The Punter / Steven Rawlings / 13 November 2009 /

Pre-event pick, Tiger Woods, is in control down under, but that doesn't stop Steve moaning...

It's not often I go to bed on a Wednesday night knowing that at least one of my picks has made a solid start, but that was the case this week. Tiger Woods, backed at [2.7] to win the Australian Masters, had been three under par through ten holes, was well on his way to the top of the leaderboard and was approaching odds on when I called it a day.

I got up again at six on Thursday to watch the first round of the Hong Kong Open 'live' on Sky. I'd assumed that given the programme synopsis said 'Live European Tour Golf' and given there was to be just three hours coverage anyway, that they'd be live straight away, but no. The first three quarters of an hour was highlights of the mornings play! I must sound like a right moaner but at this time of year, any wasted sleep is an annoyance.

It was a decent start to the event though; Miguel Angel Jimenez didn't do brilliantly, shooting just two under par, but my other two picks started well enough. Francesco Molinari shot four under par and Thongchai Jaidee six under, which saw him finish day one in a tie for third, two shots off the lead, held by fellow Thai, Udorn Duangdecha.

In addition to the decent start in Hong Kong, Woods had moved on to six under par by the time he'd closed out round one in Oz, and was trading at under [1.7], but that was as good as Thursday got...

The start I had in the Childrens Network Classic was so bad it was laughable. Not only did all my five original selections underperform, the best any could muster being a one under par round - leaving them in tied 93rd place, but I also added two more disastrous picks.

Right on the bubble in 126th place on the money list, Matt Jones had been an alternate when I wrote my preview. He'd chosen to stay in the States and wait and see if he'd get in to the event to try and save his Tour Card, rather than return home to Oz and play in the Masters. I thought he'd be buzzing when Steve Marino withdrew on Wednesday and backed him at [120.0], but after recording a quadruple bogey eight on just his second hole it was an uphill struggle all the way and he's ended the first day in last place!

I was also shrewd enough to back Michael Letzig, at an average of [130.0], as he made a flying start. I had been interested in him before the start and had tried to find out the latest news on his wrist injury but failed, so I'd left him out. When he started well and got to three under par through seven holes, I was glad I'd scrambled on board in-running. My contentment didn't last - he's now one over and out of it too!

To make matters worse, some of my regular plays, Zach Johnson, Matt Bettencourt and Will MacKenzie all made very good starts.

I decided to sleep in a bit today, following yesterday's experience, and I was smart enough not to get up at six when the 'Live European Tour Golf' was due to start. In stead I timed it perfectly and as I switched on the telly, tea in hand, at about 6.40, they were just switching to live coverage in Hong Kong.

Understandably they'd stayed with the coverage of Tiger finishing up in Australia, where he's cruised to a two shot lead and now trades at [1.26], and I'm very thankful too because after a solid start in Hong Kong, as is the way with my picks just lately, it's all gone pear-shaped again!

Pear-shaped is probably exaggerating it a bit but it was a disappointing second round all the same. Jimenez is too far back now; Jaidee is in touch still but shot an unlikely over par round, while Molinari needed a birdie at the last to restore some respectability to his round. He fares best of mine, now on six under par, but he's still three off the lead on an extremely congested leaderboard.

So heading into the weekend a neutral week looks likely, with Woods' winnings covering my stakes in the other two events. But then again, I went into the final round last week in Shanghai thinking the same and ended up with a decent win so we'll see. Whatever happens I'll post a review on Monday.

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