bubba watson

Travelers Championship Betting Info
The action may be a little more sedate this week after the storms that were brewed up at Merion for the US Open last week. Still, the newly crowned champion Justin Rose is straight back in action this week in among a clutch of top names hoping to take the title. This is one of the easier par 70 courses on the PGA Tour and there should be plenty of scoring chances of offer, in stark contrast to what went on last week. Big greens and comfortably sized fairways should all be attacked and it could come down to the battle of the who has the hottest putter.

Latest Travelers Championship Betting Prices at online bookmaker Stan James
Justin Rose 14/1, Hunter Mahan 16/1, Lee Westwood 18/1, Jason Dufner 20/1, Bubba Watson 20/1, Webb Simpson 25/1, Rickie Fowler 28/1, John Rollins 33/1, Keegan Bradley 33/1

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Travelers Championship Betting Favourite
By courtesy of his win at Merion last week, England’s Justin Rose, following his maiden Major win, heads up the field. That was the biggest moment of his career, so how will he follow up on that this week? It sounds a pretty tough ask for a player to come straight off the back of a Major title and follow it up with a win. But Rose has been so consistently strong all season, and has three top ten finishes at TPC River Highlands as well, that he may well be back near the top of the pile. There may be a little drop in performance, as expected after the highs of last week and running around the media circus, so could be worth backing a top ten bet for a price of 11/10 with Stan James as opposed to outright winner.

Other Contenders
If there is one name which is going to be hard not to overlook this week, it is going to be that of Hunter Mahan. He is the all time money leader at the Travelers Championship, and not too surprisingly in amongst all that he is a previous winner. Along with his victory he has recorded two T2s as well as a T4 from his eight cuts made in eleven attempts at the tournament. He is also carrying form as well after taking a share of fourth place at the US Open on the weekend. Hasn’t taken a title this year, but really should go close at TPC River Highlands.

John Rollins should be high up the priority of golf betting options this week as he could be a good top ten fit. He makes good value. He has been in contention in the last two Travelers Championship, landing two top five finishes in the last two starts. Rollins has averaged just over 66 strokes per round over the last two years here as well. Has had a couple of serious title challenges this year as well, the most notable being a share of fourth at Colonial. Clear affinity with the course and therefore worth backing for top ten.

Lee Westwood is back in action after a somewhat disappointing US Open challenge. He took a share of fifteenth and that kept a streak of six top 15’s in the last seven starts across the world. Driving very well, scrambling very well and the clear area of his game which needs some improvement is in his putting. He is creating chances well enough for himself and just not converting. This is is his second appearance at the Travelers (the last all the way back in 2005).

No reason why the colourful Rickie Fowler shouldn’t be in the mix of things here really after taking a share of 10th at Merion. He carded a top ten finish in 2010 which was his last appearance that the Travelers Championship. Fowler has been in pretty solid form this season and just capable of pulling out a great round which puts him in contention overall.

Bubba Watson has a special affinity with TPC River Highlands as this was the scene of his first ever win on the PGA Tour. That was one of four top fifteens which he has recorded at the tournament and he went close to a second title when he recorded a second place finish last term. His average scoring is just under 67 going over his last five rounds at the course. Hard to argue with his course record and should be back in contention.

Best Outside Bet
There should be a temptation in backing Charley Hoffman who had to settle for a share of second last year at the Travelers. Could well have won but just bottled it at the very end. Still, he has landed four top ten finishes this year on the PGA Tour and given his run last year and how comfortable he found TPC River Highlands, he could be back for more at value of 4/1 for a Top Ten Finish with online bookmaker Stan James.

Wells Fargo Championship Golf Betting Info
Some big guns are out in the field for PGA action this week, quite a few of them in fact. So there are some big favourites to be backing in the field. Rory McIlroy will again attempt to get his season back on track, but Quail Hollow is well populated with a strong chasing pack. Big spotlights on The Green Mile, the last three holes of the course and there have been some changes from last season. Some accurate driving off the tee would go a long way at this course.

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Wells Fargo Championship Golf Betting Favourite
Rory McIlroy goes as favourite this week and he is the course record holder, with a round of 62. This was the site of his first ever PGA Tour title, back in 2010 and he went close to his second Wells Fargo title last year when he lost in a play off. In between that, he bombed and missed the cut in 2011. He hasn’t been seen in competitive action since the Masters, so will he come out fresh and ready, or still lacking that sharpness? It’s not really been a season to remember so far for McIlroy, can he make it count here? McIlroy is 8/1 favourite at online bookmaker Bet Victor in Wells Fargo Championship golf betting.

Other Contenders
Bill Haas may take some backing this week as he is producing some solid enough golf at the moment. He leads the PGA Tour this season with five top ten finishes, and on top of that, is inside the top ten for greens in regulation. He has his all round game going well, the scrambling is pretty much top notch at the moment, and on top of that, he has two top finishes at Quail Hollow as well. A very good fit, maybe a lock for a top ten finish.

