The Punter / Steven Rawlings / 04 July 2010 /

Miguel Angel Jimenez survives a late scare to win in France and Justin just hangs on in Pennsylvania....

In what was a quite remarkable last day in France, the law of sod dictated that Miguel Angel Jimenez, a pre-event [110.0] shot, matched at [600.0] in-running, should win the Alstom Open de France - the week after I'd backed him to win in Germany! But not before looking as though he'd blown it. After trading at [1.01] in regulation play he double-bogeyed the last before getting the better of Alejandro Canizares and Francesco Molinari in a play-off.

Whilst in the States, Mr In-Form himself, Justin Rose, clung on well to win by a shot at the AT & T National, to record his second win in three events.

My Bets

In France, pre-event pick, Martin Kaymer, backed at [21.0], entered the weekend trailing Alejandro Canizares by a shot and trading at less than [3.0]. I was hopeful and quietly confident that he could successfully defend the title but it wasn't to be. From the moment he dumped his approach shot into the water on the 1st hole on Saturday, he, and I, were up against it. He struggled all weekend until a late rally saw him tie the lead with five to play, but it was just a false dawn. Unlike eventual winner, Jimenez, he failed to birdie the par 5 14th and he then went on to find water on the tricky 15th.

I had just two small bets on the weekend, firstly on Kenneth Ferrie at [40.0], as he birdied the 16th when it looked as though he may just have a chance if he could par the last two holes. He played them in six over! And I had an equally small play on Francesco Molinari at the same price when he birdied the last in regulation play. Close but no cigar with that one.

It was a thoroughly entertaining and absorbing tournament where a number of players had a chance to win. My man Kaymer played poorly all weekend but he still traded as short as [2.36] at one stage. Molinari hit a low of [2.20] when he hit the front after a pair of twos on holes 10 and 11, and Canizares was matched at just [2.24]. And spare a thought for Robert-Jan Derksen and his backers - he tied the lead when he birdied the 14th hole and was matched at just [5.2]. Ten minutes later he was traipsing off the 15th green, a [1000.0] no-hoper, having carded a ten!

The AT & T National was a quiet event for me. With no course form to evaluate I was cautious at the start and I had just a few tentative in-running plays, which all came to nothing. I was kicking myself for not getting eventual winner Justin Rose onside at halfway. He was clearly in fantastic form but his collapse last Sunday at the Travelers Championship had completely spooked me. Laying him on Sunday morning at heavy odds on, with a round to go, having backed him at getting on for [5.0] after two rounds, would have been very nice.

As it was I layed him at [1.42] anyway. I fancied him to get the job done this time around, given that the course was so hard and that he wouldn't get time to start thinking too much about his lead, and given that the challengers didn't inspire much either. But I felt that the logical play was still a small lay, with the plan to bet him back at [2.0]. When he bogeyed the 1st and found sand on the 2nd and drifted alarmingly I didn't hang about or wait for [2.0]. I backed him back at [1.95] for a free evening's entertainment. A rose crash meant a very nice profit, a Rose win a very small loss. After a few twists and turns I had to accept the small loss.

Player to Watch

Thomas Bjorn hadn't been seen since reeling back the years when cruising to an easy victory at the Estoril Open three weeks ago. He quietly went about his business this week, finishing in the top-20. He was 2nd at the Open Championship at St Andrews ten years ago and there are worse [150.0] shots for the seasons highlight in two weeks time.

Player to swerve

Francesco Molinari would have gone to the course yesterday morning, knowing that he had a chance to take the title. The result was a double-bogey at the first. After paring the next three holes he would have thought he was out of it. He then played the next seven holes in six under par and from nowhere he'd hit the front. Oh dear, the result, a bogey at one of the easier holes on the course - the par 5 14th. Seemingly out of contention again he then birdied the last and thanks to Jimenez's mess up on the last he was in the play-off. He did hole a decent putt for bogey on the extra hole but he showed again that his temperament isn't great and he really does need everything to fall right for him to win.

What have we learnt for next year?

Stating the obvious maybe, but anything can happen on the last four holes at Le Golf National. We saw scores ranging from two to ten on that stretch yesterday, and that was just from the last few groups! If your pick is up there, take some profit. You may regret it if you don't.

The last two winners of the Wyndham Championship, Carl Pettersson and Ryan Moore, both contended at this week's AT & T National, played at a venue new to us all, the Donald Ross designed Aronimink Golf course. The Sedgefield Country Club, home of the Wyndham, is also a Ross design and with few clues to go on next year, an examination of past Wyndham results may just pay dividends. And here's a quirky one, three of the last four Memorial Tournament winners have now doubled up at the AT & T National.

It's been an enjoyable weekend, if not a profitable one and with the Open Championship just a fortnight away, there's plenty to look forward to. Next week's events are none too shabby either - the Barclays Scottish Open from the delectable Loch Lomand Golf Course and in the States, the John Deere Classic. I'll preview both events on Wednesday. And in the meantime, there's a stellar field assembled for the JP McManus Pro-Am which starts today and concludes tomorrow.

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