Sony Open > January 15th - 18th

[Aidymac]

:ok

[Crouch Potato]

Re: Sony Open > January 15th - 18th Luke Donald @ 41 Bet365 I was intending on looking further down the list of odds for a winner this early in the season but these odds really caught my eye. Donald has disappointed a lot since his stellar 2011 season but I felt he showed a lot when 3rd recently in the Nedbank Challenge in South Africa. He shot a 63 in the 2nd round and though he couldn't go on to close it out I got the feeling that he had turned a corner. He recently fired his coach and went back to his old coach just before the Nedbank so this move looks to be going well for him and though he hasn't had outstanding success here in the Sony Open he was 2nd a few years back. It is only a Par 70 with just two Par 5's this week and given putting and chipping are his strengths and length his weakness, this should really suit his skill set more than what a longer course with 4 Par 5's would.

[Aidymac]

Re: Sony Open > January 15th - 18th Matt went off an 8/1 shot for last week's Hyundai Tournament of Champions and although he didn't really get into contention, the available 20/1 this week looks too hard to ignore. This is of course a much larger field than the one he competed in last weekend, but quality wise it is much the same. Kapalua last week is a much longer course than Waialae, with the Tournament of Champions course being a very long 7,411 yards whilst this week will be 7,044 yards. In saying that, it is no easier as Kapalua is a Par 73, whilst this week the players will face a Par 70. This tournament will be won on the Par 4's, wedge play is of utmost important this week, as there are only two Par 5's on the course. Course form is extremely important here as we see the same names up at the top of the leaderboard most years. So my first pick is Matt Kuchar, who was T8 in this event last season. He was T5 in 2013, T5 in 2011 so he has shown a very good level of form here on his last three visits. He wasn't at his mercurial best last weekend, but he is ranked 11 in the world for a reason. Robert Streb is my next selection, the current Fedex Cup early leader, a guy on the up. He won the McGladrey Classic in a play-off in October and played really well at the weekend in Hawaii, shooting -16 to finish T8. He will have to improve on his last two showings here at the Sony Open but he has improved tenfold since. My last selection is Ben Martin, who looks too big a price at 60/1 for a player that won the Shriners Open in October. He can be a frustrating player to watch at times, makes some daft errors, but he is also capable of some brilliance. He was T11 at the weekend so will be coming here with a good mindset. Matt Kuchar - 5 Points each-way @ 20/1 Boylesports Robert Streb - 4 Points each-way @ 50/1 Boylesports Ben Martin - 3.5 Points each-way @ 60/1 Paddy Power Very best of luck guys. :D

[Crouch Potato]

Re: Sony Open > January 15th - 18th GL All. Adding one more: Webb Simpson @ 55 Betfair Simpson was striking the ball well towards the end of last year but surprisingly his putting and the odd bad shot (which were all quite costly) prevented him from claiming another win. However, he is generally a very good putter and if he can bring his back end 2014 form into this event with improved performances on the greens then I think this will be the type of course that suits him very well. Length is not his strength and whilst he has won on Par 72's I feel Simpson is always at a greater advantage on the Par 70's. The fairways here can be hard to hit and being a US Open champion this is one area where Webb is again at an advantage.

[Bamford]

Re: Sony Open > January 15th - 18th The Sony Openin Hawaiialways tends to be an extremely open affair. Winning prices tend to be on thelong side and shock winners abound of late with Ryan Palmer, Mark Wilson, JohnsonWagner and Russell Henley certainly coming from left-field. The favourites oflate at Waialae have faltered, with Jimmy Walker actually landing a 40/1 return12 months ago. The course is an old tree-lined affair, but inaccuracy from thetee is not overly punished. Scoring here has improved in recent renewals,as the Bermuda rough isn't overly penal and ifthe wind doesn't blow, the course yields birdies. Although scorable, courseexperience seems invaluable here. Take Russell Henley's 2013 heroics outof the equation from 2013 and all winners going back to David Toms in 2006 havehad a minimum of 3 views of the Waialae track prior to triumphing. GIR%is important, but ultimately making birdies with a hotputter ultimately get's the job done.

Of the shorterprices I'm plumping for Brendon Todd who played well at Kapalua on a coursethat doesn't play to his strengths. Ifhe can continue to hit plenty of greens and plays as well from tee to green ashe did here in 2014, I can see a contending performance for a player whoprefers Bentgrass greens, but who has a number of strong finishes on both thePGA Tour and web.com Tour on Bermudagrass. He's available at 35/1.

Of the longershots Mark Wilson screams value to me at 125/1. A former winner here (2011) who has finally started to find the putterafter a pre-longed period in the doldrums. Career wins at PGA National, Waialae, Mayakoba and PGA West link inperfectly with Waialae and although 'doubling up' at the Sony Open is terriblydifficult, I'm prepared to back him at such a good price.

