The Punter / Steven Rawlings / 11 February 2009 /

There will be hot and oppressive conditions in Malaysia and that will not suit many of the players, so Steve has cut his initial selections accordingly...

The Race to Dubai gets back on track this week with the Malaysian Open, staged for the ninth time on the Palm course, nicknamed 'The Cobra', at the Saujana Golf and Country Club.

The winning score has ranged between level par, the first time the course was used in 1988, and a whopping 21 under, when wet weather meant preferred lies in 2005, when Thongchai Jaidee won his second title, a year after his first.

It's not a long course but it's a tricky, hilly one, with small grainy greens, where poor driving will get punished by thick rough and palm trees and the heat and humidity will relentlessly pound at the competitors.

Favourite Anthony Kim is a big fish in a small pond this week but I'm not sure he'll take to the place. He arrives on the back of a missed cut at the FBR Open and with doubts over a shoulder injury he's readily overlooked.

My main pick has to be Jaidee, twice a winner here already. He's been in decent form lately and certainly loves this place. Before he unexpectedly missed the cut here in 2007 he said: "When I come here, I'm happy. I've played this course many times. Even in my holidays I will come here and practice.

"I like the course. It's not very long but it's very tricky. You need to know the course well. The greens are tough but if you know the greens, you know where to putt and make easier putts."

I've also backed a few other Thai players, who I know will cope with the conditions. Jaidee's partner at the recent Royal Trophy, Prayed Marksaeng, also has a decent bank of course form and has also been in decent form of late. After winning the final event on the Asian Tour in 2007, he won three times in Japan last year.

Veteran Thaworn Wiratchant was too big to leave out at [120.0], while Chawalit Plaphol, who finished last year well, has fared well here in the past, finishing fourth in '99 and third in 2004 and looks worth a small interest.

I've also backed last years Indian Masters hero, S.S.P Chowrasia and rising star Sang-Moon Bae and that will probably do for now!

Selections:

Thongchai Jaidee @ [16.0]
Prayed Marksaeng @ [40.0]
Thaworn Wiratchant @ [120.0]
Chawalit Plaphol @ [150.0]
Sang-Moon Bae @ [200.0]
S.S.P Chowrasia @ [500.0]

The USPGA event this week is the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, played over three courses, Poppy Hills, Spy Glass and Pebble Beach.

A few players have notable records. Mickelson has three wins, Davis Love a couple and Vijay Singh, in addition to three second placed finishes, took the title in 2004.

Just as I did last week I shall be monitoring Mickelson closely but I won't be risking any cash on him from the start. There was little encouragement or indeed improvement last week at the Buick after his woeful missed cut at the FBR the week before, and there appears to be something quite badly amiss with his game at present.

Davis Love was a selection of mine last week but after a good first round he was very disappointing and makes little appeal.

Although there's plenty of potential downside, as he's returning after surgery to repair a torn meniscus, I'm going to take a chance on Vijay.

I'm by no means a medical expert but from what I can gather the procedure he undertook, an arthroscopy, isn't a massive one and he could conceivably be back this week as good as new. If he does his price is very fair given that he was in terrific form prior to his poor show at the Mercedes, where he was carrying the injury.

In addition to Singh, I've also backed a couple of massive long-shots in the shape of Steve Flesch, who has only fair form here and isn't in great nick but showed a little encouragement at the FBR and can suddenly spark into life anyway, and Greg Owen, who has been placed here a couple of times in the last four years.

Selections:

Vijay Singh @ [16.0]
Greg Owen @ [250.0]
Steve Flesch @ [280.0]

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