Golf Events / Editor / 20 April 2007 /

Raphael Jacquelin is enjoying a rich vein of form at the moment and the Frenchman will head into the weekend at the top of the leaderboard for the second tournament running.

Jacquelin led last week's Volvo China Open at the halfway stage before eventually having to settle for sixth place, but will have high hopes of making quick amends at the BMW Asian Open after racing into a three-shot lead after two rounds in Shanghai.

Jacquelin stands on nine-under-par going into the weekend and has clear daylight between himself and his nearest challenger, Korea's Lee Sung.

But there is a large group, including the likes of 2004 champion Miguel Angel Jimenez, Colin Montgomerie and Asian golf specialist Simon Dyson, within touching distance of him and they will all be looking to play a part in the finish come Sunday.

Rounds of 66 and 69 over the opening two days have propelled Jacquelin to the head of the Betfair market and is now trading at 3.15 to win in China, having been available to back at 55 at the start of the week.

European Tour veterans Jimenez and Montgomerie are closely matched and are trading at around 12 to win, ahead of pre-tournament favourite Ernie Els (13.5), Dyson (18.5), Sung (23) and in-form Dane Soren Kjeldsen (24).

But it is Jacquelin that they will all have to catch and that will be no easy task on the flat 7,326-yard course, where he has adapted best of all to the breezy conditions during the first part of the week.

The Frenchman has been swinging well for the last few months and he is now starting to get his act together with a putter in his hands.

Jacquelin feels that is the key to his recent good performances and, with a sixth place last week and second the week before, he will be quietly confident that he can last the pace in China this week, where he can be backed at 1.7 to finish in the first five.

Sung, trading at 3.95 to earn a top-five finish, is playing at the top of his game at the moment and could be capable of more, but both players will be aware of the players in the pack behind them waiting to pounce.

Jimenez and Montgomerie lie just four shots back on five-under with Kjeldsen, Scott Hend and Joakim Backstrom eager to impress this week after disappointing starts to the 2007 season.

Jimenez is fond of the venue after tasting success here three years ago and, with his regular caddie having visa problems this week, has turned to the girl that was on his bag when he won in 2004.

It could be a lucky omen and, after improving rounds of 70 and 69 and with his swing looking in the groove, he could be a good bet over the weekend, where he can be backed at 2.62 to come in the top five.

Montgomerie, trading at similar odds to the Spaniard, followed up his opening day 69 with a 70 on Friday which was helped by an eagle at the 15th hole.

Crucially for the eight-time Order of Merit winner, he is starting to hole a few putts and is looking as if he can seriously compete for the first time this year.

Els is well down the field on two-under-par after successive rounds of 71, but things could dramatically change if the world number five finds some form with his putter and anyone who has won an event around the same course by 13 shots has to be respected.

The 2005 champion is available at odds of 2.68 to finish in the first five, while he could also be worth backing at 1.63 in the tournament match-betting against Paul Casey, who has been out of sorts this week after his luggage went missing en-route.

There looks to be plenty of attractive betting propositions to be had away from the bigger names though, not least of which with Dyson, who is only five strokes away from Jacquelin approaching the final two rounds.

The Yorkshireman, level on four-under with Peter Hanson and last week's winner Markus Brier, is one of the form horses at this week's course having finished second, fifth and 14th at events there in the last three years and is in confident mood.

Dyson is 3.65 to finish in the top five but, more attractively, is 2.14 to beat Montgomerie in the match-betting for the third round.

Brier has continued his good form from last week and could be an interesting bet at 29 to win while the players he beat into second place at the Volvo China Open, Andrew McLardy, Graeme McDowell and Scott Hend, should not be ruled out.

Hend is best placed among them and is trading at 26 to win and 4.6 to place in the first five, with McDowell available at 75 to win and McLardy on offer at 110.

Backstrom is an interesting contender and could go close at good odds of 40 to win now he is finally free of the injuries that have halted his progress, while compatriot Hanson (30 to win) should be respected after showing good form earlier in the season.

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