The Punter / Steven Rawlings / 29 September 2008 /

Both big tour events go to the wire and while one goes very right for our golf bettor, the other is not so good...

Saturday was very frustrating as fog yet again halted play at The Belfry for three hours and with the Tour Championship starting early to accommodate a baseball match, or something as equally disinteresting, both events were being played out at the same time.

When action did get underway in the UK things went well for me, Lee Westwood was all over the place and really struggled until he chipped in for eagle on the 17th hole. Two of my in-running picks hit the front, Michael Campbell and Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano but both stuttered after the turn. When play was suspended Campbell had just birdied the 5th, his 14th hole of the round, and I backed him again at [5.1].

Saturday in Atlanta saw the re-match of Sergio Garcia and Anthony Kim and it went emphatically the way of the Spaniard this time. The American looked out of sorts and relied heavily on his putter to keep him in front but the pressure finally told and he ended the day three back of Garcia.

Phil Mickelson, backed on Friday at [23.0], didn't play faultless golf by any means but did somehow manage to shoot 69 to end the day alongside Kim. I had topped up on Lefty towards the end of play, not particularly successfully, as I had added to my original bet at an average of [4.7] and he was [5.6] by the end of the day.

In contrast to Saturday, yesterday's action started very early and ended late.

At the British Masters both Campbell and Westwood finished off their third rounds in fine style and put some daylight between themselves and the rest of the field. Going into the last round they were both on -10, three clear of Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano and Jeev Milkha Singh and four clear of the rest. I thought there was value in the latter pair and topped up on Gonzo @ [25.0] and backed Singh @ [20.0].

To cut a long story short, Westwood started well and looked to have control, while Cambo struggled all day. Singh was hideously poor and Gonzo truly magnificent.

After many twists and turns it eventually came down to a play-off that Gonzo won on the third play off hole. Yet again Westwood had come up shy.

I traded quite furiously late on and by the time victory was assured for the tenacious Spaniard a very handsome win either way had been assured.

Yet again the faith in Westwood had been staggering, tied going up the last I was able to lay Westwood at [1.10] after Castano missed the green. But that's now seven top threes this year without a win, simply not good enough.

I've backed Gonzo many times this year, in fact 11 times before this week and nearly always at triple figure odds, he showed yesterday why that is value. That's now four wins in four seasons for the Spaniard who really does have bottle in abundance. But I have to thank fellow columnist Paul Krishnamurty this time and his 'Find Me A 100 Winner' column, not in my first collection of picks I backed him at [120.0] after he'd played 12 holes on Thursday. Reading Paul's piece had put him on my radar.

With one round to go in America I didn't get involved again until very late on in proceedings and I'm still not sure I played it well.

Starting the final round Garcia was three clear and trading at [1.6], while tied in second Mickelson was at around [5.6] and Kim was around [6.4]. I was pretty sure the winner would come from this three and considered backing Kim but talked myself out of it, he'd been so poor on Saturday.

As expected with Garcia he started slowly and in no time Anthony Kim was snapping at his heels and I was rueing not backing him but as it transpired the danger was to come from further back.

Colombian, Camilo Villegas, despite double bogeying the 6th and bogeying the 7th cut through the field like a hot knife through butter. Kim having looked impressive early on lost his way, and Lefty again played decent without setting the place alight.

As for Garcia, he was poor until his chance looked to have gone, then he galvanised himself and rallied late on.

My first bet of the day was struck as Mickelson found the green in two on the par 5 15th, when I had the sense to lay him at [2.7], resulting in a very small loss on the field but still a very substantial win on the mercurial left hander. In true Lefty style he followed his birdie on 15 with a bogey on 16 and it was down to Villegas and Garcia to fight it out.

I then backed Villegas at [2.2] when his tee shot on the tough par three final hole found the putting surface and Garcia still had the tee shot to negotiate. At this stage Mickelson still had a chance but he had to birdie the last to tie the other two.

All three made pars and it was a play off between Garcia and Villegas and I felt it was a coin toss as to who would win so took the decision to lay my Villegas bet back and call it a day. I guess he was always a certainty to win after that!

No complaints though, a very good week when yet again Westwood and Garcia traded long odds-on and failed to seal the deal.

This week's events are the Alfred Dunhill Links in Europe and the Turning Stone Resort Championship in the USA, I'll preview them both on Wednesday.

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