A week after the week that was. The gravitas of Augusta swapped for the beauty of South Carolina, in a designated event, 20m in prize money and a top class field minus Mcilroy.
Rory has decided to miss out this week, which if rules are followed, will cost him a lot of dollar as he disappears into hiding after a woeful week at the Masters. Rahm was amazing, the LIV guys showed their endless class and Patrick Cantlay disgraced himself and the game with some of the slowest play imaginable, which should have cost him at least 2 shots. I felt for Koepka in the end, he was brilliant off the tee for 3 days, but his tee shot on 1 went left, and nothing hurts a fader more than a double cross on the first tee. This not only un-nerved him but he then had to wait on every shot, watching Cantlay, which ultimately took his legs from under him. To watch Cantlay is like waiting for death in a Dignitas waiting room, if the Masters officials can penalise a teenage amateur, then they should have the bollocks to hurry up Cantlay........slow play is a scurge of the game at all levels and it's time to put a stop to it. Mickelson was class, Smith played well and fat Pat finished high up the leaderboard and didn't nick anybody's wallet.
RANT ALERT: This shows the biggest issue with LIV. Idiots can talk about the format, golf being golf anywhere it is played, players having the right to play wherever or the PGA are nasty men, Saudis ruined the sport etc etc. This boils down to the sport, a great sport, robbing it's fans of seeing great players COMPETE week in week out. Mickelson, Niemann, Pereira, Smith and Brooks are box office, world class, and should be playing proper golf against the best in the world where they belong. The Saudis blood money has robbed the fans of that, fuck the politics, sport is about fans, it's nothing without fans, and we are the ones who suffer - nobody else. If Golf sold itself, then why are there no cameras following me on a weekend scabbing it round for a 78, swearing and limping. Let's hope they rectify things somehow, or at least, have some kind of ranking concession for the Majors. The best v the best produces the best, end of. (deep breaths).
This week sees Harbour Town Golf links at Hilton head, synonymous with that lighthouse, lots of trees and hopefully windy conditions. Never has a field of this quality turned up here, so in an event where you would usually pick Webb, Lowry, Cink, Donald, Kuchar, Reavie, Si Woo etc this takes some unravelling.
5 picks this week and the shortlist was longer than I think I've ever had. 7100 yards (minus 1 yard) par 71, this place is short and tight and you do not win here without being near the top of SG approach.
My first pick was on my radar for this 2 weeks ago, purely due to his approach play and stand out iron play (yeah ok they are the same thing). RUSSELL HENLEY was ranked 1st Strokes Gained in approach play this time last year and is known for a streaky putter as well as this fearsome accuracy with his irons. His game is tailor made for this place, but he goes 1 in my picks this week because of putter reasoning. He's gone back to his Toe balanced Scotty, and he was back to his aggressive putting best last week, when he finds his hot week with the flat stick he is not afraid of winning. He hit everything at the hole last week, was ultra aggressive and you only do that if you are full of confidence. I got 66/1 on Monday for Henley but he has been backed off the boards yesterday and he is currently best odds 50/1 top 8 with Skybet, so I'm 3pts e/w there.
Next up is thief regular CAMERON YOUNG. We all know by now he is accurate, he hits bombs and he is a top 10 machine. There isn't anything in his game I don't like, and that I haven't said. His short game looks razor sharp (better than ever), his putting is fractionally short of his best and I think that is close to changing, but the stand out reason for this weeks punt is his bag man. Paul Tesori is the long time caddie of Webb Simpson. He is best mates with Webb, and the class of the man, Webb, was to suggest to Paul that he wouldn't earn much money with him anymore, after someone from Young's team approached him. The switch was hard on both men, their relationship described as like brothers but after 12 years this change is huge for one of the rising stars in golf. An incredible story in itself, but if you look at a caddie profile, then look at Webb's record here, I don't think anybody in golf knows this place better. Paul and Webb have won once, lost in a play off, finished 5th, 11th 14th, 16th and not missed a cut in the 11 years they have been here as a pair. If anybody reads these greens better I don't know them and after a really strong week last week and a trending year to this point I'm all over him like a rash. 6 points e/w on Cam at 20/1 top 8 with Skybet.
Next up is a bloke who I have been waiting to find his putter again, and to find it a week before here, on a week where his length off the tee won't trouble him, is so exciting. Thief winner and new sensation TOM KIM is up next. His putter has been stone cold in 2023 and it has been a worry. He has gone from burning edges to looking like Keegan Bradley the year they took his anchoring off him. Last week his touch on the greens was superb, and whilst that place would have been ultra long for him, especially on the Saturday, he was imperious with his approach play and holing out for a 16th place finish which was miraculous. Another one who has been backed I got 40/1 on Monday but I couldn't get a write up done in time so Skybet is offering 33/1 8 places currently which seems the best out there. I'm 3.5pts e/w on the tank engine.
I'm throwing in a stupid one just before the last sensible pick this week, but at the odds it's worth the speculation. 2017 winner, trick shot extraordinaire and talent all go together when describing WES BRYAN. He and his brother George have some crazy online work with their trick shot routines, and since Wes' injury woes in 2017 until the start of 2022 that has been a focus. He has no card to speak of because of this, and the PGA tour has not been his main focus since his shoulder and wrist problems. He plays on a winners exemption this week and he has made all cuts bar one here since his win here 5 years ago. A mercurial player he could hit a place, however unlikely, but this place, his ability and a bit of luck who knows. Let's go in at 0.5pts e/w at 800/1 with Bet365 (each way extra market).
So last up was a tricky one. KH Lee, Nick Taylor, Ben Griffin, Seamus Power, Si Woo Kim, Tom Hoge, JJ Spaun, Billy Horschel and Fat Uncle Shane all were on the short list. I've mulled over it for 2 days now and there is no separating factor in terms of game, history, results etc, all have plus and minus points. Shane probably has the best record but it's about time I had a week not swearing at shit putters I thought, maybe Seamus Power is the pick I thought, but why ruin the habit of a lifetime......TOM HOGE! I can't help myself, the best iron player in the game should not be 90/1, so I just stumbled this decision over the line. A case could be made for so many at big prices, but I do like Tom for his game, and ignoring a difficult trip to his 2nd Masters last week, and the matchplay, his last 4 round test was at Sawgrass and he finished 3rd and contended for a long time there in a top class field. He's my last 2pt's e/w Bet365 90/1.
A last reminder that we had flat spots in the season last year, a free betting tipster blog is not without it's hurdles, but after Jordan got us money back last week (after capitulation by Rose and Day), it still meant 4 consecutive losing weeks. These things go in peaks and troughs, feast or famine, but the famine is coming to an end, I can feel it. Keep the faith
TEWT
In summary (8 places unless specified)
Russel Henley 50/1 Skybet 3pts e/w.
Cam Young 20/1 Skybet 6pts e/w
Tom Kim 33/1 Bet365 3.5pts e/w
Tom Hoge 90/1 Bet365 2pts e/w
Wes Bryan 800/1 Bet365 (10places) 0.5pts e/w
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