Just in case you've been living in a golfing news void over the last week, Rory McIlroy has been officially unveiled as a Nike athlete. This however, is not the really exciting news. I am of the age where I grew up watching the television adverts showing off Tiger's acting skills, and spent many an hour on the practice ground trying to replicate the famous 'golf ball juggling one' (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oTMosZ76b8). Due to unforeseen circumstances in Mr Woods private life I was deprived of these 3 minute wonders for a number of years... but that is now over! Although I am now supposed to regard myself as an adult I cannot deny that it brought back the child in me when I was confronted with this... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NCDYjHtEcU- long may they continue!
Onto the golf...
This week we head to the Abu Dhabi Golf Club and a number of the world's top players are going to be there. The course was revamped for last year's tournament putting more of a premium onto play off the tee- and Alex Noren has been saying on Twitter that the course is set up like a US Open- 'Firm greens and fat rough'. With the course being over 7400 yards and such a premium on playing from the fairway we need a great driver to be successful here and of course as always- someone who will hole their putts.
The top of the betting is dominated by McIlroy, Woods and Kaymer- all of whom I feel are a bit too short to get any real value from. McIlroy has just switched to new clubs, and Kaymer struggled last year which suggests it may be worth leaving them alone.
A player along similar lines to Martin Kaymer is Paul Casey- he has won this tournament twice and feels it 'just one of those places where things seem to come together'. Although he didn't come through for us last week- we can consider that a warm up for the year and hopefully the same logic as last week applies but this time on a course he loves. With the top players on show here perhaps it will take the pressure off a bit too.
Next on the list is Jason Dufner. With the course set up for somebody with a great long game-particularly driving I feel that the 25/1 on offer is great value for a player that showed last year he is capable of playing against the world's best. With a great showing at the US Open last year we can feel comfortable that he is suited to the course set up this week. Although he didn't have a great showing in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, that can be put down to the weather and he did have some decent form at the end of 2012.
Finally a couple of bigger prices...
With a 3rd place on the new layout last year and in a rich vein of form Thomas Bjorn looks a great price at 45/1. He's got enough experience not to be fazed by the media circus that will be following the World's top two and with Paddy Power offering 6 places 11/1 on a top 6 seems pretty good.
Another player I have not seen tipped this week is Scott Jamieson. Although he missed the cut last year this guy is in the form of his life and I think that even though he threw a huge lead away last week 66/1 is absolutely massive. Let's just hope he's not mentally knackered!
My Betting Tips this week:
- 1pt e/w Paul Casey at 28.0
- 1pt e/w Jason Dufner at 26.0
- 1pt e/w Thomas Bjorn at 46.0
- 1pt e/w Scott Jamieson at 67.0
All at Paddy Power as they are offering 6 places each way!
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