2012 WGC HSBC Champions Betting Tips and Power Rankings

WGC - HSBC Champions, Mission Hills GC Shenzhen, China 01 Nov 2012 - 04 Nov 2012 Luke Donald 12/1 Did we see Luke flexing those putting...

WGC - HSBC Champions, Mission Hills GC
Shenzhen, China 01 Nov 2012 - 04 Nov 2012

Luke Donald 12/1

Did we see Luke flexing those putting muscles again in Shanghai last week? I think we did. It’s hard to fathom how Donald keeps up with the power hitters of the modern game, then you look at his form; third at the Tour Championship, third again last week. Topping scrambling and putting stats you just know he’ll be in contention every step of the way this week. A best of tied third at the HSBC Champions in 2010. This 7,300 yard Mission Hills course should be well within his compass.  

Louis Oosthuizen 23/1

Although Louis couldn’t match the firepower of Hanson and McIlroy in Shanghai last week his tied sixth cameo was enough to make me sit up and take notice. A renowned late season performer Oosthuizen played well in this event last year (at Sheshan), especially on the Friday when a 63 catapulted him into contention. In the end he tied for seventh. I give Louis a great chance.

Ian Poulter 20/1

Ian made us some money last with his fourth place finish from 28/1 in Shanghai and expect another good performance this week. As we said last week two of his eight wins have come in Asia and he has tied for 13^th in this event on his last two visits. Poults will be absolutely delighted the tournament is moving to Mission Hills; in it’s three years as host of the World Cup from 2007 to 2009 Poulter represented England on each occasion, never finishing outside the top four.  Poults was paired with Justin Rose in 2007 and 2008 and with Ross Fisher in 2009. 
 

Adam Scott 22/1

You won’t find Adam Scott’s name in the top 10 from last year but the facts are that for three days last year he played all the golf before a Sunday 73 dropped him into a tie for 11^th. Though without a win in 2012 and under heavy scrutiny from the media for his Open performance I still think two top 7’s in the PGA Tour playoffs make Scott a very backable player this week on these true Mission Hills greens suited to the long putter. Until they’re banned that is.

Lee Westwood 19/1

A very similar story to that of Adam Scott last year in that his final standing of tied 13^th was due to a move in the wrong direction with a final round 74. Westwood may not be the force he was a couple of years back when he and Francesco Molinari battled it out but last Sunday’s 66 in Shanghai proves he still has the class. Tight odds but the bookies know what they are doing.

Best Of The Rest

Graeme McDowell was a solid and efficient third  last year and was a steady 11^th last week. He can be got at odds of around 32/1 on betfair. GMac and Rory played together on this track for Ireland in the 2009 Omega Mission Hills World Cup tying for second behind brothers Francesco and Edoardo Molinari.  Indeed they should have won but for a poor final day. It's a straight drivers course and should suit a refreshed GMac more than Sheshan.

Those looking for some long odds glory might again look to Scott Richie Ramsay who has drifted to 100/1 after struggling badly in China last week. He remains one to watch for me though having already tied third in 2010. If he’s in the mood he can steamroller the rest as we saw in Switzerland last month. Thaworn Wiratchant, the man who beat Ramsay in a playoff in India two weeks ago is 240/1 on betfair! Take your pick.