Many people look at Bubba Watson and see only a big hitter. He does drive massive distances off the tee, but also has some great ball manipulation as well. The course management needs perhaps more control than distance at Quail Hollow, still, Bubba is not all about driving. He is sixth in greens hit on the PGA this term and is the leader for scoring on par 4’s. His best finish at Quail Hollow was a share of second place back in 2009 so he can deliver here.

Lee Westwood may be a temper for punters this week in PGA Golf betting. He took a share of fifth at Quail Hollow last year and his stats stack up for him to have a good charge again this term. He took a top ten finish at the Masters in his last start, leaving him with consecutive top ten finishes in his last two starts. His scrambling game, which is going to come into play, is superb at the moment and consistent enough to challenge inside the top ten.

Phil Mickelson has a good enough track record at the event as well to attract a lot of interest. He has never missed the cut at the event, which speaks volumes and has produced six top ten finishes in nine starts at the tournament. Four of those have been top fives as well. The iron work is there in his game, could work with a little improvement on his putting, and iron out a few creases in his driving. Otherwise, is such a proven performer at Quail Hollow that he could be up there again.

Best Outside Bet
DA Points is looking off value considering what he has posted lately. He has made the cut in each of his last four starts, producing a second in New Orleans and a victory in Houston. Can’t ask for much better form than that, oh, and he was a loser in the play offs here last term as well. Big value at 40/1 with online bookmaker Bet Victor.

Latest Wells Fargo Championship Golf Betting Prices at online bookmaker Bet Victor
Rory McIlroy 8/1, Lee Westwood 16/1, Webb Simpson 18/1, Phil Mickelson 18/1, Rickie Fowler 22/1, Bubba Watson 25/1, Sergio Garcia 25/1, Nick Watney 28/1, Bill Haas 28/1, DA Points 40/1, Hunter Mahan 40/1, Henrik Stenson 40/1, Ian Poulter 40/1

PGATour Zurich Classic of New Orleans Golf Betting Info
A great looking line up for the start of the next golf betting adventure on the PGA Tour this week. The action heads to New Orleans for the famous Zurich Classic and the TPC Louisiana. The course is a fairly easy one, and made even easier after some changes last season. The course is a long one at over 7,400 yards, but the average score last year at the course was at 71. Nothing too challenging here, just a bit of straightforward course management.

PGATour Zurich Classic of New Orleans Golf Betting Favourite
The role of favourite this week will fall upon the shoulders of England’s Justin Rose. He has been in tremendous form for a long time now, producing some superb consistency. He has landed fourteen consecutive top twenty fives across the world now, including at the US Masters. He landed a share of tenth spot in last year’s Zurich Classic and his all round game and course management is solid enough to get him even closer to the title this time around. Two top three finishes in his last two starts, really can’t argue with that. Justin Rose is trading at a price of 12/1 with online bookmaker Paddy Power

Latest PGATour Zurich Classic of New Orleans Golf Betting Prices at Paddy Power
Justin Rose 12/1, Jason Dufner 16/1, Bubba Watson 18/1, Keegan Bradley 18/1, Rickie Fowler 18/1, Nick Watney 22/1, Billy Horschel 28/1, Thorjorn Olesen 33/1, Cameron Tringale 40/1

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Other Contenders
Big hitting Bubba Watson is previous winner of the tournament, taking the title back in 2011. He followed up that title defence with a top twenty return last season as well. Didn’t really get going in his US Masters title defence recently though, but that has been a bit of exception. Hasn’t been in bad shape through 2013 with a couple of top ten finishes. He is leading the PGA Tour for birdies on par fours this season and that will count for a lot in New Orleans. He manages distances so well off the tee and he should be a pretty good fit for a top ten finish.

The defending champion this week is Jason Dufner. He is the all time money leader for this event. He hasn’t managed to land a top ten finish this season on the PGA Tour but he is a great fit to make amends for that again this week. Has a tremendous record at the course, landing three straight top ten finishes and took a play off win last season. He took a share of 20th at the US Masters and went last week as well at the RBC Heritage where he was a bit patchy, firing in a poor third round. Still, a good fit given his track record in New Orleans.

Billy Horschel is looking good for a top ten place this week as well, as he has found some great reserves of consistency to his game. He has now made the cut in 22 consecutive tournaments and was in great nick last week at the RBC Heritage taking a share of ninth. He is the top birdie scorer for the season on the PGA Tour and has the steady course management kind of game to go well in New Orleans. Well worth looking at for some value here after landing three top ten finishes in a row in his last three starts.

