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The Punter: The crazy trans-Atlantic Singh double!
The Punter
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Steven Rawlings /
30 May 2009 /
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In spite of a couple of lost causes it's so far so good at the European Open as the Punter grabs a decent price on the current leader. Meanwhile, could Vijay be on his way back to the winner's circle in the US?
With the majority of my picks having an afternoon tee time, I wasn't taking an awful lot of notice of the early play at the European Open, but Jeev Milkha Singh, thankfully, caught my eye.
I've been a big Singh fan for a few years now and I'd briefly considered him again this week but he hasn't been in the greatest of form so he was overlooked from the off, but as he birdied the very tough 18th hole, his ninth of the round, to get to three under par on Thursday morning, I scooped up what was available at an average of just over [34.0]. It was possibly a knee-jerk reaction and very early on in proceedings, but it looks, at this stage, like it was a good move.
Eventually ending day one on five under, Singh was bang in contention when he teed of yesterday afternoon and he carried on where he'd left off. It all got a bit ragged in the end though and he needed lots of luck to finish the day as he did, eight under par and tied for the lead.
Well, that was the good news, there was plenty of bad.
At the end of day one I also struck in running bets on Daniel Vancsik at [160.00] and Chapchai Nirat at [340.00] - the latter of which is certainly a lost cause now.
And I also had a very ill-timed wager on Tano Goya at [50.00], just before he bogeyed each of his last three holes yesterday!
My main pre-event pick had been Robert Karlsson and he started off well on Thursday but struggled yesterday, as many did, at what's proving to be a very testing venue.
Alvaro Quiros, despite a triple bogey at the monstrous 18th yesterday, is faring best of my original picks but he's only three under par and five off the lead.
So, Singh apart, like the playing pros, I've struggled a bit at the London Club. It could have been worse though, I could have backed South African Thomas Aiken. With 10 holes to play yesterday he led the tournament and was vying for favouritism. Where is he now? On a plane I should think - he dropped 11 shots in those last 10 holes and comfortably missed the cut.
In the states, Kenny Perry, backed at [23.00], started the tournament in fine style, shooting six under on day one, just a shot off the lead and surely poised to strike...
Not quite. A dreadful error strewn second round has seen him go from hero to zero, from favourite to also ran and none of my other pre-event picks have fared any better.
My only in-running selection, before this morning, was Chad Campbell, backed at [50.0], but he's pulled out with what looks a very nasty injury. According to the PGA website 'there was an audible pop after he hit out of the bunker on the 17th. That pop was the sound of his calf muscle reportedly tearing'. Ouch.
I backed Vijay Singh for last week's Byron Nelson and in my preview for the event wrote: 'I hope I haven't jumped the gun again here, but there were definitely encouraging signs at the Players two weeks ago'. Well, it seems I did jump the gun but only just, it looks highly likely that this could be the week that Singh returns to the winners circle and I've taken the plunge this morning at [4.60].
Steve Stricker and Tim Clark are the only two players ahead of Singh, on 14 and 13 under par respectfully, but both are extremely wobbly in the mix and I couldn't think about backing either. Singh, on 12 under, is a shot clear of recent Quail Hollow winner, Sean O'Hair, who I'd rate his main danger, and a couple clear of Jason Day.
So in common with Susan Boyle, favourite for tonight's Britain's Got No Talent final, I'll be hoping to Singh my way to success this weekend, and I guess one or two more ambitious punters may be on the crazy, trans-Atlantic coincidence Singh double from the start. Personally, I'll be happy if just one of the fine fellows obliges.
Whatever happens, I'll review both events on Monday.
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