AFTER picking The Open winner for the second year running I feel duty bound to put up some tips for this week's events.
We go from the sublime to the ridiculous on the European Tour with Simon Dyson favourite to win the Russian Open at Tseleevo, Moscow.
All the stars have given it a miss but the one name that caught my eye was JB Hansen. The Euro Tour rookie starred on the final day of the Scottish Open after a remarkable round.
He notched up a nightmare 9 on the par-four third hole but raced back into contention with eight birdies in nine holes. At one point he led before a couple of late guys prevented him from joining Branden Grace and eventual winner Phil Mickelson in a play-off.
JB looks one for the future and with the Russian field a list of no-names he looks worth an each-way punt at 33-1 with Betfred and Ladbrokes.
After two weeks of superb links golf at Castle Stuart and Muirfield, fans of that type of game have the Senior Open at Birkdale to look forward to.
A star-studded line-up includes favourite Fred Couples, Tom Watson, Bernhard Langer, Tom Lehman, Mark O'Meara and Mark Calcavecchia. Home hopes rest with debutant Colin Montgomerie although his Open record isn't great.
Couples is rightly the favourite at a best 6-1 but going for each-way value in O'Meara who proved he's a class act with an opening 67 at Muirfield before making the cut. He won The Open at Birkdale as well as a European Tour event so knows and loves the course. He is 22-1 at BetVictor.
Many of The Open stars have headed back across the Atlantic for the Canadian Open at Glen Abbey, Ontario and Brandt Snedeker is a worthy favourite at 12-1 (various) after finishing 11th at Muirfield.
I wouldn't put it past Snedeker to win but fatigue could play a part in holding back Open competitors who played four rounds such as him, Hunter Mahan, Matt Kuchar, Dustin Johnson and Bubba Watson.
A player who didn't qualify for The Open is Daniel Summerhays but he could give the superstars a run for their money after finishing ninth, fourth and second in the past few weeks. The fourth was in the John Deere Classic when a 72nd-hole bogey cost him a place in a three-man play-off and last weekend he made a play-off in the Sandersons Farms Championship but lost to Woody Austin.
Admittedly those two fields were weakened but Summerhays is scoring well and I'm taking a chance on him to continue his good form with a high finish. Back him at each way at 50-1 with the likes of Betfred.
Recommended Bets
JB Hansen ew
(33-1, Betfred, Ladbrokes)
O'Meara ew
(22-1, BetVictor)
Summerhays ew
(50-1, Betfred)
senior open
fred couples 6/1
tom watson e/w 35/1