Best Outside Bet
This will be Jeff Overton this week who is just settling into a bit of form. He was a runner up at the Zurich Classic back in 2010 so knows his way around the course. He also landed top twenty finishes in 2009 and 2012 as well in the event. His last outing was at the Valero Texas Open and her hit a top ten finish there as well in what was his best finish of the season. The putter is just getting better and better the moment and could take his chances. Jeff Overton is trading at a price of 50/1 with online bookmaker Paddy Power

PGA The Barclays Golf Betting Info
The first venture into the 2012 FedExCup Play-offs lights up the golf betting markets this week, as the qualified 125 players look for qualification into the Deutsche Bank Championship. Only the top 100 points leaders will progress from The Barclays, and naturally we are looking at a major field here with plenty of strong options to look at backing.

PGA The Barclays Golf Betting Defending Champion
American Dustin Johnson brought home the title here last season, taking a two shot win over Matt Kuchar. The interesting thing about Johnson is that he could just make a strong case for a defence here. He was out of the game for three months this season but has performed pretty solidly on his return. Only his missed cut at the US Open has blotted his copy book, but since his return from injury-enforced lay off, he has won the FedEx St Jude and took a T9 at The Open Championship. That has added up to five top ten finishes for Johnson this season which is a pretty good run considering everything he has gone though. Was in in a great stretch of form through February and he is not looking short of confidence. However, this is a new venue this year, so he won’t have the course-win effect on his side. Other strong markers though for Johnson is that he has won a play off tournament in each of the last two seasons and he has tremendous length off the tee, which could put him in with a shot.  Dustin Johnson is trading at 25/1 with online bookmaker Bet365.

PGA The Barclays Golf Betting Favourite
Tiger Woods will tee-ff at Bethpage Black as favourite. He has won here before, taking the US Open title when it was hosted here a couple of years ago. Has three wins under his belt for the new season and just ticking along nicely at the moment. He took a T11 at the PGA Championship, but with two wins and four top tens in his last seven starts, he is the hot ticket at the moment. Pretty strong option to back with his course history and he starts the play-offs as the points leaders. He also tops the PGA in money and scoring average this season. Why not? Woods is trading at a price of 7/1 with online bookmaker Bet365 and goes as joint favourite along with Rory McIlroy.

McIlroy tees off in third place in the FedExCup points standings. He delivered an immaculate performance at Kiawah Island for the PGA Championship. Everything came together and how quickly the talk of his mid-season slump was washed away. McIlroy has to be in with a great chance here, not only is he swinging well with accuracy, but he has the ability to eke out extra distance without compromising that accuracy off the tee. With the distance needed this week for The Barclays, then McIlroy is going to be a big threat. Hitting big and hitting well at the moment. Has played the course before, back at the 2009 US Open where he hit a top ten finish. A question mark may be over his putting but that is really splitting hairs. Should be up there and goes off at the same price of Woods.

Other Contenders
Superbly strong field and therefore you are pretty spoilt for choice. Will be worth looking at Keegan Bradley who is in great form heading into the Play-offs He fired a third place finished at the PGA Championship and that was straight off the back of winning the Bridgestone Invitational. Peaking at the moment and is going to be a danger because of the distance he can pull off the tee as well. Can be streaky but he does lead the PGA in the all-around stat and he goes off at a standing of 8th in the points standings. Well primed for a shot at the FedExCup itself.

Australia’s Adam Scott has the distance with the driver to contend here and his natural game will be a good fit for the course. He does have the short game to have a good crack at this and his caddy (who was with Tiger Woods when he won the 2002 US Open here) has tremendous knowledge of the course. A pretty decent performer in the play-offs and should make good value for money amongst a crop of players hovering around the 25/1 mark to start the tournament off.

Matt Kuchar has to be looked at. He won The Barclays in 2010 and then came close to defending his title last year, finishing a solo second. Kuchar is always pretty dependable and has landed eight top ten finishes this season. Three of those have come in the last five starts. Like Westwood missed the cut at the PGA Championship after a forgettable 82 in the second round. Has one win under his belt at The Players this season. As capable as anyone of pulling off four solid rounds this week. Maybe not the distance off the tee as some of the names above, but not a bad shout at all.

Bubba Watson is the personification of big hitting. Watson if fifth in the FedExCup standings and while he has found a tad more consistency this season, has oddly struggled at Bethpage Black before. However, he is in decent shape as he fired a T11 at the PGA Championship and was looking solid. His distance will help here this week and he leads the PGA in driving distance but also backing that up is him standing in second pace in greens hit.

Best Outside Bet
Lee Westwood may just be something of a big surprise in the field. This will be his first attempt at the FedExCup play-offs and he joined specifically this season with the PGA Tour to have a crack at the high pressure series Westwood ranked 51st in the FedExCup standings heading into the play-offs and that was thanks to a solid season, which as included five top ten finishes. The big man does have the driver for this, but after his missed cut at the PGA Championship, is he going to be in the right frame of mind? Usually a big tournament player and could muscle his way close.

