Golf Bets / Mike Norman / 03 March 2010 / Leave a Comment

You get the feeling that "Mystical" Mike Norman has been bored with no European Tour Golf to watch. How else can you explain Jedward, his grandmother and mobile phone texting getting a mention in this week's preview?

I can't wait for the European Tour to get into full swing (no pun intended) as the last few weeks really have been torture for yours truly. I had nothing at all to get my teeth into last week whilst the week before it was that awful World Matchplay event. Even before that we had a co-sanctioned even in India with a mediocre line-up to say the least.

I'm afraid this week's Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur isn't much better either, but at least it's a golf tournament. Before I go into my not-so-in-depth reasoning for backing this week's selections I want to lighten the mood a little with a few stories that will hopefully make you smile.

The first is about an interview I read with the Molinari brothers. Apparently Francesco and Edoardo are huge fans of John and Edward Grimes, or Jedward as they are now known. This got me thinking. If Francesco and Edoardo used the same 'naming' system as Jedward then they'd be collectively known as Fedoardo. They want to thank their lucky stars then that they weren't named David and Edward - otherwise they'd now be known as Deadwood. Mind you, I'm going for a round of golf later with a couple of twin brothers called Pete and Rick - collectively known as... actually, work it out for yourselves!

Never give a pensioner a mobile phone - this is what I've always believed anyway. My grandmother recently bought one and has been learning the art of texting. She was doing quite well until one of the senior members at the local golf club passed away. Unfortunately my gran thought LOL stood for lots of love, and not laughing out loud. So Imagine my despair when she told me that she'd sent a text to Irene (the wife of the deceased) that read, "sorry bout ur loss arthur was a very gud man lol x". Oh dear LOL.

Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke won't find the situation funny if he doesn't make this year's Ryder Cup team. Realistically the best he can hope for is a pick from Colin Montgomerie, but to his credit DC is making a pretty good fist of trying to make the team automatically.

Clarke has had two top-ten finishes already this year and that form, and his experience, should see him go well in this weak-looking line-up. My only worry about Clarke is the amount of pressure he is putting on himself to return to the winners' enclosure. He appears to be teeing it up each week knowing that people are expecting him to reproduce what he did in his heyday. DC just needs to relax a little because there are definite signs that his old magic is returning, and if just a little more of that magic returns this week then [28.0] is a price well worth taking.

Chris Wood is a player I've got down to follow this season so I have to back him this week at [32.0]. He was beaten in the first round of the World Matchplay but prior to that he had three consecutive top-20 finishes on the European Tour - in fields much stronger that this. I'm expecting his game to come on a bundle during the next few months, so at [32.0] to back this week he has to be on the shortlist.

My other two picks this week, Gaganjeet Bhullar and Fredrik Andersson Hed, are in the Top 5 Finish market.

Bhullar ([14.0]) is a young Indian player whom I talked up really well a few weeks back, only for him to play dreadfully in his home tournament. Without the pressure of his home crowd I'm expecting a much better showing this week. Andersson Hed ([15.0]) has been pretty consistent so far this season and you can just sense he is desperate to get a win under his belt before the big guns come out to play. If he can eliminate the occasional wayward shot then he is another player I'm expecting to go really well in Kuala Lumpur.

Recommended Bets

2 pts win Darren Clarke @ [28.0] in Winner market
2 pts win Chris Wood @ [32.0] in Winner market
1 pt win Gaganjeet Bhullar @ [14.0] in Top 5 Finish market
1 pt win Fredrik Andersson Hed @ [15.0] in Top 5 Finish market

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