2011 Honda Classic Betting Preview and Tips, PGA National
Vijay Singh 34/1
Some say he’s a phenomenon whilst others compare him to a rash on the upper thigh region that just wont go away, but love him or loathe him, Vijay is back. The big Fijian flanker has scored two podiums in his last three events, tying third at Phoenix before finishing second on his own last time out at the Northern Trust Open. He also won this event in 1999, back in the days when he should have gone to specsavers with those NHS glasses he used to sport.
Justin Rose 30/1
Top 25 in each of his five events this season and getting a little closer by by the week with a good top-10 at the Northern Trust. Equalled the course record with a 64 on final round Sunday last year to surge up the leaderboard and finish third. With no European Tour event this week, the field at The Honda is fantastic with Rose up against European Ryder Cuppers Westwod, Kaymer, McIlory, GMac and co. The perfect opportunity for a jilted Englishman to make a statement then!
YE Yang 55/1
It’s Yang Yong-eun in case you were wondering! Is YE getting back to those halcyon days of bench pressing tour bags and bowing at everyone joyously? Well he seemed pretty hard to shift in the WGC Matchplay last week when he got to the last eight. Even then it took a determined Matt Kuchar to edge him out. The former PGA Champ loves the greens at PGA National, the site of his only other Tour win in 2009.
Graeme McDowell 18/1
The GMac is 100% flame grilled quality. Every time he tees it up he’s there or there abouts. Trading at about 18/1 or second favourite given that he absolutely no form on this track is testament to that. But then again Graeme has been breaking new ground regularly recently and I make it four top-3 finishes in his last eight events. Served with a juicy new Srixon contract, this is one meal you just have to take away.
Robert Allenby 44/1
Pretty impressive in his last strokeplay event at the Northen Trust Open at Riviera where he shot a final round 68 to tie fourth. Always difficult to see him crossing the finishing line since he hasn’t managed it since 2001 on the PGA Tour, but a player nonetheless who could wangle his way into the places, especially in The Bear Trap. Allenby’s had more top-fives here than thorns Tiger Woods extracted from his butt last week in the desert. And that was a lot!
Matt Kuchar 25/1
Four top tens in his last five starts, the question is will Kuchar be too tired to contend after his desert exertions last week. Although it usually proves so, you should also bear in mind that Kuch won here nine long years ago! So to sum up, knackered but dangerous.
Kyle Stanley, the man, the legend, the magician who will disappear on Sunday leads the PGA Tour after “going home” day at the Honda Classic. The big hero of the day was Rory Sabbatini who shot the lights out with a 64 in a gale at PGA National. Sabbatini is said to have learned how to read the winds during a youth spent herding heifers with sister and former tennis babe Gabriella on the Argentinian plains before leaving to live with his Granduncle Bakkies in South Africa.