Latest PGA The Barclays Golf Betting Prices at online bookmaker Bet365
Rory McIlroy 7/1, Tiger Woods 7/1, Justin Rose 22/1, Luke Donald 22/1, Dustin Johnson 25/1, Bubba Watson 25/1, Keegan Bradley 25/1, Adam Scott 25/1, Steve Sticker 25/1, Sergio Garcia 25/1, Lee Westwood 25/1, Phil Mickelson 30/1, Webb Simpson 30/1, Louis Oosthuizen 33/1, Graeme McDowell 35/1

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Rory McIlroy won his first Major at the US Open last year and will be in a better frame of mind for the defence of his title at the Olympic Club in San Francisco this week after coming back to form in the FedEx St Jude Classic in Memphis, despite a late collapse.

The Northern Irishman was tying for the lead going to the final hole but hooked his drive into a lake and ended up finishing seventh after a double-bogey six. However, that was a massive improvement on his three previous touraments in which he failed to make the cut. McIlroy is a best 15/1 with Betfred and totesport to repeat his 2011 victory in the US Open but all the money has been for Tiger Woods. The former world number one has finished in the top six in five of the last six US Opens and knows the Olympic Club course well from his early years. Already a winner twice on the US PGA Tour this year, it would be no great surprise if Tiger came out on top but he must know that the clock is ticking on his bid to surpass the great Jack Nicklaus’ record number of Major wins and the feeling persists that the once-reliable Woods’ swing is a bit suspect nowadays when surrounded by the world’s best players. Blue Square and 888sport‘s 15/2 just looks too short again considering the quality of opposition.

No-one would begrudge either Luke Donald (a general 14/1) a first Major win, nor Lee Westwood. Donald recently mounted a successful defence of his BMW PGA Championship title at Wentworth and arrives in great heart. But how often have we said that in the past! His record in the US Open is poor considering his ability and Westwood makes much more appeal at Paddy Power‘s 13/1 bearing in mind that three of his four top-10 finishes in the tournament have come on the west coast. San Francisco promises to suit his game and the Worksop pro, who comes here off the back of another impressive tournament win in Sweden, can finally his long wait for a grand slam event.

Longer-priced challengers worthy of consideration include Keegan Bradley at Stan James‘ 66/1 , while Masters‘ champion Bubba Watson is a general 50/1. Rickie Fowler (widely available at 35/1) will need to improve on a pretty poor record in the US Open if he’s to get involved however. Brandt Snedeker is a favourite of mine and has always looked capable of breaking into the big time. At 125/1, he also looks too big with William Hill.

Zurich Classic of New Orleans Golf Betting Info
There is a good strong field on show at TPC Louisiana for the Zurich Classic of New Orleans including new Masters holder Bubba Watson and Graeme McDowell who is starting to ramp up his game. This is a long course, almost seven and a half thousand yards long, and this is a course which benefits from some big drivers. This isn’t an easy course to tame because the greens are tough to read and taking chances after making it to the green is hard. This has been one of the top ten most difficult courses on the PGA Tour for the past few years, in terms of sticking it on the green and getting the ball down. So a tough challenge, but there are enough driving chances for players brave enough and confident in their length to carve out some extra strokes.

Zurich Classic of New Orleans Golf Betting Defending Champion
Bubba Watson won a thrilling conclusion to last season’s Zurich Classic. He went up against Webb Simpson in a play off and prevailed. He admitted after that the course didn’t even suit him, but what he did was play his Bubba golf, and lead the way in driving distance off the tee. Watson has superb, if a little unorthodox, manipulation of the ball through the air off the tee. Now he has gotten his eye in on the course with a win, you would expect him to come up and put in another big performance here, especially on the back of the wealth of confidence he should have picked up by winning the Green Jacket at Augusta. Not too surprisingly he leads the PGA with distance off the tee, but there is more to his game than that. He ranks second on the Tour for greens hit too. Going well, strong contender, and going off at 14/1 with Bet365.

Zurich Classic of New Orleans Golf Betting Favourite
England’s Luke Donald is actually trading as favourite here. Not sure that we have seen the best of Luke Donald this season yet. He has one win under his belt, taking a play off victory at the Transitions, but other than that he hasn’t really threatened the top of the leader board He has lost his world number one ranking to Rory McDonald, and while he has made the cut on each of his six PGA outings this season, there should still be stronger finishes coming from him. Donald was pretty much a shoe-in for a top ten finish wherever he went last season, but he has landed only two from six starts this season. Still, his accuracy around the greens is still good, he is second on the PGA Tour for strokes gained in putting. Just needs an extra ten percent to his all-around game and he’ll back back to winning ways. Tied for eighth here last season, in what has been his only visit so far. Donald is 13/1 at Boylesports. 

