Golf PGA Tour - Northern Trust Open - Thurs 18 Feb to Sun 22 Feb 2009

[Jonesy Knows]

This weeks PGA Tour event is the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club California on the west coast again! A field of the top golfers in the world assemble for this prestigious event and due to the form of the top players value should be found for this event at the head of the bookmakers markets due to the start price of favourite Phil Mickleson of around 16/1. 1/4 odds 1,2,3,4,5 places go most bookemakers Predictions: Phil Mickelson @17.00 EW William Hill Lefty has not had a good start to the year however after 3 events he should now be up to showing why he is one of the top golfers in the world. Mickelson is the reigning champ here and lost out to Charles Howell in 2007 in a play off. That is what is known as awesome course form for this tournament! Mickelson grew up in California and attended Arizona State University, so naturally he's got a history out west. He's also earned 18 of his 34 titles in three Western states Arizona, California & Colorado! With his proven record here he has to be amazing value at the odds! Padraig Harrington @21.00 EW Coral Harrington is another who should be just hitting cherry ripe now in his 3rd week back which is a method he always eludes to - This was him talking a couple of weeks ago. "Usually I peak in my third week so I look to put the majors the third week," said the three-time major champ. "If you look through my schedule I'll do that with the Irish Open, the Irish Open being one of my bigger events. Even the Northern Trust tournament in three weeks' time, I've played well there. So I kind of felt if I come out and play next week early, maybe I'll be in better form going back to a golf course (Riviera) that I like." He was 3rd to Mickelson in this event last year and I think he and Mickelson could take this event by the scruff of the neck and power clear of the pack if my prediction of them both peaking for this event is correct. Massive odds again for a top golfer! Rory Sabbatini @51.00 EW Totesport Sabatini has a decent record here having won it in 2006 and finishing tied runner up in 2002. His form is decent enough to in finishing 12th in both the Sony Open & FBR Open. He majored out of Arizona Universityand likes the west coast courses! Again massive odds for a guy who is up there with the best, when he's on form and he has the experience here in the past! Charles Howell @51.00 EW William Hill Another guy who has proven form here having won a play off in 2007 and runner up in 2003 to Mike Weir. Howell finished 4th in The Sony Open and has the game for this course as proven by past results here and again at massive odds he is worth an each way shot! Jeff Quinney @101.00 EW Coral Quinney had been playing miserably until last week at Pebble Beach where he moved through the field to get himself into contention for a top 10 finish until mother nature intervened and the event was abandoned. Still he finished on a vastly improved position of 22nd place. That should augur well here for a guy who pushed Mickelson all the way here last year in finishing 2nd. Again massive odds for a guy who has form here and looks like his game is about to pick up! :ok

[hornet_18]

Re: Golf PGA Tour - Northern Trust Open - Thurs 18 Feb to Sun 22 Feb 2009 I nearly finished my write up and managed to quit so I will write up a few pointers towards my picks! Looking for decent ball strikers this week. Wanted to pick Mike Weir but the 20s have gone and the 16s look too short for a guy who doesnt finish off tourneys often enough. Lucas Glover @ 67 - great price, in decent form, finished T3 two weeks ago in last tournament. Played in this tournament twice, finished T33 and T22. Charlie Wi @ 101 - take out the last 5 holes of the 3rd (and final) round of last week and he would have been T3 (and probably rubbish odds!). Finished T14 last year on first appearance here. Playing well enough but needs to put it together, will hopefully be aiming to make up for his finish last week as he didnt have a 4th round to rectify those mistakes. DJ Trahan @ 56 - great price here. Finished T22 here last year but is a much more accomplished player now. Playing fantastically at the moment with two T6s already to his name this year including last week where he played very solid golf. Expect him to figure in the shake up. Robert Allenby @ 41 - theres no doubting this mans talent or ball striking ability, just his bottle but at nearly double the price of Luke Donald I'm more than happy to take him here. Has won on this course previously and has last 5 year form here of T15-T7-MC-T3-T7. Not too bad. Hasnt played too much recently but last 8 tournaments read 16-2-T7-T33-3-T21-T3-T15 including that last T15 in a very decent field in Abu Dhabi. Course suits and price looks decent enough having shown in Abu Dhabi that the rust doesnt bother him too much! Jeff Quinney @ 91 - the better prices are gone but Im still willing to take this. Two top 10s in two attempts here and just ran out of steam last year when finishing second. Finally started to show some form last week at Pebble Beach and at this price with his course form a T22 is good enough for me! Ryo Ishikawa top 10 @ 29 - a very speculative punt on the talented teen from Tokyo (OK he's not form Tokyo but I like how the alliteration sounds!). His last 9 tournaments on the Japanese Tour read T21-2-T12-Win-MC-T5-2-T13-T5 so form doesnt look too shabby! He hasnt played here before but at this price I'm not too worried. Also has the added incentive of trying to play himself into all the big tournaments as he currently lies 67th in the world and PGATour tournaments hold much more value in the world rankings! GL