Golf Events / Steven Rawlings / 30 July 2008 /

As the World Championships season reaches its twighlight, unlikely selections make for high prices at Ohio and Nevada, says Steven Rawlings.

This week sees the last of this year's three World Golf Championships, the Bridgestone Invitational from the Firestone course in Ohio.

For the last three years this event has been simplicity itself. You back Tiger Woods, wait four days and then collect. Without the maestro in the field I've had the inconvenience of having to dig a little deeper.

My first selection is Kenny Perry, backed at [23.0]. The Kentucky veteran, inspired by the prospect of representing the US at Valhalla in September, is in the form of his life having won three of his last six events.

At first glance he doesn't look to have any outstanding form here but he's passed up a couple of chances to bag this title in the last three years. A final round 75 last year saw him slip to a disappointing 11th, while three years ago he lead the tournament at the turn on Sunday but dropped four shots in five holes, eventually finishing in a tie for 6th.

My second pick, Stewart Cink, has blindingly obvious form here, dotting up by four shots in 2004 and eventually succumbing to Tiger at the fourth play off hole two years ago. With a win already under his belt this year at the Travelers Championship he was just about value at the price taken of [26.0] but he's a player I very rarely back as he often struggles to get over the line.

Angel Cabrera has form here and is too big at [110.0]. While Woody Austin is probably worse at converting chances than Cink but was also too big at [220.00].

Another player I seldom back and wouldn't trust down the stretch is Darren Clarke, backed at [250.0]. He's having a pretty decent season though and is playing some very accurate golf. He even has a win under his belt this year, having won the BMW Asian Open. That was his first triumph since winning here at Firestone back in 2003.

I've also thrown a few bob at last week's winner, Chez Reavie at [310.0].
I'll post daily updates each morning this week, starting on Friday.

Selections:

Kenny Perry @ [23.0]
Stuart Cink @ [26.0]
Angel Cabrera @ [110.0]
Woody Austin @ [220.0]
Darren Clarke @ [250.0]
Chez Reavie @ [310.0]

There is another event this week, the Reno-Tahoe Open, where once again I've backed Ben Crane, even though I vowed to put him on the cold list after last time.

There are a couple of other unlikely suspects that also carry the burden of my cash.

Reno-Tahoe Selections:

Ben Crane @ [26.0]
Parker McLachlin @ [80.0]
Nick Flanagan @ [95.0]
Alejandro Canizares @ [130.0]
Mark Hensby @ [220.0]
Y E Yang @ [220.0]
Gabriel Hjertstedt @ [900.0]

'.$sign_up['title'].'

'; } } ?>

:

:

:

?

: