The Punter / Steven Rawlings / 23 October 2009 /

It's all happening in Spain - A contentious weather break, a Major disqualification, a promising youngster falling down the stairs and a leader with a broken foot!

It's been an eventful couple of days at the Castello Masters in Spain, where Thursday started, much to my annoyance, with local hero Sergio Garcia streaking away. He was seven under through ten, was as short as [2.34], and yet again, speculation about a possible 59 was rife. But he only picked up one more birdie before a vicious wind whipped up and play was suspended, with El Nino, as Garcia was once regularly called, still having two to play.

The rumour was that Thomas Bjorn's group had refused to tee off but the officials were claiming it was too dangerous to play anyway, with leaderboards and hoardings blowing over. Colin Montgomerie was certainly not best pleased, as he exasperatedly berated an official "Oh so that's great, so the later starters can actually just walk off now yeah? And we've actually played in it, that's OK then yeah? That's all right yeah? That's all right?" Soren Hanson's caddy was a little more succinct with a simply "That's bullshit!"

It did look at the time as though they'd been a little hard done by but the suspension really was inevitable.

Just before the stoppage poor ole Angel Cabrera was disqualified. It's ironic that while pressure is being put on the 'names' to turn up and support the Tour, a duel Major winner should fly half the way around the world to play, get delayed, and miss his tee time by 12 minutes and they kick him out, especially daft when the latter starters hadn't even started. Why didn't he get a later tee time? Could he not have swapped with someone? Rules huh!

Bets wise, I'd only had a couple of pre-event plays but I had a few players I wanted to monitor, and as it turned out Garcia's fast start did me a favour as prices on the latter starters held up nicely.

When play resumed I backed Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, at [36.0], as he reached three under through seven. That doesn't look a great play right now, but I had a decent bet on Martin Kaymer at [28.0], after he'd birdied the 4th, and that looks very good now. I'd liked the look of Kaymer before hand but was wary given he was returning to the Tour for the first time since breaking two toes in a go-kart accident. I was moaning when he bogeyed the 5th, but after that it's been nothing but good news, and Kaymer now co-leads with Robert Allenby after two rounds, on 12 under par.

I've also backed a couple of others in-running, who are a few back and need to get going in round three - Paul Broadhurst at [160.0] and Ignacio Garrido at [110.0].

As I write, Garcia has three holes of round two to play and is still the favourite. I'm still holding my entire Kaymer bet but I'm a little worried - he said after yesterday's play that he'd been in a lot of pain over the last few holes. Not surprising considering he has titanium plates and nine screws in his foot!

And Kaymer's isn't the only injury this week; Chris Wood had to withdraw after spraining his ankle after falling down the clubhouse steps, hopefully it's not too serious.

In the States, my main pick, Chad Campbell, started really well and was matched at as low as [14.0], but he soon lost his way and now looks too far back.

Of my other two pre-event picks, DJ Trahan is absolutely infuriating. He gave them all a start last week before finishing strongly to claim 7th. This week he started even slower and was three over par after just seven holes. He's missed a plethora of short putts again, and just to get my goat further, he bogeyed his last hole last night, to slip four off the lead.

Pat Perez was bobbling along nicely too, until he went one better and double-bogeyed his last hole, a very frustrating end to a long night. He too is now four off the lead.

I've had a couple of in-running plays too - on Thursday I backed Heath Slocum at [32.0] as he moved through the field. He started brightly yesterday and has been matched at as low as [7.0], but he finished with just a string of pars and is now three of the lead.

I also backed Stephen Ames at [34.0], after he'd played five holes yesterday. And after he'd birdied the next, I layed some back at [18.0], but he'd still be a nice winner.

I've plenty of irons in the fire for the weekend but it could all lead to nothing. I'll let you know on Monday how it all pans out.

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