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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