Other Contenders
Great field in attendance and a couple more European challengers to look at. Graeme McDowell put in a very solid performance at The Masters, where he tied for 12th. He has found a touch more consistency this season, which is good to see, as he went AWOL during 2011 pretty much. He has landed four top fifteen finishes from six starts on the PGA Tour this season. Decent stats in the all round game, and if he is getting his confidence back, then he should be in good standing here and well worth a punt.

Justin Rose, winner of the WGC Cadillac, has been in fine form this season and has to be in contention here for your golf betting. Rose fired a T8 at The Masters, giving him three top tens from eight events on the Tour this season, three in his last five. So Rose is in very solid form at the moment, and he has started taking a few more chances, being a little bit braver, a bit more maverick with his shot selection. He hasn’t really gone very well at TPC Louisiana before, but his game is right up there at the moment, and finding greens in regulation very, very well.

On to the American challenge, and that will be led by Keegan Bradley. Bradley has been one of the most consistent players on the PGA Tour this season without a shadow of a doubt. He often gets overlooked, but he has only been outside of the top twenty once in ten starts this season. He is the best all rounder in the game at the moment, and swinging very confidently. Two top ten finishes in his last three, but hasn’t been able to get over the winning line this season, although he has come close. Would expect him to win something sooner or later, simply because he has form and a lot of momentum on his side.

Steve Stricker likes the course and that may just be enough to sway your bet here. Sticker has landed three top finishes in a row now at TPC Louisiana over the past few season. He is one of the coolest heads in the pack, and when he is on song, is a joy to watch. He has tasted victory on the PGA Tour this season, winning right back at the start of the season in Kapalua. Solid all round stats as you would expect from the big man. Good course history, very good player and therefore adds up to a great place bet, or a top ten at the very least.

There are some other big names in the field, like Webb Simpson, Nick Watney, Carl Pettersson and Peter Hanson, all of which could make a very good case for themselves. A great field in attendance at TPC Louisiana and therefore there should be some competitive scoring across the tricky course, which has had a few subtle adjustments made to it for this season. The finish on the 18th now should be speculator after changes there.

Best Outside Bet
We have already mentioned him briefly, but it may be worth looking at Webb Simpson. This guy could do no wrong last season, but he hasn’t done much right in 2012. He has landed only three top ten finishes this season from nine event, but he has made the cut in each of his starts. But he has been mostly hovering around the thirties for finishes though and looks short of the game and confidence that produced so many fantastic results in 2011. Still, he reached the playoff here last season, and he probably should have won because he picked up a penalty in the final round. Really hasn’t got the iron work or the putter going this season, but, course history is on his side and he has a good chance of coming good again.

Latest Zurich Classic of New Orleans Golf Betting Prices
Luke Donald: 13/1 at Boylesports
Bubba Watson: 14/1 at Bet365
Keegan Bradley: 20/1 at Totesport
Justin Rose: 22/1 at Blue Square
Webb Simpson: 22/1 at Ladbrokes
Steve Stricker: 25/1 at SkyBet
Jason Dufner: 28/1 at BetFred
Graeme McDowell: 33/1 at Totesport
Nick Watney: 33/1 at Be365
Carl Pettersson: 35/1 at 888Sport
Peter Hanson: 40/1 at Bet365

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It is off to California for PGA Farmers Insurance Open golf betting this week. The South course at Torrey Pines is the longest course used on the Tour, and naturally the benefits will be there for those who can drive longer distances. Bubba Watson exemplified that last season when he was booming the ball over the San Diego course, winning the tournament and leading the field in driving distance. PGA Farmers Insurance Open golf betting is a great experience and one of the best tournaments on the PGA Tour, because not only can the even the won with sheer distance, the course is much, much more complex than that. Players have only small greens to drive at here on the South Course and that is why you will be looking for a player with a great blend of distance and accuracy in approach worth. The event goes over the North and South courses, and while the North one is regarded as being a pretty easy par-72, its southern counterpart is a bit of a monster. The greens just have to be hit there, they really do, because it can be torture for wayward shots. The South Course is 7,698 yards, the longest course on the Tour and so it is Bubba Watson who returns to try and defend his title. However, the American isn’t trading all that well, not after a pretty uninspiring crack at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, his only outing this year. He finished eight under par, but the big problem was his consistency over the four rounds, and it is one of the things which holds him back from more titles. The driving distance is there with him, the manipulation of the ball in the air is there, and he has continuous improved his iron work throughout his career. Trading back at 30/1 with SkyBet to take the title again here. He pulled all of his assets to play brilliantly here last year, he is too hit and miss to back solidly, but the potential is there, especially over the North Course.

