HSBC World Matchplay

[2damnhype]

This starts at Wentworth this Thursday, coverage is by Auntie Beeb, so expect some trips down memory lane with Alex Haig and Peter Allis!!. Any end of moans This event is still a grueller with 36 hole matches in each round. The big change this year is that the field is expanded to 16, so it means that all of the players start on Thursday, and the Top 4 seeds don't get their byes in the Quarter-Finals. As usual the line up is a mixture of players who have little realistic chance of winning, Yanks who are guaranteed a decent pay-check, a few decent Europeans, Vijay Singh and standing dish Ernie Els. Having said that it is matchplay and upsets do happen, but as the matches are 36 holes, there is less chance of an upset. Below are listed the first round matches (the figures on the end are the scheduled start time for the 1st & 2nd 18 holes on Thursday). Seedings are in brackets and the draw works its way through as per the seedings. Ernie Els (1) v Scott Drummond (16) 8.20 12.45 Angel Cabrera (9) v K.J. Choi (8) 8.32 12.57 Padraig Harrington (5) v Chris Riley (12) 8.44 13.09 Thomas Levet (13) v Mike Weir (4) 8.56 13.21 Retief Goosen (3) v Jeff Maggert (14) 9.08 13.33 Lee Westwood (11) v Todd Hamilton (6) 9.20 13.45 Miguel A Jimenez (7) v Steve Flesch (10) 9.32 13.57 Bernhard Langer (15) v Vijay Singh (2) 9.44 14.09 I have gone for Vijay Singh each-way at 4/1 - the guy has had an amazing year and for most people winning 8 titles would give them an good excuse to take the foot of the pedal, but this is the hardest worker on any Tour and he is a Wentworth regular who Els notwithstanding has a decent record here. the 2/1 to make the final seems a steal, he should breeze through the first two rounds, he may face resistance it the shape of Westwood/Goosen and then hopefully it will be a cracking final against the Big Easy, with Vijay winning through. I see the Semi-final line up as: Els v Harrington Westwood v Singh 4/1 Singh outright available with betdirect

[Guest davidcampbell]

... missed the start of this but ive gone for els and singh combined stakes to average a even money shot if either wins. singh for reasons you outline and els purely on course record (and because he in this tournament was the first ever golf bet i had - and it won :b ... way back in 1997 i think it as)