The Punter / Steven Rawlings / 14 March 2009 /

A cluster of market leaders makes up Steve's book after round two, but can one of them hold on?

I'm absolutely shattered as I write this, suffering from a debilitating cocktail of festival fatigue and flu.

Incidentally, did you know that scientists have discovered that on average men feel 63% worse than women when they have flu-like symptoms? It's not true, I made it up, but if you can convince the woman in your life of the fact you may eventually get some sympathy. I've no idea who coined that awful man-flu phrase, but since they did sympathy for poorly little soldiers has dried up completely.

Anyway, on to the golf, and in particular Tiger Woods, and hands up, I was wrong. He's been very rusty from the get go and he's never really been in the hunt. I knew I was swimming against the tide this week, as most judges had swerved him and they were right to do so.

Strangely for him, his driving has been the strongest part of his game so far. His iron shots just haven't found their range, his touch around the greens has been heavy and his putting Garcia-esque. Ok, maybe his putting hasn't been quite that bad but he hasn't been banging those ten footers in with the usual regularity.

I even made things worse early on. Putting even more faith in the maestro and topping up at around [8.0] after he'd played 12 holes, just before he made another bogey.

Fortunately, I followed one really daft move with one really smart one soon after.

As Woods, Ogilvy and just about all the pre-event market leaders struggled, Phil Mickelson started a charge and as he birdied the 11th hole to get to three under I steamed in at an average of [22.0]. He then birdied the next hole and finished the round with three straight birdies, chipping in twice! So I'd had a fair slice of fortune and he ended the day trading at around [5.0].

He started his second round in typical fashion, a birdie at the first hole, out of bounds at the third, but he steadied the ship after that and backed up his opening 65 with a 66 to take a two shot lead into the weekend.

As he closed out his round I laid him back at [2.14] to cover my stakes on him and Tiger and then backed a couple of others that looked reasonable value.

For some bizarre reason Alvaro Quiros, who shot an eight under par 64 to get within five of Lefty, was matched as high as [110.0]. I didn't get quite that big but I've built up a decent enough wager at an average of almost [90.0]. He's done me a couple of big favours in the last few months and it wouldn't be any surprise to me to see him back up yesterdays 64 with two more low rounds and one thing is for sure, he isn't afraid to win.

A more realistic alternative to Mickelson is my other halfway pick, Kenny Perry, who I've backed at [14.0].

Also up there, three shots behind Mickelson and alongside Perry, is Rory McIlroy but he looks a shade short to me. There's absolutely no doubt that McIlroy will be a multiple winner in the States but I'm not so sure he should be getting on for half the price of the experienced multiple winner Perry, who's already bagged the FBR Open this year.

As things stand, if none of my three win I'll make a small loss, but I'll be looking to lay a bit more of my Lefty wager back at odds-on if I get the chance.

At the other event this week, the Puerto Rico Open, Jason Day, a player who was on my shortlist but that I didn't back, leads alongside fellow Aussie Matt Jones. If I'm honest I've given this event about as much attention as the average National Hunt enthusiast gave yesterday's selling hurdle at Fakenham, so I haven't gone overboard.

It may seem a little odd but I'm still not backing Day as he still looks too short. Instead I've had a modest bet on Bart Bryant who, of the current leaders, looks the value. Only a shot behind, he has the guile and experience to outdo the youngsters. I was shrewd enough to take [8.2] last night, just before someone put up plenty at [8.60]!

As usual, I'll review the weekend's twists and turns on Monday.

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