekend.
for the 1st time in probably months i have left the golf alone this week just could not decide, might stick a £5er EW on Ace’s American tips for something to watch if i venture out today..
Good Luck Guys happy hunting.
Ended up backing Will Wilcox 50/1
Going with Jimmy walker 9-2.
Final round now in play and Kevin Na now second favourite at 3.2. Good Pick Ace.
Good place for Fitzpatrick, Lahiri unfortunate to miss out. Kevin Na right in the mix as well, nice one Ace.
Adam F, Lahiri missed by one after two late bogeys.
Na must have a chance of at least a play-off with a driveable par four and par five to come.
Na misses a tiddler at short par four so still one behind and now on the par five.
Could be another play-off like last week.
As long as he places it’s more profit for Ace.
Not looking good for birdie on the par 5 either
I take it back! Ha ha
A bad weekend ,just turned it into a great one with mr kaufman winning shriners at 250-1..malkster strikes again
malkster, that’s some bet. I didn’t see you mentioning him on here – I’d never heard of him until yesterday.
Ace says he nearly tipped Kizzire who leads the Web.com moneylist but Kaufman was under his radar too.
Ace-really unlucky with the golf tips. I thought Na was nailed on for a play-off at the very least after that birdie at 16th. He’s turning out to be a real bottler though,that chip at the 17th must be 1 of the worst shots I’ve ever seen(although I might be biased seen as though I backed him!!) ha
GAZ H, I watched it and Na messed up big style. The chip was poor and I’ve seen his explanation for it but if he knew it was lying that way he should have taken that into account when playing the shot.
It’s maybe just as well Na finished joint second – we couldn’t afford Ace’s bonus for three winners in a row.
Kaufman a speculative 1ew at last minute..i posted tips for 4 toornys last week mr F..none seemed to come up below my message..hes another talent on Web tour..along with kizzire ..a few others still to appear..from that tour..young guns to the fore..mr F..
malkster, shame the tip didn’t make it but was a great spot.