There are three major golfing tournaments in play at present, and all three have short-odd favourites. I’m not sure I’d be lining up for a payout on any of them just yet, as they are all vulnerable to the chasing pack. Lee Westwood, playing in the Thailand Golf Championship, showed how fickle the game can be – he went into day three with an eleven shot lead following a brilliant 60 on day two. Day three brought him back to earth with a thud returning a one over for the day, and seeing his lead reduced to just four strokes.
Bookmakers have Westwood at 1/4 to win from Charl Schwartzel at 9/2. The rest of the pack are at 50/1 or better – and so they should be as they are six or more strokes off the lead. Schwartzel has been consistent in this tournament returning a solid six under on day three. If he can repeat that effort today, and Westwood has a couple of slips, that 9/2 will look pretty good. We’re tipping Schwartzel at 9/2, those odds are just too good.
In the Australian Masters, Geoff Ogilvy is at 4/5 following a good day on the greens. He leads by two strokes over Ian Poulter with Nathan Green and Ashley Hall further back in the field. Poulter played today with a stomach bug, yet put in a solid performance. Ogilvy had a great round, however, it’s probably his best round all year, and he doesn’t seem to back up these days. Poulter is a little over 3/1, good odds considering his three consistent rounds. We’re tipping Poulter, if he can repeat the efforts of the first three days, then he’s almost a shoe-in.
In Dubai, the Women’s Masters is being led by a 16 year old. American teenager Lexi Thompson takes a one shot lead into the final day, having seen her day two lead cut by one on the third day. This is a huge tournament on the women’s circuit, so it will be interesting to see how her nerves hold up. I hope she’s not a betting person, bookmakers have her at 1/10 to win the Lee-Anne Pace next best at 7/5. One shot is not a great lead going into the final day of a masters event, especially when it’s a sixteen year old who holds that lead. We’re tipping the experience of Pace to show through, although we do suggest you keep your eyes on Thompson for 2012 – she looks very promising.