The Punter / Steven Rawlings / 08 June 2009 /

The shock winners keep coming in Europe as another [1000.0] shot is victorious, but it's all a little more predictable in the US where Tiger's return to form saves the day for Steve...

After play finished in Wales on Friday it rained, then it rained some more, and a bit more after that. The early start planned on Saturday never materialised and it was sometime after lunch before play finally got under way, and given the tough conditions it was a real grind.

Remarkably all bar the final group managed to get round before darkness fell, and although I hadn't had the greatest of days, I did still have two players in with a chance of sorts - my in-running play, Jeev Milkha Singh, and original pick, Gregory Bourdy, both finished round three just two shots off the lead.

The big closer on Saturday had been virtual unknown Dane, Jeppe Huldahl, who had shot a three under par 68 to climb from 29th into a tie for the lead, and he continued to play immaculate golf yesterday as his far more experienced rivals faltered badly - including my picks...

I'd spent the weekend sitting on my hands, determined not to throw any more cash at what was a particularly trappy affair, but when Huldahl led by one over Niclas Fasth, and two over Ignacio Garrido, after the 14th hole, I took a chance on Garrido at [16.0]. The 15th is a driveable par four and there was always a chance of a big swing. There was a swing, and I'd clearly gotten some decent value as Garrido birdied and Huldahl made par, just as Fasth was bogeying the 16th.

Then when Garrido split the 16th fairway and Huldahl drove in the rough my man hit a low of [3.20] and I was tempted to lay back and reduce losses but I didn't. A woeful approach from Garrido found a green-side bunker, a double bogey followed and he became the last on the long list of players that had folded tamely.

Huldahl bravely parred in to win by a shot from Fasth to become the third huge priced winner on the European Tour in four weeks. Matched at [1000.0], he was winning a week after Christian Cevaer, who was matched at [870.0], and three weeks after Shane Lowry, who had also started the week at [1000.0]. He wasn't a complete unknown as he'd tasted success on the Challenge Tour but after missing five of his last six cuts he was far from an obvious candidate.

After the Welsh debacle I was very tempted to let the Memorial run without any further involvement and just move on to next week. None of my selections had done any good on Saturday so I'd have been accepting the losses and calling it a day, but Tiger Woods looked a fraction big at over [6.0] and after some deliberation I took the plunge.

He started yesterday's final round four shots off the lead and had six players in front of him but none of the six were players I particularly feared. I was frustrated by the fact that one of the leaders was massive outsider Matt Bettencourt, as he'd started the event at a [1000.0] and he's a player I've backed a few times this year and, added to that, I had tried to back him after round two at [200.0] but hadn't got matched.

As it transpired, Bettencourt couldn't live with Woods and nor could anyone else. He was quite frankly awesome, hitting every single fairway, shooting seven under par and winning in true Tiger style. No doubt inspired by fellow icon and good friend Roger Federer's French Open win.
I had topped up on Woods at [3.85], just before he played the par five 7th. Already on three under for the day a birdie followed and he was just over [2.5] but a bogey followed that and he drifted back out to [6.0]. I momentarily thought I'd made a mess of things but I needn't have worried. I traded in and out right up until the 16th tee, by which time I'd guaranteed a decent profit even if he'd lost.

For the second time since his return, Tiger had done the business for me on a Sunday and I'd somehow made a profit.

After the run of results recently, I feel very fortunate to be in front over the last few weeks and I can't say I'm disappointed that there's no event in Europe next week and that I don't have to spend several hours pouring over the formbook, only to be foiled by another unknown!

There's just the St Jude Classic to concentrate on next week and I'll post a preview on Wednesday.

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