First time winners don’t happen very often in PGA Farmers Insurance Open golf betting and you have to back a long way to find the last one. So you have to look for some event experience and that is what should put Nick Watney in good contention again. Like Watson, he is a former winner of the event, taking the title in 2009 and he has landed inside the top ten in four out of seven attempts here. Has been inside the top ten in his last three outings at Torrey Pines, so you can’t ignore him. Superb consistency and accuracy and that is what will keep him near the top of the pile. Has only been out once on Tour this season, and that was at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. He had a slow start there, but came back to life on the weekend to land a T12 finish. Huge potential in your PGA Farmers Insurance Open golf betting for 2012. Well worth a look, and great value at 16/1 with BetFred. If you are looking for experience then it doesn’t come in a much bigger package than that of Phil Mickelson. He started off his season at the Humana Challenge last week, where he only just crept inside the top fifty in a competitive field, one where he was expected to be one of the front runners. He scored -10 under for the event, but he just got out of the blocks slowly in the first round which hampered his overall positioning. Mickelson has won the PGA Farmers three times in his career and this is as close to being his home course as it can be. With a solo second place finish here, Mickelson is the favourite with the bookies again, because when he is on song, it is hard to beat his magical approach work to the greens. Yes, he blew a little hot and cold last season, but he is still one of the greats and he loves the course and event. Should be inside the top ten and challenging. He is at home here.

Brandt Snedeker warrants a look at in you PGA Farmers Insurance Open golf betting. The American put in a good top ten finish at the Humana Challenge last week which should put him in good contention at Torrey Pines, especially with his track record at the event. Snedeker was hot with the putter last week, and he has been inside the top ten at the PGA Farmers in his last two outings. The American will be pretty happy with his start to the new season following a hip problem. Looked comfortable enough last week, not as strong an option as Watney or Mickelson, but a great place finish contender. The bookies seem to like his chances though as he is trading around 22/1 with Totesport. We are going to skip down the pecking order a little bit and pick out Charles Howell III for 28/1 at Bet365. His putter wasn’t working at the Humana Challenge last week, but the rest of his game still looked good enough for him to be positive at Torrey Pines. Has always made the cut at the event and has a clutch of top fifteen finished. It’s been a while, but he has finished as runner up in PGA Farmers Insurance Open golf betting  twice before in his career. Could be a good outside shot in your golf betting if he can pull things together just a little tighter this weekend.

There are plenty of other top names to look at in the field for the PGA Farmers Insurance Open golf betting. One of the form men in the early PGA season is Ben Crane, who has landed two top ten finishes in his two outings this year. Was a winner here back in 2010 so will be quietly confident and will probably fly under the radar a little bit, but attracting interest at 28/1 with BetFred. You can look for the season debut for Hunter Mahan at 22/1 with SkyBet to come good with his consistency. Not an easy track to start off your season with though. Keegan Bradley is always a dangerous floater in these kinds of fields at 35/1 with Bet365 while Dustin Johnson has all the length and ability needed to tame the North Course at Torrey Pines. That is the big area of his game which he will rely on, but he withdrew from the Humana Challenge last week in the first round citing back pains as being the problem. That won’t give punters a lot of confidence in backing him, and the bookies have him out at 30/1 with SkyBet. DA Points 40/1 at Stan James, Ernie Els 35/1 at BetVictor and Bill Haas at 40/1 with Totesport are all names which you would expect to be seeing challenging for a top ten position.

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A smart move by the Australian PGA Championship organisers, because they moved up this years tournament to the week following the Presidents Cup, meaning that we have a great field of stars in attendance. It is a busy week for your golf betting, as we have the Golf World Cup, the South Africa Open as well as the Australian PGA Championship golf betting to look at! The more the merrier! Naturally there is a very strong crop of Australians in the field, including Greg Norman, who captained Team International to a loss against Team USA in the Presidents Cup. So how are we going to sort all the wheat from the chaff so to speak for your Australian PGA Championship golf betting.

Well, we are going to start with our favourite pick from the Australian crew and that is Geoff Ogilvy. Ogilvy has great form, basically stood out from the much higher profiled Aussies Adam Scott and Jason Day during the Presidents Cup and he also has a great track record at the Hyatt Regency Coolum to warrant backing him well. Ogilvy lost in a play off at last year’s Australian PGA Championship, and he got to that stage as defending champion after winning here the previous year. So he has fantastic track record here, and again because Scott and Day have made more headlines this year, Ogilvy is back in the betting a little bit, but well worth snapping up. There was nothing wrong really with Scott’s performance at Royal Melbourne last week in the Presidents Cup, but would just fancy Ogilvy over him at the moment. Still, Scott is the favourite with the bookmakers, so may be worth avoiding for matters of profit. There is a strong enough field here to suggest that you can go a bit deeper for longer odds in your golf betting.