Past Top 10 Results

2011 (sheshan)
1 Martin Kaymer 69 68 68 63 -9 -20 268 $1,094,883
2 Fredrik Jacobson 67 66 67 71 -1 -17 271 $615,872
3 Graeme McDowell 69 69 67 67 -5 -16 272 $392,333
T4 Charl Schwartzel 70 69 69 65 -7 -15 273 $235,704
T4 Paul Casey 70 66 70 67 -5 -15 273 $235,704
T4 Rory McIlroy 70 69 65 69 -3 -15 273 $235,704
T7 Justin Rose 68 70 70 66 -6 -14 274 $141,422
T7 Hunter Mahan 71 67 69 67 -5 -14 274 $141,422
T7 Louis Oosthuizen 71 63 68 72 E -14 274 $141,422
10 Jhonattan Vegas 69 73 65 68 -4 -13 275 $114,050
2010
1 Francesco Molinari 65 70 67 67 -5 -19 269 $860,153
2 Lee Westwood 66 70 67 67 -5 -18 270 $483,836
T3 Richie Ramsay 69 68 71 71 -1 -9 279 $267,006
T3 Luke Donald 68 70 68 73 +1 -9 279 $267,006
5 Rory McIlroy 71 71 71 67 -5 -8 280 $179,199
T6 Richard Green 72 68 73 68 -4 -7 281 $104,447
T6 Tiger Woods 68 72 73 68 -4 -7 281 $104,447
T6 Retief Goosen 70 74 69 68 -4 -7 281 $104,447
T6 Peter Hanson 73 69 70 69 -3 -7 281 $104,447
T6 Fredrik Andersson Hed 69 71 71 70 -2 -7 281 $104,447
T6 Paul Casey 73 71 67 70 -2 -7 281 $104,447
T6 Ernie Els 72 65 71 73 +1 -7 281 $104,447
2009
1 x-Sergio Garcia 66 68 72 68 9 -4 -14 274 $845,498
2 Oliver Wilson 67 68 69 70 10 -2 -14 274 $563,682
T3 Peter Hanson 69 70 70 66 - -6 -13 275 $285,621
T3 Geoff Ogilvy 70 65 70 70 - -2 -13 275 $285,621
5 Henrik Stenson 65 69 72 71 - -1 -11 277 $216,118
T6 Charl Schwartzel 69 72 67 70 - -2 -10 278 $164,879
T6 Adam Scott 66 71 71 70 - -2 -10 278 $164,879
T8 Prayad Marksaeng 68 70 71 70 - -2 -9 279 $120,235
T8 Phil Mickelson 66 70 70 73 - +1 -9 279 $120,235
10 Alvaro Quiros 70 67 73 70 - -2 -8 280 $101,692
2008
1 x-Phil Mickelson 68 66 68 76 9 +4 -10 278 $748,079
T2 Ross Fisher 68 68 68 74 10 +2 -10 278 $389,862
T2 Lee Westwood 70 74 67 67 10 -5 -10 278 $389,862
4 Kevin Stadler 64 69 73 73 - +1 -9 279 $224,433
T5 Padraig Harrington 68 72 69 71 - -1 -8 280 $174,160
T5 Vijay Singh 67 70 72 71 - -1 -8 280 $174,160
7 Steve Webster 69 70 72 70 - -2 -7 281 $134,660
8 Andrew McLardy 68 69 72 73 - +1 -6 282 $112,216
T9 Paul Casey 68 71 66 78 - +6 -5 283 $95,159
T9 Henrik Stenson 70 70 71 72 - E -5 283 $95,159
2007
1 Y.E. Yang 66 72 67 69 -3 -14 274 $852,649
2 Tiger Woods 72 64 73 67 -5 -12 276 $568,449
T3 Michael Campbell 66 70 77 64 -8 -11 277 $288,036
T3 Retief Goosen 68 67 69 73 +1 -11 277 $288,036
5 Marc Warren 66 71 70 71 -1 -10 278 $217,946
T6 Padraig Harrington 67 70 73 70 -2 -8 280 $153,483
T6 Robert Karlsson 73 68 69 70 -2 -8 280 $153,483
T6 Paul Casey 73 68 68 71 -1 -8 280 $153,483
T9 Jim Furyk 73 66 74 68 -4 -7 281 $96,490
T9 K.J. Choi 68 72 71 70 -2 -7 281 $96,490
T9 Johan Edfors 68 74 69 70 -2 -7 281 $96,490
T9 Francesco Molinari 72 68 69 72 E -7 281 $96,490
T9 Jyoti Randhawa 65 69 72 75 +3 -7 281 $96,490
 
Course Guide
Olazabal Course Mission Hills-Hole by Hole Description
Jose Maria Olazabal's inaugural signature course is one of the club's strongest tests. It plays to more than 7,300 yards for the Omega Mission Hills World Cup, and boasts 151 bunkers (including 24 on No. 15 alone) - reflective of Olazabal's reputation as a master with the sand wedge. Numerous majestic vistas of untouched jungle and natural flowing streams create outstanding backdrops throughout the golf course. The numerous, deep bunkers, along with its undulating fairways are two distinguishing features of this true championship course. The Olazabal Course hosted the 2007, 2008 & 2009 Omega Mission Hills World Cup, often referred to as the "Olympics of Golf."
Average Green Size: 5,716 SF (531 Square Meters)
Average Fairway Width: 38 Yards
# Of Bunkers: 151

• -Long and Challenging Tournament Course.
• -Heavily Bunkered With an Australian Sandbelt Flair.
• -Undulating Fairways Provide For Tricky Lies.
• -Host of the Omega World Cup & 2012 HSBC World Golf Championship.