[kevshat]

Re: Sony Open > January 15th - 18th Tournament preview: 1pt ew Z.Johnson to win Sony Open 25/1 Betfred (1/4 1-5) If this does turn into a bit of a putting contest, and recent renewals of the tournament suggests it will, then there’s one man I want on my side and that is the former champion Zach Johnson. Johnson defended at Kapalua last week and went fairly well and that will have got rid of the cobwebs and few in this field putt as well as the former Masters champion. His swing looked good last week and I expect him to run very hot this week. Full preview here: http://www.punterslounge.com/sony-open-betting-zach-johnson-can-claim-a-second-title-at-waialae

[kevshat]

Re: Sony Open > January 15th - 18th Top ROW player preview: 1pt ew T.Clark Top Rest of the World Player 12/1 Bet365 (1/4 1-4) Tim Clark has done me well in the past and I’m going to stick with him here. He has a good record around here and has been a runner up in his last two completed starts. The course from tee to green suits him well and he gets a nice roll when he’s on the dance floor. He flushed the cobwebs out of his system last week so conditions should be familiar to him and that leads me to think he’s decent value at 12/1 in this market. Full preview here: http://www.punterslounge.com/sony-open-betting-tim-clark-can-lead-home-the-international-challenge-in-hawaii

[jackierubberleg]

Re: Sony Open > January 15th - 18th Some really strong calls here after two rounds. GL over the weekend.

[Aidymac]

Re: Sony Open > January 15th - 18th

Some really strong calls here after two rounds. GL over the weekend.

Sublime call on Simpson from Crouchy so far, he seems to be putting the best he ever has done with the short putter, amazing! And Clark is playing very well too for Kev... Palmer is up there for Bamford.

[Crouch Potato]

Re: Sony Open > January 15th - 18th Hopefully one of us can nab the winner. Definitely some great shouts thus far. A sign for the rest of 2015 I hope.

[RussP]

Re: Sony Open > January 15th - 18th It's not often you see back to back low rounds over the weekend here so I don't see Walker running away with this. Current price is too short & I'm sure he'll drift during the course of the evening. Kuch just doesn't strike me as being in the sort of form he has been although I hope he is for Aidy's sake. Those at -10 are too far back, I think, so just from a value perspective, Tim Clark & Troy Merritt are the ones to be on at 14's & 22's respectively. Cover the place at 1/5 odds top 3 too.

[jackierubberleg]

Re: Sony Open > January 15th - 18th (In-running)Tim Clarke 14/1 EW b365 Place 1,2,3 Jimmy Walker should have won in regulation time last week but the pressure got to him and he hit some awful shots on his way to a play off with Patrick Reed, a playoff that never really happened.It was a stroll for Reed as Walker's head had turned to a cabbage on the tee. I expect the nerves will get to Walker at some stage today. If that happens I believe that Tim Clarke will take advantage. Hugely experienced around here the South African can thrive on the pressure applied to the leaders. Kev has outlined Clarke's qualities on a few occasions and he will be hopeful of his top RoW tip obliging. GL

[Aidymac]

Re: Sony Open > January 15th - 18th

Matt went off an 8/1 shot for last week's Hyundai Tournament of Champions and although he didn't really get into contention, the available 20/1 this week looks too hard to ignore. This is of course a much larger field than the one he competed in last weekend, but quality wise it is much the same. Kapalua last week is a much longer course than Waialae, with the Tournament of Champions course being a very long 7,411 yards whilst this week will be 7,044 yards. In saying that, it is no easier as Kapalua is a Par 73, whilst this week the players will face a Par 70. This tournament will be won on the Par 4's, wedge play is of utmost important this week, as there are only two Par 5's on the course. Course form is extremely important here as we see the same names up at the top of the leaderboard most years. So my first pick is Matt Kuchar, who was T8 in this event last season. He was T5 in 2013, T5 in 2011 so he has shown a very good level of form here on his last three visits. He wasn't at his mercurial best last weekend, but he is ranked 11 in the world for a reason. Robert Streb is my next selection, the current Fedex Cup early leader, a guy on the up. He won the McGladrey Classic in a play-off in October and played really well at the weekend in Hawaii, shooting -16 to finish T8. He will have to improve on his last two showings here at the Sony Open but he has improved tenfold since. My last selection is Ben Martin, who looks too big a price at 60/1 for a player that won the Shriners Open in October. He can be a frustrating player to watch at times, makes some daft errors, but he is also capable of some brilliance. He was T11 at the weekend so will be coming here with a good mindset. Matt Kuchar - 5 Points each-way @ 20/1 Boylesports Robert Streb - 4 Points each-way @ 50/1 Boylesports Ben Martin - 3.5 Points each-way @ 60/1 Paddy Power Very best of luck guys. :D

Kuchar was extremely fortunate to get placed, he was very amateurish today but his scrambling was sublime. Not a single birdie. Season Total Stake - 50 Points Season Total Returns - 56.67 Points Season Total Profit - +6.67 Points