Golf Bets / Mike Norman / 18 November 2009 / Leave a Comment

All the talk pre-tournament is about the four men that can lift the Race to Dubai title... and England's Ian Poulter won't like not being one of them says "Mystical" Mike Norman. Beware of the angry golfer is Mike's advice.

If you could just close your eyes for one moment and imagine a sporting world that didn't contain American golfers, then this week's Dubai World Championship is quite simply the highlight of the golfing calendar.

As much as I love the four majors and the other events that bring the two main tours together, the European Tour is my playground.

So this week's season-ending Race to Dubai decider, on the newly designed par-72 Earth Course in Dubai, presents us with a fantastic opportunity to end the year with a winner or two before the 2010 Race to Dubai season commences... in just over three weeks time!

Unfortunately we have no course form to go on, but looking at the course set-up and the length of some of the holes it's obvious to me that a big-hitting, in-form player will do well around here. Players like Rory McIlroy ([10.5] in the Winner market), Martin Kaymer ([15.5]), Lee Westwood ([18.0]) and Ross Fisher ([21.0]) are obvious candidates to do well... and yes, I've mentioned these four deliberately.

It's easy to forget that we have a proper golf tournament on our hands this week, and not just a four-way play-off to decide who becomes the inaugural Race to Dubai Champion. Betfair's Paul Krishnamurty has already run the rule over these four so I will say no more.

As much as I respect the chances of the four RtD contenders I'm going to steer away from advising them in any of Betfair's markets and instead advise a serious punt on Ian Poulter.

Anyone who is aware of Poulter's personality will know that he will hate the fact that he isn't in the limelight this week - pre-tournament at least. But when the flamboyant Englishman has got fire in his belly and feels as though he has a point to prove (take last year's Ryder Cup for example) then that's the time to catch him. He plays long, difficult courses particularly well, and with a win and a top five finish achieved in the last three weeks the state of his game can't be called into question.

Poulter is available to back at [26.0] in the Winner market, but I like the look of the [7.0] available in both the Top 5 Finish and Top English markets. Get on.

Other than Poults and the four RtD contenders I'm struggling to muster a name that I think will go well this week. I couldn't have Ernie Els at [17.0] and Padraig Harrington's ([19.0]) form has taken a dip over the last month or so.

Kaymer is a worthy favourite at [5.5] in the Top European market (this market doesn't contain Westwood, Poulter, Harrington, Fisher etc) but at bigger odds I'm going to advise small bets on two players that have done well all season - Alexander Noren and Soren Kjeldsen - available to back at [20.0] and [24.0] respectively.

Noren has finished 4th, 6th, 21st and 19th in his last four events whilst Kjeldsen has quietly rose to number 33 in the world rankings and will be looking to consolidate that position this week.

My final selection this season (though I will be back next week) is a speculative one on Chris Wood at [90.0] in the 1st Round Leader market. Wood is another player that I regard as capable of playing well on tough courses (his last two Open performances are proof of that), so with an early tee-time this highly promising player could set a target that will be difficult to match... or at least I'm hoping he will.

Recommended Bets:

2 pts win Ian Poulter @ [7.0] in Top 5 Finish market
2 pts win Ian Poulter @ [7.0] in Top English market
1 pt win Alexander Noren @ [20.0] in Top European market
1 pt win Soren Kjeldsen @ [24.0] in Top European market
0.5 pt win Chris Wood @ [90.0] in 1st Round Leader market

Post a comment

Name:

Email Address:

URL:

Remember personal info?

Comment: