Right this time
March 10th 2009 18:39
OK, I skipped a week but I had things to do right. And anyway, I was never going to tip you YE Yang as the winner of the Honda Classic so you haven't missed anything right?
This week, it's another of those slightly annoying WGC events, annoying because they seem, these days to be the domain of Geoff Ogilvy and Tiger Woods!
Woods and Ogilvy are the two dominant players in this tournament, as they are at the previous WGC event the world matchplay.So you immediately have to throw them into the mix, right?
Wrong. I'm leaving out Woods on the basis that no way is he ready to win yet. I think he'll be ready to win in ... about month ... at Augusta. But not now. Now is like Woods' pre-seasons where he's finding out what's working and what isn't. He may yet defy me but I'll bet against him.
Ogilvy had a pretty tough matchplay, lots of long contests before a romp in the final. I don't know if he can back up and win straight away again - there's bound to be some mental letdown and Ogilvy has yet to prove he's a two-in-row guy so I'll leave him to the side as well.
That brings me to the players who can succeed. As always I've gone for players with good records in this event crossed with in-form players.
I've come up with Robert Allenby, who I know will probably not putt well enough to win ... but one day he might.
His countryman Aaron Baddeley has a good record at this event - 15th and 9th the past two years at Doral - and is in OK form; at least as good as he has been in the previous two years anyway.
Sergio Garcia, after a long layoff, was dumped in the first round at the Matchplay and then finished strongly at Honda. He likes this course and plays tough courses well, so he's in the mix.
And I can't go past Paul Casey, simply for his good form. He just edged Zach Johnson for my fourth pick.
In Puerto Rico I'm going with Bo Van Pelt, who has to hold his nerve one day and win. I like John Merrick, who has been consistently good in stronger fields while Greg Owen appeals as a guy who is slowly getting his game back together after two years in the wilderness.
Finally, a quick tip for the NZ Open which is a Nationwide Tour event but features plenty pf Aussies and Kiwis.
In one: Josh Geary. The young Kiwi was top 10 at this challenging course last year and is in hot form.
This week, it's another of those slightly annoying WGC events, annoying because they seem, these days to be the domain of Geoff Ogilvy and Tiger Woods!
Woods and Ogilvy are the two dominant players in this tournament, as they are at the previous WGC event the world matchplay.So you immediately have to throw them into the mix, right?
Wrong. I'm leaving out Woods on the basis that no way is he ready to win yet. I think he'll be ready to win in ... about month ... at Augusta. But not now. Now is like Woods' pre-seasons where he's finding out what's working and what isn't. He may yet defy me but I'll bet against him.
That brings me to the players who can succeed. As always I've gone for players with good records in this event crossed with in-form players.
I've come up with Robert Allenby, who I know will probably not putt well enough to win ... but one day he might.
His countryman Aaron Baddeley has a good record at this event - 15th and 9th the past two years at Doral - and is in OK form; at least as good as he has been in the previous two years anyway.
Sergio Garcia, after a long layoff, was dumped in the first round at the Matchplay and then finished strongly at Honda. He likes this course and plays tough courses well, so he's in the mix.
And I can't go past Paul Casey, simply for his good form. He just edged Zach Johnson for my fourth pick.
In Puerto Rico I'm going with Bo Van Pelt, who has to hold his nerve one day and win. I like John Merrick, who has been consistently good in stronger fields while Greg Owen appeals as a guy who is slowly getting his game back together after two years in the wilderness.
Finally, a quick tip for the NZ Open which is a Nationwide Tour event but features plenty pf Aussies and Kiwis.
In one: Josh Geary. The young Kiwi was top 10 at this challenging course last year and is in hot form.
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