The Punter / Steven Rawlings / 10 December 2008 /

Steve has gone worldwide for this week's selections with tournaments in with tournaments in Australasia, the Far East and Africa covered...

The Road to Dubai winds its way to South Africa this week for the Alfred Dunhill Championship at the stunning Leopard Creek course, which borders the Kruger National Park.

Last year it was the scene of one of the worst final hole collapses of all time when John Bickerton was handed the trophy by Ernie Els, courtesy of a calamitous triple bogey eight from position A on the fairway of the 72nd hole.

It's a weak looking field this year with Lee Westwood favourite at around [7.6]. Next best is Charl Schwartzel who looks a blindingly obvious pick and although not a massive price at around [11.0] it's hard to see him not contending. He missed the cut here last year but in his previous three attempts he'd won and been second twice.

I ummed and ahhed about young Charl but in the end left him alone. Although he was solid enough when closing out the Madrid Masters two months ago, prior to that he'd been none too convincing in the mix and for me to turn a blind eye to a poor record when in contention, I'd usually need bigger than [11.0] from the get go.

Rory McIlroy is surely a winner waiting to happen but [15.0] is plenty short enough for someone who hasn't done so yet.

There are also a bunch of talented youngsters fresh from Challenge Tour graduation and any one of them could hit the ground running, as Alvaro Quiros did here two years ago. Trying to decide which of them to back is a bit tricky though. Great futures await Seve Benson, Danny Willet, David Horsey, Oskar Henningsson and Chris Wood, to name but a few. But it's the last of these I've gone for this week.

The way Wood stuck at it in the Open last year was most impressive and he talks very confidently about his future. He was a bit hit and miss at the end of last year and needed to go to Qualifying School to gain his card but I've got an inkling that of all those that move up to the main tour this year, he has the brightest future. Given the weak field at this weeks event I thought [70.0] was fair enough.

The likes of James Kingston, Richard Sterne, Hennie Otto and Johan Edfors were all considered but after much deliberation, and given I've had a fairly lean run and am about as confident as Sam Thomas aboard a novice chaser, I'm keeping stakes fairly low and selections few.

My only other picks here are Thomas Aiken and Tyrone Van Aswegen, two players who have been in decent form in South Africa and Marc Cayeux, who is simply too talented a player to be above [400.0] in this field.

Cayeux could be a lively outsider; he's got quite a bit going for him if you dig deep enough. A respectful 25th here last year, he showed up for a while recently at the HSBC event in China, has won in South Africa this year, and must be in great spirits having became a father for the first time this year, as well as reclaiming his place on the European Tour at Qualifying School.

I don't know about anyone else but I'm looking forward to an event that doesn't run through the night and won't be all over by Thursday afternoon! Although I've not gone mad before kick-off, I may well get stuck into this event.

Selections:

Chris Wood @ [70.0]
Thomas Aiken @ [110.0]
Tyrone Van Aswegen @ [230.0]
Marc Cayeux @ [420.0]

Talking of overnight events, it's the Australian Open down under this week and after picking a couple of fairly obvious picks in the last two Aussie events I was going to do much the same this week and back Adam Scott but he's withdrawn again.

So instead I've taken a chance on Peter Lonard at [28.0]. His putting has been atrocious and caused him to miss the cut last week but he switches back to a short putter again this week so I'm hoping that will make a massive difference as the rest of his game is in good order.

Selection:

Peter Lonard @ [28.0]

I confess, I haven't even looked at the Merrill Lynch Shootout and possibly won't but I do like Thaworn Wiratchant and Juvic Pagunsan in the Cambodian Open on the Asian Tour and will look to back them at some point. It's also worth mentioning that Annika Sorenstam plays her final professional event this week when she bids to win her third straight Dubai Ladies Masters. Even though it's short, the [4.0] available could be value.

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