The Punter / Steven Rawlings / 22 January 2010 /

They may have only played one of the scheduled five rounds but it's already a case of no hope at the Bob Hope. Fortunately for our man, he's faring much better in Abu Dhabi...

The action started earlier than normal this week, with the Bob Hope Classic, due to be played over five rounds, starting on Wednesday. I say due, because there was no play at all there yesterday thanks to the arrival of the forecast heavy rain. Personally, I hope it doesn't stop raining; I'd take an abandonment with stakes returned with pleasure, my four picks were absolutely hopeless. Unfortunately that doesn't look likely, although a Monday finish must be heavy odds on.

My shortest priced selection, Chad Campbell, is stone last, having shot an appalling seven over par, Justin Leonard, backed at just [28.0], fared only marginally better, ending his first round on three over. Martin Laird also ended the day over par and the best of my four was Brian Gay, who just about managed to break par but is far too far back to stand any chance. And to think I was vexed that Leonard, starting on the back nine and having birdied holes 10 and 11, didn't birdie the par five 12th!

So I went to bed on Wednesday night a bit fed up, but not to worry, I thought, there's always the Abu Dhabi Championship... Geoff Ogilvy will be off to a flier in the morning and all in the garden will be rosy.

By 9.00am on Thursday morning my whole week revolved around Martin Kaymer. Ogilvy had shot a very disappointing level par first round and I was wondering what I was doing wrong!

Fortunately for my sanity, the young German, after a steady start, finally got going. The birdies started to flow around the turn and he played some lovely golf, missing a few putts late on, but ending the day on five under par, just two behind leader Ian Poulter.

As there's been some radio coverage of the event, I got up early today at just after 4.00am to monitor Kaymer, who again started slowly. I layed a small portion of my bet back after he'd played four holes, at [8.2] but then when he birdied his tenth hole to get under par for the day, I managed to back him back again at [13.5].

Kaymer went on to shoot five under again, which is currently two off the lead, and if I'd have not had another bet I'd have been happy enough but for some reason I've been meddling more than usual.

Although he was miles back, having matched Ogilvy's day one level par total, I had a very small wager on Paul Casey at [120.0], to absolutely no avail, and I took [22.0] about Alvaro Quiros, before he started round two.

It looked a decent enough bet until he three putted the 17th from about 12 feet to make bogey and then he got very lucky on the last, when his tee-shot was very fortunate not to find the water. It wasn't an awful round though, he played in the worst of the conditions and the wind appeared to ease once he'd finished.

As the conditions improved and given that the likes of Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy are all in contention, and given I don't trust Garcia and McIlroy, I thought I may find a bit of value in a few players yet to finish round two. To varying degrees of success I added three more to the portfolio.

A modest bet on >Marc Warren at [100.0] was a waste of money; he's now thrice the price. And my bet on Chris Wood, at [22.0], would have looked much better, had he not three putted the last. He's still that price now and I can't decide whether to ditch him or not...

But the last of the three was well worth the effort. Australian youngster Rick Kulacz secured his card with a monster putt at the very last hole at Tour School, and he came to my attention at the recent Africa Open, when a flying finish very nearly saw him gazump Charl Schwartzel. He had an astounding run of eight birdies in nine holes today on his way to the top of the leaderboard and I've managed to back him at an average of just under [70.0]. It's hard to envisage him winning the event but it looks a decent trade now, and he's certainly a player to keep an eye on.

There's an early start tomorrow in Dubai, where the leaders are out at 7.55am. It's a congested leaderboard and I obviously fear Poulter, McIlroy and Garcia and others! But I've seen nothing to put me off my original pick so far, and you never know, maybe a new star will be born this weekend in the shape of Kulacz, fingers are firmly crossed.

I may take a further interest in the Bob Hope when they get going again, though possibly not until much later on. Whatever happens I'll review all the action in my de-brief on Monday.

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