GOLF
The opening tournament of the year on the PGA Tour takes place in Hawaii with a very good field and what promises to be an open competition.
Australian Geoff Ogilvy will have many supporters to successfully defend the title, especially as his form is always at it’s best early in the season (he has never won on Tour after March) and Ernie Els will be expecting a good show following a return to form in 2010, which included his fifth South African Open title.
My pick is going to be Hunter Mahan (available at 20/1 with Coral).
Mahan won twice last year, the Bridgestone Invitational and the Phoenix Open and finished fifth on his last outing at the Chevron Challenge at the beginning of December.
Hyundai Tournament of Champions
06 Jan. 19:30
G Ogilvy 8/1
E Els 10/1
D Johnson 12/1
G McDowell 12/1
J Furyk 12/1
S Stricker 14/1
M Kuchar 16/1
I Poulter 16/1
H Mahan 16/1
A Scott 20/1
C Villegas 25/1
T Clark 25/1
F Molinari 25/1
S Appleby 25/1
Z Johnson 33/1
Anthony Kim 33/1
J Rose 33/1
J Day 33/1
J Byrd 33/1
B Crane 40/1
B Haas 40/1
Bubba Watson 40/1
C Hoffman 50/1
66/1 Bar. Each-Way: 1/4 Odds 1,2,3,4,5.
The fact that Retief Goosen and British Open Champion Louis Oosthuizen are in the field is to our advantage here as it means the odds on my pick, Charl Schwartzel , are bigger than they should be for his attempt to defend the title he won last year (available at 11/2 with William Hill)
Schwartzel is always to be feared in his homeland and showed he is in great form with a fourth place finish last time out at the South African Open.
Africa Open
06 Jan. 04:30
C Schwartzel 5/1
R Goosen 5/1
L Oosthuizen 8/1
T Aiken 16/1
J Kingston 16/1
R Rock 20/1
R Wattel 25/1
G Maybin 25/1
D Clarke 33/1
B Grace 33/1
Chris Wood 33/1
J Van Zyl 33/1
R Dinwiddie 33/1
Jbe’ Kruger 33/1
D Gaunt 40/1
P Edberg 50/1
D Drysdale 50/1
66/1 Bar. Each-Way: 1/4 Odds 1,2,3,4,5.
HORSE RACING
My original selection for the race Bluesea Cracker was withdrawn for the re-arranged Welsh National after the course fell to the freezing weather over Christmas.
Grand National winning partnership of Tony McCoy, Jonjo O’Neill and JP Mcanus team up with the worthy favourite Synchronised.
I’m taking a chance on Watamu Bay, a novice chaser trained by champion trainer Paul Nicholls, who has won his last two races very comfortably and might be improving at a rate fast enough to take this gruelling contest.
Coral Welsh National,Chepstow – 8th January
Synchronised 5/1
Maktu 7/1
Dance Island 9/1
Watamu Bay 10/1
Summery Justice 12/1
Silver By Nature 14/1
Dream Alliance 14/1
Exmoor Ranger 14/1
Hello Bud 16/1
Becauseicouldntsee 16/1
Lochan Lacha 16/1
Arbor Supreme 20/1
Imoncloudnine 20/1
Old Benny 20/1
Master Overseer 20/1
Ballyfoy 25/1
Ballyfitz 25/1
Giles Cross 25/1
Magic Sky 25/1
Cmonthehammers 25/1
33/1 Bar. Each-Way: 1/4 Odds 1,2,3,4.
POLITICS
My advice is to take the odds of 9/2 on offer for an SNP win in May as they are unlikely to go any bigger and almost certain to get a fair bit lower on the run up to the election.
Then you either stick with your bet on the SNP at a great price or if you can stomach putting any of your hard earned on a Labour win, you take their odds once they have contracted and lock-in a profit.
05 May. Scottish Parliamentary Elections
To win most seats
Labour 1/8
SNP 9/2
Conservatives 100/1
Liberal Democrats 100/1
All odds supplied by Ladbrokes.
As always if your having a bet, bet sensibly and good luck.
