I've lost count of the amount of winners, in fact I've lost count of the amount of play offs, but profit piled on more profit last week with Lucas Glover on fire with the flat stick again, and boy what a turn around, I'm delighted for him and so is my bank balance. Sadly I changed my points tally and didn't edit the blog, so my 3pts e/w investment was only 2 on the blog, but hey, it's reportable profits and quite a few thank you emails were great to read, delighted for all the followers. It won't always be this good, but as always, stick to the system, stick to the points and DO NOT pick and choose from my picks, it will NEVER work (the 3 of you from last week who did will know the pain that brings).
We head into the 2nd week of the play offs this week and stats are now out of the window, trends, recent form, course suitability and price are all that matter at this time of year and we have some juicy prices this week, in a field of only 50 players!!!!!
Olympia Fields, North Course, Illinois is the venue for this week's showcase, and a great field demands a great course. For once we see parkland beauty and shot shaping required, and John Rahm won this in 2019 in a play off with a score of 4 under par, with just 5 players out of the 69 on show breaking par for the week. Recent rain in the area make the course slightly longer this year, and the rough massively more gnarly, so be prepared to see the players put through the ringer again - and with some wind this week, with Thursday looking particularly challenging. It's a tee to green show like last week and a move to Bent greens will suit some guys who struggled on last weeks grainy Bermuda.
7,353 yards await on this par 70 layout, and whilst not long, the wet weather may stunt some of the shorter hitters, but as usual with these blokes, accuracy and ball control matter most at the top level. All 50 of the players on show this week have what it takes so from my picks, those who putt best will stand the best chance so here we go with the 4.
First up is blog winner, Ryder cup star to be and future major winner VIKTOR HOVLAND, The Hov played his usual prestigious style of golf last week with a couple of poor driving errors on Sunday, but his pitching and chipping was on point, and given that this is his only weakness in my opinion, I'm excited to put him up front at number 1. He's 7pts e/w 5 places with Bet365 and only 1/4 odds 16/1 meaning you are getting 4/1 for top 5. There are more places on offer at reduced prices and lower fractions on the each way but this is my way, so don't choose the highway.
Next up we have HIDEKI MATSUYAMA, who played his way into this week with a dream final 4 holes to go from 64th to inside the 50 mark in The St Jude. Back injuries have plagued his season and this has hindered his already average putting, but since a blistering start at Muirfield village earlier in the year, I've loved his now hover and release technique with his flat stick. This premium ball striker, can find greens and fairways with regularity only champions can, and I'm 6pt's e/w top 8 Bet365 28/1 this week.
Form, Bent grass greens and class into the mix and there is a name that jumps off the page and at 33/1 this week we have RICKIE FOWLER. Rickie doesn't putt great on Bermuda, and after a break from contending week in week out, he was rusty last week starting out with a 70 and 74, and finished with 2 rounds in the 60s so I'm confident that he can round the year off with another victory, in a year of great narratives. He's 33s with many bookies, and I'm 5pts e/w with Betfair 6 places.
It was 3 picks this week, and the algorithm was perfect, but I've given up some place money this week for a guy who is priced up all wrong!!! TOM HOGE is a ball striker of some repute, and it's quite a surprise to see him make the 50 after his appalling run of form since the Players. However a 20th at the 3M and then signs of some of form until an abortionate 3rd round back 9 on Saturday last week, show me that class is starting to shine through again, and on Parkland tracks with some wind this guy is way better than 160/1 8 places on offer with Bet365, so he gets the last 2 pts e/w.
Good luck to all, we go again. TEWT
