Between playing golf, practicing golf, thinking about golf and watching golf, I spend a lot of time these days with golf between my ears in one way or another. It has quickly become very close to the top of the list of my favorite sports, and I like a lot of sports, similar to many of you folks here on Scorum.
Most weekends at this time of year, we have a competition on the European tour which is on during the morning and afternoon and then when the lads are finished pummeling and pounding drives around my side of the world, the guys in the US are just getting started, so there is always some good golf to be watched on Sky Sports golf channel.
If Victor can get around today in around -4 and leave himself within 3 or 4 shots going into tomorrow he has every chance to win this tournament - all I want is a top 7 finish for a payout on my bet though, but a win would be even better!
This post will concentrate on the US PGA event from across the Atlantic in Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas.
I'm going to pick 4 golfers, two who are close to the lead and two that are a little further back, who I think can progress through the field and feature in the top 5. All odds taken from Irish bookmaker Paddy Power.
Tony Finau 3/1
Tony is the obvious choice to go on and win this one, and with starting price odds of 25/1, he was actually excellent value, especially, with an each way bet that pays 8 places. Those odds have no been cut to 3/1, with Tony playing some excellent golf, and sitting pretty in a tie for second place on -8, one shot away from Swede Jonas Blixt, who leads this tournament at the half way stage.
For me Blixt is a powerful player, and indeed, I have had a few quid on him over the years, as he is often high odds. I'm not convinced that he has what it takes to close this one out though. I'd be far more inclined to say that Tony Finau will pass him and take the first place cheque. There are plenty of other players that will contend also though.
If Jordan Spieth could just improve his tee to green game, he'd be in healthy lead, as he is putting like a machine this week, and he will definitely be one to watch for the next major, if his ball striking improves, because we all know, you don't win majors without putting well.
Rory Sabbatini 12/1
Rory Sabbatini is a what we would call a veteran. He has been around the tour for a long time, and he goes though hot spells and cold spells, like all golfers. He is well and truly in the middle of a hot spell at the moment and any time I see him playing in a non-major golf competition, I give him a chance, and he has worked himself into a great position this week, with rounds of 68 and 66 respectively.
If the man from South Africa, who has now gained Serbian citizenship can hit two more rounds in the mid 60s, he will be well in contention coming into the back nine on Sunday evening, and anything can happen, as we have seen over the years.
His recent finishes in US PGA events are as follows T5, T18, T3, T10, T36, T39, T18, T25, T36. That shows a very consistent golfer who is getting closer and closer to a first win on tour since the Honda Classic in 2011. At 43, Rory is not getting any younger, so this hot streak is a great chance for him to get back to winning ways again. I do feel a tour win is just around the corner for Rory. Could it be this week? I think it could, and I backed him at 33/1, so I hope that my faith pays off this weekend.
Tyrrell Hatton 50/1
The 27 year old Englishman is currently ranked as the 40th best golfer in the world and at times he plays like he is in the top 10 best golfers, but then other times he plays like he's not even in the top 500! With Tyrell, you don't always know what you are going to get, but the ability and potential is most certainly there.
Will he ever manage to get his name against one of the 4 golf majors that each and every golf pro covets? I'm not so sure, but he will most certainly win more golf competitions on the US PGA and European tour. His form coming in here this week would not inspire huge confidence T48, T35, T56, CUT, CUT, T29, T19, CUT, T15, T38, CUT.
However, he has made the cut now, and sitting 6 shots off the lead at -3, he is very much in with a chance, if he can just play to his full potential. A low score of 64 or 65 today will see him shoot up the leaderboard, and he will need to be within one or two shots to have a chance tomorrow. It will suit him playing from a few back, as if he were leading tomorrow, I think the pressure might get to him - he plays some of his best golf when the pressure is off, a bit like myself!
Matthew Fitzpatrick 200/1
This one is a real punt and he is currently sitting a full 10 shots back from the second round leader Jonas Blixt. It would take something truly magical to turn it around from here, and with players like Spieth, Finau, Hatton many shots ahead of him and other top players like Rose and Mollinari sitting alongside him at +1, it would be something else.
Can he win it? Probably not.. But Saturday is moving day, and I expect him to be closer than 10 shots away at the end of today. If he can somehow get within 5 shots of the lead, he has half a chance going into Sunday. He'll need to shoot 64 or 65 today to do so, and he is well capable of that, if his game is on song.
My Euro tour and US tour double
Before a ball was hit, I did a each/way double on Tony Finau @25/1 on the US tour and Victor Dubuisson @25/1 on the Euro tour. If that double comes in, I'll be one happy camper, as it pays out at more than 700/1 were both to win, and both are in contention!!
Thanks a million for reading as always.
Peace Out.
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