US Tour – Northern Trust Open

Twelve of the world’s top 20 golfers in a field of 144 tee it up at the Riviera Country Club on Thursday.

Nestled amid the rolling hills of the Pacific Palisades, just outside Los Angeles, this 7,279-yards par 71 is a well bunkered, undulating layout which suits those with creative shot-making abilities and a solid putting game. A course with a timeless quality, it will be at it most resplendent, with warm temperatures forecast with no rain on the horizon.

Bill Haas won the 2012 tournament, defeating Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley with a birdie-3 on the second playoff hole.

Mickelson is the clear BETDAQ favourite to add to his victories here in 2008 and 2009, despite finishing 18 shots behind Brandt Snedeker, who took last week’s AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am by the throat and won with ease.

After second-place finishes in his previous two tour events, behind Tiger Woods and Mickelson, Snedeker extended his run to 10 consecutive rounds in the 60s and has now just one round over par in 19 this year. But sadly the Nashville man, a whopping 53 under par for his last three tournaments, is sitting this weekend out, as is Woods.

lukedonald350Ranked third in the world, Luke Donald (right) makes his seasonal debut at Riviera. He hasn’t played anywhere since tying for third in Dubai in December. Donald is one of the very best with a flat stick and you need to putt well on the quick greens.

Many question if Donald has the mental game to win a Major. Is it just a confidence thing? He clearly has the ability to contend, as he’s finished fourth (twice), fifth and eighth, but some will wonder where his mind is when he starts taking tips from Michael Jordan.

Yet while he seemingly seeks focus when it matters, you can be sure that despite hanging out with notorious party animal Jordan, no-one would have been working harder on his game over the winter than the Englishman. While Riviera was the site of one of his two missed cuts in 2011, he finished in the top six in three previous visits and it would not be a surprise if he got off to a quick start in 2013.

Dustin Johnson let this column down badly last week, failing to miss the cut at Pebble Beach.

Having opened this season with with victory at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, it was surprising that he never got going. The extra time on the driving range this week should have restored his confidence, however, and three top-10s from five appearances in this event marks him down as a horse for the course. Third in 2010 and fourth last year, we should expect Johnson to be in the running for the winner’s cheque of $1,188,000.

One of the form horses after tying for third at Pebble Beach, Jimmy Walker is something of a Riviera specialist. He was tied fourth in the Northern Trust Opens of both 2011 and 2012 – just two shots behind Mickelson, Bradley and Haas last year.

In BETDAQ’s Tournament Match Bets market, Walker is pitched against Keegan Bradley and we think the form horse will prevail. Ryan Moore to beat Jim Furyk in the same market is an even stronger selection. Moore was second in birdies last week at Pebble Beach, while leading the field in putting and his T-4 last year means he must be backed.

JB Holmes is another who has a very good record at Riviera. Though he’s had better starts to the season than this, he has never finished outside the top 12 in five appearances at this tournament. Third in 2010 and eighth last year, he merits consideration in BETDAQ’S Top 10 Finish market.

Riviera has a special place in the heart of Charles Howell III. This was the site of his last PGA Tour victory in 2007 and while he has not finished better than T-55 in five visits since, he shot four rounds in the 60s at the Phoenix Open two weeks ago and is worth a speculative punt in the Top 10 Finish market.

Mike Weir and Mickelson are among the left-handers to have won at Riviera. Bubba Watson, with three top-20 finishes here and in good early-season form, has the all-round game to be another lefty who could soon put his name on the Riviera roll of honour, although backing him in BETDAQ’s Top 5 Finish market offers reasonable value.

European Tour – Africa Open

Many of the European Tour’s top golfers take a well-earned break this week in preparation for the WGC-Accenture Match Play in Arizona – but there’s plenty of quality in the field as the Tour stays in South Africa’s Eastern Cape this weekend.

The East London Golf Club is a stage for some of the top young players to shine. The par 73 course has been the springboard for both Charl Schwartzel (a winner here in 2010) and Louis Oosthuizen (2011 and 2012) to greater things. Sadly, neither tee off at this 6,601-yards course this weekend.

But that leaves the way open for the likes of Portugal’s Ricardo Santos to star. The rookie of the year, who has three top 10 finishes in the last four weeks, including tied third in last week’s Joburg Open, is among the BETDAQ favourites.

taikenThomas Aiken (right) has started the year strongly, with a T-22 in the Qatar Masters followed by a T-6 in the Joburg Open, shooting 66 on Saturday and Sunday. He got off to a fast start here last year with an opening round nine-under 64 but his best result in this tournament came in 2010 when finishing just one shot behind Schwartzel.

Though he has just one European Tour win (the 2008 Spanish Open), the field does lack a little depth and he has won seven times on the Sunshine Tour in South Africa, so must go on the shortlist.

In one of the slew of BETDAQ markets Gareth Maybin looks a fair bet at the Top GB and Ireland player. Having secured a T-12 at the Dubai Desert Classic, the Ballyclare man opened last week’s Joburg Open with a 74 and missed the cut despite hitting a second-round 66.

Finally, take rising French star Romain Wattel – who tied for third in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles and tied for second at the Omega European Masters last season – to beat Loranzo Gagli in BETDAQ’s Tournament Match Bet market, which is a great way to have an interest over all four days.

Suggestions:

Northern Trust Open
Outright – L. Donald, D. Johnson
Top 5 Finish – B. Watson
Top 10 Finish – JB Holmes, C. Howell III
Tournament Match Bet – R. Moore to beat J. Furyk
Tournament Match Bet – J. Walker to beat K. Bradley

Africa Open
Outright – T. Aiken
Top 10 Finish – R. Santos
Top GB and Ireland player – G. Maybin
Tournament Match Bet – R. Wattel to beat L. Gagli


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