The Punter / Steven Rawlings / 26 April 2008 /

No, it's not a Ricky Ponting column. It's much better. Catch up with our golfing gambler's fortunes.

When I awoke on Thursday morning the leaderboard from China was a pleasant sight. J M Singh was tied for the lead on -4. Brier had bombed out but I was happy enough.

Friday saw him slide back down the leaderboard though and he went from [9.0] out to [50.0]. I made one in running play on Friday, backing Mark Brown @ an average of [36.0], after he'd finished his round but before the afternoon starters had limped in. By the end of play he had continued to creep up the leaderboard and was trading @ [13.5].

When I started watching this morning Brown had already started to slip away and left with nobody in the running I watched and waited for an opportunity.

Darren Clarke was playing some stellar stuff but the Ulsterman has been very wobbly when chances have come his way over the last few years and I was always going to look to oppose him. Overnight leader Robert Jan Derkson started slowly but was looking a fair price at around [9.0]. But I went for Miles Tunnicliff when he nearly holed his approach shot on the 10th. A mad scramble saw me get on at an average of [17.0] and when he made eagle on the 13th he touched a low of [6.2]. I felt I'd made the right choice and I'd at least have a runner in the dash for the line tomorrow.

Well that was then. What now? Well if you want to follow me in and back Tunnicliff you shouldn't struggle to get on at over [100.0]. A stylish composed finish of bogey, bogey, double bogey saw his chance go from strong, to fair, to weak, to non existent.

So what now? Well as I'm not in the greatest of form (understatement of the year) I haven't laid out fortunes so I can justify making one more play here. Looking at the present state of play it really ought to concern just three players, Clarke on -9, Derkson -8, and young Englishman Robert Dinwiddie on -7. I'm going to overlook Dinwiddie; he's still very much a rookie and was like a rabbit caught in headlights when he got in the mix during the third round of the Open de Andalucía a few weeks back. As stated I'm against Clarke, so that leaves Derkson. At around [4.0] he's a fair price.

At the Byron Nelson my main pick Sean O'Hair was back in form on day one and looked in total control of his game. His one under par round of 69 left him just two off the lead and down to [11.0].

What would he do on Friday with an advantageous morning tee time? Kick on to lead? Sit in the leading bunch? Maybe just dwell menacingly behind the leaders?

No. What he actually did was play like a muppet and miss the cut.

The only one of my original picks to still be in contention is Frank Lickliter, who's now only three off the lead, held by Adam Scott.

As a result of Scott birdying his first four holes, finishing his round early, and looking likely to hold the overnight lead he traded around the [3.0] mark all Friday afternoon and evening. To me this offered up opportunities, Scott's a massive talent but doesn't win anywhere near enough and is often too short in the betting.

My first in running pick on Friday, Mark Hensby @ an average of [87.0], is now down to [21.0]. Only one shot back, he will be playing alongside Scott tonight in the final two ball.

I also backed Texan Bart Bryant @ an average of [50.0] and Y E Yang @ [75.0]. The latter has to be classed as a stray bullet. He bogeyed four of his next five holes following my modest investment.

Well I'm not hopeful of a great weekend but we'll see. I'll post my review on Monday.

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