Find Me A 100 Winner / Paul Krishnamurty / 24 February 2009 /

Ace golf tipster Paul Krishnamurty selects four players deserving of a punt at three figures or more on Betfair for the WGC Accenture Matchplay.

At long last, it's that time of the year again. When the biggest golf tournaments return, my near-impossible weekly task is made that bit easier. Instead of trying to pick a three-figured winner from one selection, in the WGC events and majors, I get four cracks!

For the Matchplay, my strategy is simple. Pick one player from each of the four 'brackets', (or quarters), in the hope that at least one will reach the semi-finals. At that stage, any pre-tournament 100+ chance would represent great value, and who knows, we could even get all four semi-finalists. Miracles do happen, and judging by recent European Tour winners, they happen pretty often.

The top quarter, or 'Bobby Jones Bracket', is dominated by Tiger Woods. However, he's never a certainty in this event, and my selection Kevin Sutherland wouldn't have to play him until the quarter-finals anyway. Available at a massive [220.0], Sutherland is no stranger to success in this event having landed a huge shock by winning the 2002 renewal at La Costa. That proved he thrives in the matchplay format, and two wins from three matches the following year confirmed it was no fluke.

As his career has dipped, Sutherland hasn't qualified for this event since 2003, but recent PGA Tour form suggests he's not a forlorn hope by any means. He's only missed two cuts since last May, twice finishing runner-up in the meantime. His last three rounds last week at Riviera of 67/68/69 to make the top-20 also bode well. Sutherland's first-round opponent Geoff Ogilvy will be a very tough nut to crack, but his next couple of scheduled matches would be against players who are either out of form, or have poor records in this distinctive event.

Best value in the 'Ben Hogan Bracket' could lie with Zach Johnson, who at [100.0] just fits our criteria. This section of the draw is dominated by big-names who have never really prospered in this event before. For instance Phil Mickelson, who is Johnson's potential second-round opponent, has never reached the last four. Nor has Vijay Singh. The only time Ernie Els made that stage was when the event was significantly weakened due to the Australian venue. When its been held in the States, Ernie has never got past the last-32.

On that score, Johnson can better any of them, having reached the semi-finals in 2006. Furthermore, in getting with the former Masters champion, we are backing a player in great form. His last eight PGA Tour starts have produced two wins, and five top-12 finishes in total.

On to the 'Gary Player Bracket', where Boo Weekley looks the best three-figured bet at [110.0]. Any doubt about Boo's suitability for matchplay was comprehensively dispelled by that inspirational performance at the Ryder Cup. He appeared to possess the ideal personality and temperament for head-to-head golf at Valhalla, the importance of which cannot be underestimated in these rare matchplay events. He also showed promise here at Dove Mountain on his tournament debut last year; winning two matches out of three.

The early stages of Boo's draw are potentially tricky on paper, but he may have an advantage over Justin Rose in the opener. Rose would be a contender on his best form, but missed last week's event because his wife was about to deliver their first child. So it may be that Justin is going into the event on the back of a few sleepless nights, and underprepared.

Finally, in the 'Sam Snead Bracket', my pick is Ross Fisher at [150.0]. The bottom half of this quarter looks extremely competitive, with Henrik Stenson and Anthony Kim both looking strong candidates plus several other capable outsiders. Better then to focus on the top-half, which in contrast contains a number of past underperformers in the event. Padraig Harrington, who is out of form anyway, has never reached the last-four, Jim Furyk has never reached the last-eight. Robert Allenby has lost in the first round in both of the last two years since the event moved to Dove Mountain.

Englishman Fisher could therefore be primed for a prosperous tournament debut. This week's huge price is a consequence of a slow start to the season, because in the second half of 2008 he looked a world-beater. I don't think there's anything seriously wrong with his game and 13th last time out in Dubai was no disgrace. The two previous renewals on this course also pointed to an advantage towards the long-hitters, and Ross scores very well in this department. He should enjoy an advantage off the tee compared to anyone he plays before reaching the last-eight.

Selections:

Zach Johnson @ [100.0]
Boo Weekley @ [110.0]
Ross Fisher @ [150.0]
Kevin Sutherland @ [220.0]

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