Would also avoid Jason Day too. As great of a season he has had without winning a title, he looked very sub standard at the President Cup. Team International would have been looking to him as a home based player in Melbourne to carry the team, but he really didn’t show up. Team Captain Greg Norman rode him hard and Day just looked a bit beaten up and tired at the end of it. That will have been a big mental battle to bounce back from, so we are not going to look at him in too much depth this week. Talented and incredibly eager, but looks as if he needs a rest. Fellow Aussie Robert Allenby (who is a past winner of the event) is not expected to make much impact either because he isn’t in form and so we continue to cut the options down for Australian PGA Championship golf betting. Would look at Aussie John Senden though, who would have been a better pick for Team International. Senden was runner up at the Australian Open prior to the Presidents Cup, and looks a great fit for Coolum. He likes it there at the course and is in good enough shape to rise through the bunch of front running Aussies and take the crown here. Not riding as high in Australian PGA Championship golf betting as some of his compatriots, but a lot better value than most of them.

There is a good challenge as well likely to come from Bubba Watson and Rickie Fowler, who should always be entertaining. On home soil though, as well as these could potentially do, along with the likes of YE Yang and Anthony Kim, would stick with an Australian connection. Who, out of the bunch?

Going into it, the best value is to be found on Ogilvy and Senden without a doubt.

Australian PGA Championship Golf Betting
Adam Scott: 7/1 at SkyBet (Place Market 13/8 at Paddy Power)
Geoff Ogilvy: 10/1 at Totesport (Place Market 7/4 at Stan James)
Jason Day: 10/1 at William Hill (Place Market 7/4 at Bet365)
Aaron Baddeley: 14/1 at SportingBet (Place Market 13/8 at SkyBet)
Ricky Fowler: 14/1 at Bet365 (Place Market 3/1 at Paddy Power)
John Senden: 14/1 at Victor Chandler (Place Market 3/1 at Paddy Power)
Nick O’Hern: 16/1 at SportingBet (Place Market 3/1 at Totesport)
Bubba Watson: 16/1 at SkyBet (Place Market 10/3 at SkyBet)
Greg Chalmers: 22/1 at Bet365 (Place Market 4/1 at SkyBet)
YE Yang: 29/1 at Unibet (Place Market 5/1 at Boylesports)
Robert Allenby: 30/1 at Victor Chandler  (Place Market 11/2 at Paddy Power)

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With two incredibly solid rounds of Golf at the Lakes Golf Club in Sydney, Australia for the 2011 Australian Open, Tiger Woods is suddenly looking much of a stronger bet than first we would have ever expected. Woods should an opening round of 68 and followed it up with a 67. He was helped on the second day by going out early, as the wind really got up in the afternoon and the entire field of later starters really struggled to pick up any birdies between them. So the third round of the Australian Open golf betting is going to be crucial for Woods and his confidence. He has certainly looked more confident than we have seen him all year, and even his putting is working very well. He has had big issues with his driving and his putting, usually one or the other in the times we have seen him, but he seems to have pulled it all together. All the fuss and bother over the comments about him made by his previous caddie seems to have only inspired him on. So heading in to the third round of the Australian Open, Woods leads the field by one shot over Aussie Peter O’Malley. There is still a lot of golf to be played obviously, and there are some big names well within sight of Woods, and because this third round is going to be a real pressure test for Woods, as he will no doubt start to feel nervous the closer he can taste his first win on PGA Tour since 2009. So mistakes are more likely to creep in at that point and could be the game changer.

Australia Jason Day is looking a very strong bet to take the Australian Open at the moment, sitting just two shots back behind Woods, the only other player in sight two sub 70 rounds. He looks very comfortable and confident on the course and will expect a big charge from him. Bubba Watson with his long driving is also playing his way into contention, although he lost his way just a  little on the second day. Nick Watney is tied for fifth on the leader board, after firing a superb 66 on day one, but then firing one over par in difficult conditions in his second round. But the potential that he showed on that first day, if he recreates that for the next two rounds, then he will be in with a shout and like his chances. Dustin Johnson was another who had a superb start but it went horribly wrong in the second round as well with the wind. He fired a three over par for his second round and sits six shots back of Woods. Of course, we need to go and look at Australian Adam Scott. He has looked unfazed with the spotlight on his caddie (the one who made the racial comment about Woods) and Scott battled hard on the second day to keep himself in touch at -4 under. So some great golf to come, but there Australian players in the field really are showing up much more dominantly than the Americans and that is something to consider for your Australian Open Golf Betting.

Australian Open Golf Betting
Tiger Woods: 13/10 at Unibet
Jason Day: 7/2 at SkyBet
Bubba Watson: 14/1  at Boylesports
Adam Scott: 16/1 at Bet365
Nick Watney: 18/1 at SportingBet
Peter O’Malley: 20/1 at Totesport
Dustin Johnson: 25/1 at Bet365
Greg Chalmers: 33/1 at  888Sport
Matt Jones: 40/1 at SkyBet
John Senden: 40/1 at Bet365

It’s easy to look at the line up for current golf tournaments and pick Phil Mickelson out as a winner, but this time, you have to go with the big left hander. Mickelson is the pick of the bunch in Southern California this week, as a fair chunk of the world’s top 50 players are out for the Northern Trust Open at the Riviera Country Club. This is one of the tough, classically designed courses, and it would take something very special from a first timer at the course to pick up a victory. It hasn’t happened very often here, and so would immediately discount that. Should be a rainy affair, and that will make conditions difficult and will add to the experience needed to pick up the title here. That is why you have to look at Mickelson, who is a two time winner at the course, which is one of the oldest in use on the PGA. Mickelson has the driving range and accuracy to make an impact here, and he is playing well at the moment, in what could be a massive year for him. He is the top money earner at the Northern Trust Open and should therefore be backed to do it again for a third time. He has the class to take this all of the way, and is current firing so very well in accuracy in approaching the greens. He should be able to deal with the conditions and track, and his greens in regulation stats should firmly put him at the top of the leader board.

The PGA has had some surprise winners so far this year, so the law of averages would kind of suggest that someone like Mickelson, one of the game’s top performers, is going to hit the mark sooner rather than later. This is the ideal course for a master to step up and lead the way, and Mickelson has done that twice before, and why he makes the strongest bet here. Well worth looking at for your betting. Mickelson has two top ten finishes this year already, and is surely building up stream for a big win. There really is not much room for outsiders here. Steve Stricker is another previous winner here and should be expected to go well again. Stricker starts the tournament as the defending champion, breaking Mickelson’s stranglehold on the competition. He actually represents much better value in terms of golf betting odds than what Mickelson does, but Striker is also a runner up in the tournament, and therefore makes for a great bet. But the list of opportunities doesn’t end there for the Northern Trust Open, as England’s Luke Donald has the right type of game to excel again here. The Southern Californian course is not one of the longest in terms of average to the green, so there is a prerequisite for a player to have a fantastic short game. That is what Luke Donald has in spades, and why he has been a consistently good performer that the tournament. Should be well within the top six when it comes to the end of the tournament, and has the short skill game set to beat the weather as well. Finished as runner up here last year, and he has one of the strongest records at the tournament. Hasn’t played since December though, but such a solid and consistent performer, he has to be in the running.

But, with the rain on the way, it could help the big hitters. That swings some advantage to some obvious names on the PGA at the moment. Mickelson is finally driving as well as his short game is going, but there are still better players off the tee than him. First name when thinking of distance, is recent Tour winner Bubba Watson, who has phenomenal length on him, and has shown good form early in 2011. Bubba Watson really should be a contender here, as there is a massive opportunity to attack the prestigious old course, and not get punished so much because of softer fairways. Has done pretty well around the course before, and will draw a lot of attention to follow up his amazing controlled success at Torrey Pines over Phil Mickelson. Watson is one of the best drivers around, and that should put him in contention. Is ranked third in greens hit on the Tour this year, top stats at the moment, top form and has to be in with a chance. Watson is fourth in the FedExCup standings at the moment, while Mickelson is down in 8th. Fellow American Dustin Johnson, an ever popular pick at PGA Tour events (and drawing a lot of interest here in the betting), is another of the strong big hitters. Is a decent price to look at, and has a best finish of third at the tournament during the past couple of years. More of an outsider than Watson, as Johnson can’t match the current form. The other name in the mix has to be Matt Kuchar, who has had an incredibly solid start to the new year. Kuchar, known for his consistency, has had three starts this year, and hasn’t finished outside of the top seven in any them. Hasn’t really shown up at the Riviera before in his previous five attempts, but he is a much better equipped prospect this time around. Certainly has the tools to get the job done here, and makes for a pretty strong pack to chase down Mickelson.

However, Mickelson looks to be the strongest bet, but if you want more value, don’t be afraid to look at Luke Donald or Bubba Watson. There is a tightly packed field of class acts and the PGA Tour tournaments have been wide open affairs so far this year. A big name should win the Northern Trust Open though, and that should dictate your golf betting. If someone comes to the fore outside of the main pack here, then it will be something of a surprise. In that field you would be looking at the young maverick Rickie Fowler to explode, or either the more steadying hand of Paul Casey, or perhaps the slightly wayward driving of Anthony Kim, who will be a popular figure around the course this week. Expect a wet and wild weekend in South California for your golf betting this week. Remember, experience on this course will count for a lot and all of these players have what is needed to make an impact. For a total outside bet though, look at Rory Sabbatini, another massive hitter, who won the tournament back in 2006 when Mickelson threw it away.

Phil Mickelson: 8/1 at Totesport
Steve Stricker: 14/1 at BetFred
Dustin Johnson: 22/1 at Bet365
Luke Donald: 22/1 at Boylesports
Hunter Mahan: 25/1 at Extrabet
Matt Kuchar: 25/1 at SportingBet
JB Holmes: 29/1 at Unibet
Paul Casey: 29/1 at Unibet
Rickie Fowler: 35/1 at Bet365
Bubba Watson: 40/1 at Bet365

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