The Punter / Steven Rawlings / 21 January 2009 /

Steve has surveyed the fields and the odds for both this week's big golf tournaments. Read his early selections here.

It's the middle leg of the gulf swing in the Race to Dubai this week and it's a strong looking field that assembles to tackle the Doha Golf Course.

The defending champion, Adam Scott, has an excellent record here with two wins from two starts, having also won here in 2002. He comes into the event on the back of a fast finishing second place in Hawaii and he'll have his supporters, but I'm not one of them. He's been unconvincing in the mix lately for me and I think he's far better suited to coming from off the pace, as he did last week and indeed, as he did here last year. Consequently I think he's too short from the off.

Another player with a stunning record at Doha is Henrik Stenson, but for the second time in his career he's having a real crisis off the tee and I cant help thinking his reliance on the three wood to no avail is doing more harm than good.

Ernie Els and Retief Goosen have both won here but aren't anywhere near the force they were and are both readily overlooked.

So that's the last four years winners dismissed, what about favourite Sergio Garcia? He putted woefully at times last week and is plenty short enough and I see that the market has finally sussed out that Lee Westwood cant close out an event. He's a fair price this week but he won't carry my money until he shows a far better attitude under the cosh.

So who am I backing? Well first up is the consistent Martin Kaymer, runner up last week and a player with a massive future, I thought [24.0] was decent enough. I know he missed the cut on his debut here last year but he also did that at Dubai in 2007 before winning the following year.

I've also taken a chance on a couple of Americans in Boo Weekley and Brandt Snedeker. It's hard to assess whether the prices about infrequent visitors to the European Tour are value and I came unstuck with Allenby last week but these guys have travelled well in the past. Weekley was awesome in the World Cup in China in 2007 and Snedeker has faired OK in Japan.

I'm sticking with Alvaro Quiros (pictured) for another week, he's a real favourite of mine now and looks too big again, while my last pick is Nick Dougherty. He's been in the doldrums for a while and wasn't great last week but he has got a decent bank of form here. He's also said that he really likes Doha and Nick's one of those players that repeatedly plays well at certain venues. It's unlikely, but it would be nice to see him back in the winner's circle again.

Selections:

Martin Kaymer @ [24.0]
Boo Weekley @ [65.0]
Alvaro Quiros @ [90.0]
Brandt Snedeker @ [110.0]
Nick Dougherty @ [180.0]

It's the 50th staging of the Bob Hope Classic on the USPGA Tour, an event I endure rather than enjoy.

Starting today, it's a five round event on four different courses where the pros each play with three celebrities for the first four days.

If over enthusiastic TV anchormen fawning over celebrities you've hardly heard of, together with hilarious antics like a so-called celebrity passing his club to a spectator after they've fluffed a shot are your thing, then you may enjoy it. Personally, I'll probably wait until the event really gets going on the weekend. By which time Justin Leonard will hopefully be in prime position.

Leonard held a four shot lead here during round four last year but stuttered badly to allow DJ Trahan in. He's won this event before though, in '05, and he also finished in the top ten in '02 and '03.

He had a great end to last season with plenty of high finishes, a very successful Ryder Cup and a win at the Standford St Jude. He looked in fine fettle at the Mercedes when finishing fifth and in he enjoys the most favourable course rotation. He was a fair price at [15.0] and that looks even more attractive now that Anthony Kim has withdrawn.

I've also backed my old mate Ben Crane just in case.

Selections:

Justin Leonard @ [15.0]
Ben Crane @ [90.0]

I'll post an update on developments on Saturday afternoon.

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