GOLF: WGC-HSBC BETTING TIPS

THIS week the Tour is staying in Shanghai for the second event in the 2014 Race to Dubai Final Series at the Sheshan International GC.

Taking part are 40 of the top 50 players in the official world rankings, including including Justin Rose, Sergio Garcia, Rickie Fowler and Bubba Watson.

Hitting the fairways is essential as water comes into play on 11 of the holes so some of the players may have to take their wet suits!

One player who loves this course is Graeme McDowell who finished third here last year. He is one of the straightest hitters on tour with an average of 70% of fairways hit.

He’s also in the top 10 for average putts per round (28.6) and a GIR of 67.6% so he’s playing well. Although he finished badly last week with a 74 he was in contention until then so well worth an each-way bet here.

Another straight hitter is Henrik Stenson. With a driving accuracy of 69.4%, GIR at 72% and a putting average of 29.4. He’s had a couple of weeks off since his second in the Volvo World Match Play and I think he’ll be refreshed enough to do the business soon. Could be this week.

One man who seems to like playing out in China is Frenchman Alexander Levy. He won the Volvo China Open in April and was T2nd last week in the BMW Masters.

He had a disastrous 78 in the final round and lost in a play-off to Marcel Siem who chipped in for a birdie at the first extra hole. He also won the weather-shortened Portugal Masters last month but his last three final rounds have been 78-75-78 so hopefully he’s got over that this week and has four good scores. Good each-way bet.

I’m taking Sergio Garcia again this week but make no apologies for it. Garcia was fourth here last year behind Dustin Johnston and he can go better this time. His driving accuracy maybe isn’t the best but GIR is 69.4 and putts per round around 29 so stats hold up.

Sergio’s third in the Race to Dubai and has a bit to do to catch Rory McIlroy but he’s had a great season and I just think he’s going to finish off the European Tour with a bang.

Over in America at the Sanderson Farms Championship it was a toss-up between Andrew Svoboda and Hudson Swafford. Svoboda has had a good start to the season and although missed the cut in the Fry’s in the other two tournaments he was T18 then T8th.

But the name on everyone’s lips at the moment is Swafford. He’s been T8, T18 and T12 in the first three tournaments of the season with his highest score in 12 rounds of 71. A small each-way bet is worth a try here.

15pt staking plan

McDowell 2pts ew (30-1, 888sport)

Stenson 2pts ew (22-1, Stan James)

Garcia 2pts ew (16-1, Betfred)

Levy 0.5pts ew (66-1, 888sport)

Swafford 1pt ew (40-1, 888sport)

Ace Venturer

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