In the week before the USPGA, the leaderboard for the WGC tournament at Firestone looks fit for the final round of a major.
Unlike Birkdale, where the top picks were blown away, literally, by the high winds of an English summer, the Bridgestone classic has seen the cream of world golf rising to the top as we move into a tense final round. Sharing the lead at eight under are Mickleson, Westwood and Singh, with Stuart Appleby hovering one shot behind.
Darren Clarke sits further back on five under, having shot a tidy 65, featuring seven birdies to shoot him up from 35th to tied for 6th. The fact that someone can make seven birdies, even on a course that ranked the toughest overall on tour last year, is proof that there's still betting value to be had as we go to the last 18.
Romantics would want Darren Clarke, currently 100/1 with Betfair to win but it's been a while since the Ulsterman was in contention. With so many winners in the field, we'll give him a miss. Mickleson represents terrible value on Betfair at almost evens and on recent form, he's a miss too. You can get 7/2 each of the two other leaders and 8/1 about Appleby, but all the leaders have been wobbly under the hammer this year and I reckon that the value is worth chasing.
Miguel Angel Jimenez was many people's tip for the Open after a run of good form. Four shots off the lead. he's available at an astonishing 85/1 to take home the trophy. Five birdies and five bogeys made for a boring level par score yesterday after shooting 66 in the second round. For the punter who doesn't fancy taking a short price in an open contest, the cigar smoking Spaniard is great value and worth a few dollars to win.
Real punters will also be tempted by a speculative few bucks on Hunter Mahan and Ian Poulter, five behind the leaders but both of whom are currently available through Betfair at over 250/1. Beats the even money about Mickleson for me any day!
Yesterday I tipped Vijay Singh at 100/1. He's in the final group today, one shot behind his partner Kevin Somebody.
Driving ranges are amongst the dullest and most dreary of places, even in Australia. Whether it's the countless young Japanese fanatically tweaking their swings or the bloke with a huge watch and gold bracelet gripping it like a hockey stick, the range is a mental mile or two away from Wentworth or Gleneagles.
Phew. I've been tipping Mahan every week for months now and in the week when I'm busy catching up with Weller after 20 years, Hunter finally shoots the lights out, without a dollar of my money to weigh him down. Thank crikey he shot two over today. With low scores a definite chance Kenny Perry is still in the running, as is Sergio, Casey and Cabrera. But with prices of 15/1 the field, including Kim, none of them represent value.
Maybe it's the euphoria of the Olympics, maybe I'm just clumsy wth the time difference, but I failed to get the blog written before the start of the PGA. I confess I was going to tip Hunter Mahan. He looked good value at 50/1.
