Golf Betting – Make Hay With Gay In Hawaii

Hawaii, land of volcanoes and grass skirts, home to the US Pacific Fleet, the world’s top surfers, Magnum PI and Steve McGarrett (if you’re not old enough to remember Hawaii Five-O, ask Mum or Dad). The islands are also home to the first two tournaments on the US PGA Tour and, after the SBS Championship, it’s the turn of the Sony Open at the Waialae Country Club in Honolulu this week. There’s a theory that a strong showing in the first can lead to a successful conclusion in the second and that has certainly been the case in the last two years, KJ Choi and Zach Johnson both building on solid performaces in Kapalua to emerge triumphant on Oahu. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, has followed a similar path this time around and it’s no surprise he is prominent in the betting to reprise his 2009 success. Boylesports and extrabet quoting the at 20-1. But Brian Gay, fifth last year, should have conditions to suit again and Stan James (40-1) look to have seriously underestimated his chances. This course, sandwiched between the giant Koko Crater and the Pacific Ocean, hugely favours those with a high percentage strike rate from fairway to green and Gay is among the best of that breed, as wins in the Verizon Heritage and Stanford St Jude Championship last year testify. He’s come on in leaps and bounds recently and, at those kind of odds, punters can afford an each-way bet and still have a win saver on the classy Steve Stricker, who heads the market at a general 12-1. Stricker was fourth here in both 2007 and 2008 and the world number three traditionally comes to hand early in the season. With no Tiger Woods to worry about for the foreseeable future, the man from Wisconsin should be challenging for the Majors this season and is worth keeping on the right side of.