The Punter / Steven Rawlings / 13 August 2008 / 1

The majors are done and dusted for 2008 but there's still plenty to play for with the Ryder Cup and Fed-ex playoff series to look forward to.

The race for Ryder Cup points moves on to Sweden this week for the SAS Masters while in the States it's the Wyndham Championship in North Carolina.

The SAS Masters is a bit of a head scratch. Last year was the first time that the Arlandastad course was used for this event. It was used for a couple of Challenge Tour events back in 04 & 05 and a European Tour qualifier in 06 but they don't offer up too many clues and I've struggled for selections somewhat.

The favourite is Sweden's very own Robert Karlsson who has been playing to a very high and consistent standard all year but I can't quite take a single figure price about him this week. He has to recover physically and mentally from last weeks draining event and I'm also put off by the fact that he missed the cut here last year.

Second favourite and my main selection is Martin Kaymer at [23.0]. It was only his inexperience that stopped him claiming this prize last year. A bogey at the 70th hole saw his lead reduced and then a disastrous doubly bogey on the final hole handed the tournament to Finland's Mikko Ilonen.

Sadly, he lost his Mum to cancer just over a month ago so he'll be forgiven if he's not yet mentally back in the groove. But on a more positive note he's already a duel winner this year and with the added incentive of trying to regain his spot in the Ryder Cup team, if he gets the chance again I doubt it will be as readily squandered.

I have also backed a few outsiders as well at some decent prices.

Selections:

Martin Kaymer @ [23.0]
Graeme Storm @ [65.0]
Robert-Jan Derksen @ [80.0]
John Bickerton @ [80.0]
Simon Wakefield @ [130.0]
Chris Wood @ [140.0]
Chapchai Nirat [400.0]

If it was tough to find an angle for selections in Europe, it's nearly impossible at the Wyndham Championships, known for years as the Greater Greensboro Open.

Plenty of excitement surrounds the event's return to the historic Sedgefield Country Club after a break of a mere 32 years! Excitement I don't really share at this stage, as without course form to consider making pre event selections is very difficult.

Is it worth even looking to see who won back in 1976, the last time the course was used? Well maybe it is, the victor was Al Geiberger, whose son Brent made history four years ago when he won this event too. It was the first time that father and son had won the same event on American soil.

In the field again this year, he's in pretty poor form to say the least but you never know. I've taken a small interest in him at [650.0] anyway.

The rest of my picks are also for small stakes, a few usual suspects at decent enough prices and some big outsiders just for an initial interest.

I shall be watching keenly for the first two days to acquaint myself with the venue and see how things take shape before I get properly involved.

Selections:

Ryan Moore @ [95.0]
Ryuji Imada @ [110.0]
Tim Petrovic @ [200.0]
Will MacKenzie @ [220.0]
Brad Adamonis @ [290.0]
Richard S Johnson @ [290.0]
Nick Flanagan @ [300.0]
Brett Rumford @ [320.0]
Mark Hensby @ [400.0]
Brent Geiberger @ [650.0]

I'll post an update on both events on Saturday morning.

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1. Dean | 13 August 2008

   Hi, the SAS Masters could be tricky as you said there is no real course form to go on, apart from last year. Looking at the result of last year, accurate players who putt well enough seemed to do well, rather than the big bombers!

   My selections are: T Levet who is top in the GIR stats, he is accurate enough i just hope he gets the putter working! S Dyson who is due a good performance this year after some poor results, R Dinwiddie who looks an improving player, J F Lucquin who has played well recently, and is very straight off the tee which always helps! My final two picks are P Broadhurst (he's not in the best of form this year, but this course suits his game as shown by his 7th place finish last year) and i've also gone for S Wakefield who should be confident after a brilliant performance in The Open!

   Wyndham Championship

   I Like Zach Johnson, if he can just find some form this course should suit his steady game, and he needs to play well here if he has any hope of making the Ryder Cup! B Gay who has been playing solid all year and finished Top 20 in the USPGA last week, K Streelman & M Letzig are two younger players to keep an eye on, and i couldn't resist a small e/w bet on the old boy
   B Tway because he has played very well over the last couple of months!

   Best of luck with your selections

   Dean

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