The Punter's picks for the WGC Bridgestone Invitational and the Reno Tahoe Open

The Punter / Steven Rawlings / 02 August 2011 / 2

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Darren Clarke - one of the Punter's picks in Ohio

"Darren Clarke's record at Firestone is exceptional and at a triple-figure price he’s well worth risking. He finished third in 2001 and won here two years later, and he also finished in the top-six in 2008."

Bubba's back on the menu and there's even room for Tiger! Read the Punter's preview of this week's golf here...

The world's elite will pitch up at the Firestone Country Club tomorrow for the WGC Bridgestone Invitational but the usual rules for the Akron venue don't apply any more. Firestone has been the Tiger's lair for many a year, with a certain Mr Woods winning there a staggering seven times in the last 12 years.

This event was one I looked forward to each year with relish. The recipe for success was very simple, you backed Tiger before Thursday and (usually) collected on Monday but times have changed and as Paul Krishnamurty points out here, those days are well and truly behind us. Returning from injury (yet again), and with many other issues, it's very hard to argue any sort of case for the great man, even at his current price of [22.0], but I'm going to try...

It's not much of a case I admit, in fact it's barely a case at all, but with a course record as strong as his I do think he's worth a very small stake saver at least. None of us have a clue how fit he is or what shape his game is in and underestimating Woods has only ever led to grief in the past. He owes me nothing at all in this event, far from it, and so I've covered my stakes and a little bit besides. Do I think he'll win? No.

The first of my serious selections is yet again Bubba Watson. I've backed him with regularity this year but I make no apologies - week after week he looks overpriced and that's again the case here. Seven of the 11 winners at Firestone have ranked in the top five for Greens In Regulation, and nine of the 11 ranked in the top-10. Bubba ranks second for (GIR) at present and his length off the tee won't inconvenience him either. He shot 64 in round one last year on his Firestone debut so there's little doubt the place fits his eye. He just needs to fare a bit better for four rounds - last year he faded with three rounds in the 70's.

Zach Johnson always hits plenty of greens and his Firestone record is admirable enough. He's been in fair form for a few months now and given he's won at least one event in each of the last four years it wouldn't be a huge shock to see him bag one sooner or later in 2011.

Backing major winners soon after they've bagged the biggy isn't usually a good idea. How poor have Charl Schwartzel and Rory McIlroy been since The US Masters and US Open? It's not necessarily wise to back someone who reacted to winning their first major by partying strongly for several days, if not weeks, either but I'm ignoring both those negatives with Darren Clarke. The Ulsterman's record at Firestone is exceptional and at a triple-figure price he's well worth risking. He finished third in 2001 and won here two years later, and he also finished in the top-six in 2008.

There were others I considered - Lee Westwood, Steve Stricker, Nick Watney, Bill Haas and Stewart Cink were all considered but I've decided to let things roll for now. As detailed in last year's De-Brief, the lead changed plenty of times last year and I fancy there'll be hay to be made with some trading on Sunday night when I get back from my hols.

Selections

Tiger Woods @ [22.0]
Bubba Watson @ [55.0]
Zach Johnson @ [70.0]
Darren Clarke @ [120.0]

I've just had one bet at the week's other event, the Reno Tahoe Open, backing defending champion Matt Bettencourt. It won't be the first time I've backed Bettencourt and it probably won't be the last but he fared ok last week and he looked a reasonable price at [80.0].

Selection

Matt Bettencourt @ [80.0]

Mike Norman will again provide the in-running comment this week, an admirable stand-in if ever there was one, and I'll be back early next week with a look at some of the markets for the PGA Championship.

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DG | 03 August 2011

Steve, you're backing bubba more than I did last year! good work!
Dazza | 03 August 2011

You have become Bubba obsessed, and backed him nearly every single week since you was angry at one of his efforts in contention for you over a weekend. You seem to think he's overpriced every week, and almost double the price he should be, his price this week and recent weeks has been spot on for a player like him, very talented and capable, but one who has never been the most consistent or trustworthy. Since his last victory at the start of May, his form in America has been nothing short of abysmal, he hasn't finished better than 38th in his last 5 events on that tour and is shooting many rounds 72 or worse, and his game is clearly not in the same shape as it was at the start of this season.

What is this about how poor has Schwartzel been since the US Masters? Are you serious? He has been superbly consistent since then, 6 top 25s almost, 4 inside the top 11, a good 9th last time out in Canada, 9th a few weeks before that in the US Open and a respectable 16th in the British Open in between. Many younger pro's go off the boil when they have a big victory like he did and have a poor few months after, but this simply can't be said about Charl who continues to seriously impress each time he plays!