 
Hole #1 - 447 Yards Par 4
The opening hole features a downhill tee shot to a wide landing area with bunkers right. Favor the left side and you'll get a strong kick toward the center of the fairway. The second shot demands accuracy to hit the well-bunkered green, especially on the right side. This is a strong opening hole that foreshadows the challenge presented by the rest of the course.
Hole #2 - 175 Yards Par 3
This downhill par 3 will play substantially shorter than the scorecard indicates. The green is guarded by sand and offers little room for error except for short shots.
Hole #3 - 548 Yards Par 5
The downhill drive will tempt players to carry the bunker complex inside the left turn. If executed, shots will receive an enormous kick forward, raising the option of going at the green in two. The green is slightly raised with deep bunkering left and an open channel cutting diagonally across the front about 30 yards short of the green. An eagle is not outside the realm of possibility.
Hole #4 - 405 Yards Par 4
Slightly uphill with a right-to-left dogleg, this hole is moderately long. The landing area is wide but protected by bunkers and the green will accept run-up shots only to the left side. Two good shots are required to hit this green in regulation.
Hole #5 - 176 Yards Par 3
High atop a hillside, this par 3 plays to a green ringed by bunkers and perched at the apex of a hill yielding spectacular views. Back left pin placements can be attacked by feeding the ball from the center but too much roll will cause it to trickle into a depression off the green.
Hole #6 - 476 Yards Par 4
Perhaps the most difficult par 4 on the course, the drive must be long and straight to find the narrow, rippled fairway protected by bunkers left and out-of-bounds right. The green complex is open to the right and will receive second shots that are bounced in, but the hole is still quite tough.
Hole #7 - 566 Yards Par 5
A double-dogleg par 5 that turns right through a series of bunkers and then back left before dropping down to a heavily-bunkered green. If the green is out of reach for your second shot, play right of the cross-bunkers for the best look at the green. The green site is set at an angle and fortified by several, high-flashed bunkers. Verdant slopes tower above the hole.
Hole #8 - 214 Yards Par 3
From substantially-elevated tees, this one-shotter plays to a very large green site with room to miss left but protected by a series of sinister, deep bunkers right.
Hole #9 - 573 Yards Par 5
Spectacular and downhill from the tee, this long par 5 features a narrow, heavily-bunkered landing area with little room for error. The hole then heads uphill to a green complex guarded by sand left and right. Second shots should favor the right side, but beware the forested hillside that's precariously close to the line of play.
Hole #10 - 404 Yards Par 4
Wicked, wild bunkering runs up the left side of this uphill hole. An accurate tee shot that finds the left side of the fairway will set up the easiest approach. There's ample room left of the green for players who pull their short iron second.
Hole #11 - 568 Yards Par 5
A downhill, double-dogleg par 5 that can be played conservatively or aggressively. The bold play off the tee is to challenge the right side, but vegetation and a stream will swallow shots that leak too far right. The stream then cuts in front of the green creating differing lay-up possibilities. The green is protected left by bunkers and a pond. Played aggressively, there's a chance to shine -- or wreck.
Hole #12 - 457 Yards Par 4
Uphill and turning quickly left, this hole offers the opportunity for long hitters to fly it over bunkers and cut the corner. The best angle to attack the green is from the left as the slightly elevated green is well-protected to the right. A beautiful backdrop of lush vegetation frames this strong par 4.
Hole #13 - 241 Yards Par 3
Long and demanding, this hole's green is the largest on the course. The front of it is protected by a very deep, solitary bunker.
Hole #14 - 401 Yards Par 4
Doglegging right, this short hole is easily negotiated if tee shots are kept left and avoid a long series of bunkers on the right side. The green is well protected but open in front and will accept shots that are bounced in. Very intimidating from the tee, this hole will play easier than it appears.
Hole #15 - 580 Yards Par 5 (Signature Hole)
The signature hole turns strongly right-to-left around an enormous reservoir and features a wild display of bunkering stretching from the landing area all the way to the green. Keep your drive right and use the slope to kick to the center of the fairway. Long hitters will be tempted to go at the green, but will have to clear the water. Conservative second shots should be played to a large landing area beyond a deep open channel. From there, a wedge can be played to the green. Conservative play will yield good scores here; attack only if you are willing to pay the price!
Hole #16 - 432 Yards Par 4
This tee shot is somewhat demanding as the landing area is set on a narrow plateau with deep bunkers left. Aim right toward the target bunker and let the ball feed to the left. Long tee shots will receive even more forward roll toward the green, which is protected by a swath of bunkers. Back left pins can be attacked by feeding the ball from the center of the green.
Hole #17 - 197 Yards Par 3
With Guanyin in the distance, this demanding par 3 plays to a slightly raised green circled by sand. The right side of the green falls away quite quickly and can leave delicate chips. Par is an excellent score here.
Hole #18 - 460 Yards Par 4
Perhaps the most difficult finishing hole in the entire Mission Hills complex. Water intimindates down the left from tee to green and the enormous Dongguan Clubhouse looms on the right. The green is perched above water and yawning bunkers await shots pushed right. An ideal hole to decide the World Cup champion, or settle a friendly match.

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