DANNY WILLETT Willett managed to hold on against a charge from Matt Fitzpatrick and Tyrrell Hatton in the mountains at Crans-sur-Sierre on Sunday to give me a 16-1 winner.
Leading by one he hit a nervous drive which just stayed out of a bunker but he recovered to hole out for his par and take the trophy.
With Mr Fixit tipping Bubba Watson for the Canadian Open and Colin Montgomerie for the Senior Open we ended up with a 1,2,3 between us which wasn't bad although Monty, who led going into the final round, was a win only bet.
So to this week and the Quicken Loans National is held at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club which lies along the shores of Lake Manassas in Virginia. Architect Trent Jones liked the land so much he bought it and designed a world-class golf course.
Since its opening in 1991 the course has only been used in one PGA Tour event but the Presidents Cup (USA v International team) has been played four times here.
After a brilliant last-hole win over Matt Kuchar in the Scottish Open at Gullane Rickie Fowler didn’t have that great an Open. Since winning the Players Championship in May Rickie has missed two cuts then won the Scottish. His form this year has been up and down but he looks like he’s coming back to some sort of form and with a weaker field at RTC can see him doing the business.
Daniel Summerhays has only had three top-10 finishes this season and hasn’t had that great a season. After missing cuts at the Travellers and Greenbriers he bounced back with a T8 at the John Deere and T11 at the Canadian Open last week.
He has missed five cuts from his last 10 tournaments. In the missed cuts his GIR was averaging only in the mid-50s but in the last two outings it improved by around 20%, i nfact all his stats improved out of this world. Could be getting a bit of form now and I’m having a small eachway wager.
With a first and two thirds this season 25-year-old Kiwi Danny Lee has had a impressive second full season on the Tour. He is 14th in the FedEx standings and looking good at the moment.
His season has been up and down a bit so far but his win in the Greenbriers and a T3 in the John Deere Classic one shot behind wonderkid Jonathan Spieth seems to have got have back on track. He missed the cut at St Andrews but that was helped by a triple bogey at the 16th on the second day. Eachway seems a good bet.
I wasn’t going to select anyone at the Saltire Energy Paul Lawrie Matchplay at Murcar Links because I’m useless when it comes to matchplay. But there are two who really stand out for me.
One is Paul Lawrie himself whom I watched at Gullane in the Scottish Open and he looked really solid. He followed that up with a good Open but unfortunately fell away in the last round. Lawrie has a decent matchplay record but will be tested by Romain Wattel in his opener.
The other is Hatton whose final round 62 in Switzerland at the weekend was brilliant golf to watch. He also has a good links pedigree, finishing fifth in the Scottish Open at Royal Aberdeen last year and a top-25 finish this year at Gullane. Hatton kicks off against Darren Fichardt.
Recommended Bets
Rickie Fowler 2.5pts ew (11-1, Betfred) EW win
Daniel Summerhays 1pt ew (60-1, Betfred) lose
Danny Lee 1pt ew (40-1, Betfred, William Hill, Ladbrokes) ew win
Paul Lawrie 1pt ew (33-1, BetVictor, McBookie) lose
Tyrrell Hatton 1pt ew (22-1, Betfred, BetVictor) lose
Ace Venturer
Fair play Ace for trying to pick a winner in the Matchplay.
It’s not for me but I’m doing a first-round treble on Hatton to bt Fichardt, Jacquelin to bt Benson and Morrison to bt Edberg.
That pays 3-1 with McBookie.
Also like Warren v Bland, Wall v Doak, Levy v Foster and Wood v Kruger but they can’t all win.
Matchplay not touching it..dodgy Scottish summer weather..and the usual strange results. .not for me.
Madeira ..jensen mcevoy arendell jeppeson.
Pga tour..lingmerth summerhays bowditch and D.Lee..
malkster, Matchplay always tough but happy to give the ties a go.
Haven’t looked at Madeira but reckon Rose will be the man to beat in the Quicken Loans.
Well done last week lads some fine tipping, thought Jim fuyrk may have landed me back in the money but slumped in 4th in end I think, need start betting my boys each way I reckon. Time to study..
I think i’ll have a go at 6 of your selections Paul and perm any 5 from 6 and all 6.
Im off up north this weekend to play in the 36 hole open at Boat of Garten GC. An absolute gem of a golf course and a tough one at that!!
Willie, haven’t played the course but have heard it’s good so enjoy and I hope the weather’s OK.
BOL Mr F.they look good 2 balls on paper..
3 for me this week
Justin Rose 9/1 – has 4 top 10 finishes recently so is in good form
Justin Thomas 28/1 Each way has had a good season and taken few weeks off so hopefully will come back fresh and ready pick up his form
Johnson warner 55/1 Each way Johnson is my long shot for the week looked at will welcome and Gary woodland for my Outsider this week but warner has just started turn his form around finished 5th in john dere few weeks back and he has won on the pga in past so with form coming good he could be decent bet
Ace how have your picks done in all competitions this year. Im not picking holes Im just curious.
Madeira Islands Open – Portugal
Adrian Otaegui e/w @ 55/1
Ryan Fox e/w @ 29/1
Quicken Loans National – USA
Gary Woodland e/w @ 45/1
Brendon de Jonge 1st round leader e/w @ 67/1
Wagner..i take it u mean..lee?
Had a fiver on Justin rose this morning at 8-1, gl all.
Hi, can anyone tell me state of play with the golf?
Has fowler got a chance of winning, how long is left etc?
Sorry for my ignorance, had a bet on fowler anti post, usually on the horse thread, but fancied a go on the golf.
You probably already guessed, I haven’t a clue….
Nearly man, Fowler is 2 over today and out of it. You’ll scores all over the net including bbc sport. Hopefully Lee will place for Ace.
Another decent week for Ace – he tipped three players in the States and 2 placed.
Rickie Fowler 2.5pts ew
(11-1, Betfred)
EW win
Danny Lee 1pt ew (40-1, Betfred, William Hill, Ladbrokes)
ew win
Fowler did well with a late recovery to finish second – my only tip Justin Rose ew also finished in a place but he was only 8-1.
Me F… Thanks for that,
I backed all aces tips, so hopefully lee does place.
Thanks again
Nearly man, Fowler finished second on his own three behind Troy Merritt who no one will have tipped. Lee was fourth but deadheat rules will reduce the payout.