The Punter / Steven Rawlings / 25 May 2009 / Leave a Comment

Our man has a night on the tiles after excitement in Texas ends in disappointment. Meanwhile, as Paul Casey climbs to number three in the world rankings, can the Punter make it two winning weeks in a row?

I went into the weekend in a strong position, with PGA Championship leader Paul Casey firmly onside, having backed him at [17.5] and layed him at [1.93], and with several other picks also prominent on the leaderboard I was determined to make a decent profit.

My first move was to back obvious danger Miguel Angel Jimenez at [17.0] after he'd played two holes in one over par, and Soren Kjeldsen was also added to the portfolio at [28.0] when he birdied the 12th hole.

By the end of play Casey had enjoyed another very good day but yet again, it could have been better. For the third day running he didn't make the most of the last few holes, three-putting the last two for par. Even so, he'd taken control and was trading around [1.60].

Jimenez had dropped away tamely; Kjeldsen was three shots back in second, and a few flies had landed in the ointment - Rory McIlroy and Ross Fisher were four and five shots off the lead respectively.

While they were finishing up in Surry, across the pond in Texas my only realistic chance of success, Dustin Johnson, was on fire. Play had started early because of the threat of poor weather and my man clearly enjoyed the morning's conditions. He reached an incredible six under par through just eight holes, was matched as low as [2.50] and yours truly was starting to get excited.

Having already arranged to go out for the evening it was tempting to change plans after Dustin's fast start, but when he found water off the ninth tee the decision to leave it be was made and I was off.

When I got back in and watched the recorded play it was bitterly disappointing. For someone that had won twice in the last eight months it was a poor effort from Dustin. Incredibly he found water three times after hitting the front. He had still led the field with just four holes to play but finished very poorly and at the close of play he was two off the lead and trading in double figures. Maybe I should have stayed in and got something out of my bet. Oh well.

It didn't take long for me to realise that Sunday wasn't going to be a walk in the park. Casey bogeyed the first hole and when he got the dropped shot back on the third I made life easier by laying some more back at [1.44].

Two of my outsiders, Marc Warren and Stephen Dodd, started well but then dropped shots like confetti, while McIlroy and Fisher made early moves.
As the day progressed, McIlroy, maybe as a result Saturday's low round, started to drop shots as his play became quite sloppy and by the time the last group hit the back nine it looked a three man race between Casey, Fisher and Kjeldsen.

All three meant a decent profit as I'd also backed Fisher, albeit only modestly at [9.0], after he'd played seven holes, but the other two were much better results so it meant a tense finish.

Fisher, who had led here with a round to go two years ago before shooting an embarrassing 84, was a different kettle of Fisher this time around. He looked in complete control, putting his vast course experience to good use, making birdie after birdie and when he reached the 15th green tied with Casey and with a decent birdie chance he reached a low of [1.8]. But he was to miss the putt and ten minutes later Casey again put his nose in front, making his own birdie chance on 15.

That was to be the decisive move, as both players bravely pared the 16th and birdied the last two, resulting in Casey lifting the trophy and climbing to number three in the world rankings.

I was still quite hopeful of my Dustin Johnson wager in Texas, but missing from three feet for par on the third hole wasn't going to help!

He struggled quite badly until it was all over, then he made a flurry of birdies coming in, but it was all far too late.

The unpopular Rory Sabbatini took complete control, shot 64, and won with a couple to spare, despite bogeying the last. It hadn't been a great event for me but I hadn't staked too much and nothing was going to dampen my spirits. I've now had two winning weeks in a row, whatever next?

It's the European Open at the London Club in Kent next week, and the last event of the three week Texas swing, the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial. I'll preview both events on Wednesday.

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