Golf Bets / Mike Norman / 11 November 2009 /

The Race to Dubai is well and truly on with Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy battling it out in Hong Kong this week. But it's a not so well known American who has caught the eye of our golf enthusiast "Mystical" Mike Norman.

A strong contingent of Europeans have assembled in Hong Kong for the penultimate event of the European Tour - the UBS Hong Kong Open - including Race To Dubai contenders Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy, as well as bang in form recent winners Ian Poulter and Simon Dyson.

McIlroy lies just a few quid (in pro golfer currency that is) behind RtD leader Westwood, so providing there isn't a massive separation in finishing positions this week, a scintillating conclusion is set to be had next week in Dubai with the ultra-consistent German Martin Kaymer in contention also. Stay tuned for that.

But it's the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling that takes centre stage this week, and measuring just 6,700+ yards, this par 70-course is one of the shortest to be played all season.

Although many of the holes are tree-lined, the rough isn't that penal around this course which gives a chance to those that can be a little bit wayward off the tee, but have excellent recovery skills and can putt well.

One golfer who ticks most boxes as a likely winner is American Ben Curtis, so at [60.0] to back in the Winner market, and at [13.0] in the Top 5 Finish market, Curtis is my headline selection this week.

Ranked number 40 in the world, Curtis is no stranger to the European Tour having played in 10 events already this season. He lies 75th in the RtD standings (which is very respectable from just 10 events) so a solid week is a must if he is to play in Dubai next week. He isn't the straightest golfer from the tee, but he has an excellent short game and can putt for fun when on top of his game. I fancy him to go really well this week.

Since the Hong Kong open became a fixture in the European Tour's schedule, Spanish golfers have had (for no apparent reason) a remarkable record here. Jose Maria Olazabal won in 2001, Jose Manuel Lara in 2006, and Miguel Angel Jimenez in both 2004 and 2007. On top of that, Spanish golfers have filled top-10 positions almost annually since Olazabal's victory.

So for this reason, and the fact that he is a quality player who is proven around this course, Jimenez is my second selection this week - available to back at [36.0] for victory.

I wouldn't dream of swaying anyone from backing either McIlroy ([10.0]) or Westwood ([12.0]) such is their class and consistency, but at three times their odds I think Simon Dyson can go well this week at around [32.0]. He has been in great form of late, and prior to making a name for himself on the European Tour he was a regular winner in places like Hong Kong when an Asian Tour member.

As always, I will try and cover my week's outlay by backing a winner in the first day's 3-ball betting. This week I like the look of Ian Poulter at [2.9] to record a lower score than McIlroy ([2.28]) and Wen-Chong Liang ([3.9]). I've always had Poulter down as a good starter of tournaments and I hope this is the case in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Recommended Bets:

1 pt win Ben Curtis @ [60.0] in Winner market
1 pt win Miguel Angel Jimenez @ [36.0] in Winner market
1 pt win Simon Dyson @ [32.0] in Winner market
2 pts win Ben Curtis @ [13.0] in Top 5 Finish market
3 pts win Ian Poulter @ [2.9] in 1st Round 3-Balls

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