Golf - Madrid Masters

[Cosmetic Bob]

SERGIO GARCIA 8/1 E/W LADBROKES 8/1 for Sergio in this modest field looks good to me. Didnt play in this event last year due to being in the fedex cup but he did win a european tour event last october in Spain in a similar turn out of field. Hasnt played for a fvew weeks & is in form. Should have won the Wyndam Championship In September led by two going into the back nine & let that slip. A few weeks off he is fresher than most & always seems to play well in this home land. I can't imagine him not being involved come sunday afternoon in this field. DARREN CLARKE 40/1 E/W BETFRED 40/1 seems a bit too big for Clarke as he has three top 15 finishes in his last 4 starts including a tie of 7th on -14 last week at the Alfred Dunhill. Should be having plently of confidence at the moment, for a mltiple winner he tends to do well in these lesser events where the fields aint strong.

[Ian R]

Re: Golf - Madrid Masters Three for me Randhawa - I guess its more a case this week of where he isn't playing - the Indian Open takes part on the DLF - his home course and its the first time he has missed the event in five years and he has also won it three times - so it made me look closely as to why he has pitched up in Spain. Basically it is all to do with his commitment to the European Tour and his wish to keep his card - he is dangerously close to 115th in the money list. He will have fond memories of the course - after an opening round of 75 he shot through the field to finish 2nd in 07 and headed the stats for the week. His form actually isn't that bad at the moment - with a round to go he was 8th in Japan but got blown away by the wind on the Sunday and he was 4th after round one at the Dunhill last week . 130/1 Betfair & 22/1 top 5 Mads Vibe-Hastrup - I think I have only tipped him once and that was when he won and looking back that was 07 so his two year exemption expires this season and he needs to do something quick to keep his card. In Austria he actually drove the ball and putted quite well and where better to recapture some form in the city that he won exactly two years ago and a course where he finished 4th on the Challenge Tour the year before. 500/1 win Betfair, 55/1 top 5 Gary Lockerbie who is coming off a fine top 10 in the Dunhill Links to add to the 4th he got in the Wales Open earlier this season. Those two finishes have lofted him to 109th in the money list and every chance to keep his card for next season. On the Challenge Tour in 06 and 08 he seemed to play his best golf at this time of the year and on this course was 5th on that tour heading into the final round before fading to 12th on the Sunday - he is a better player now and secured his maiden Challenge Tour win last season 200/1 ew and 18/1 top 10

[Jonesy Knows]

Re: Golf - Madrid Masters Madrid Masters - Centro Nacional de Golf Madrid, Spain 08 Oct 2009 - 11 Oct 2009 Course Opened – 2005 Course Designer – Thomas, Vidaor & Soler Special Features - No trees, very exposed General Playability - Will play quite tough as the rough is quite high and penal Undulating/ flat - Quite hilly Tree lined/exposed - Exposed. Many / few water hazards - Water in play on holes 9, 12, 16, 17 & 18 Changes to the course - None Greens Type of grass - A4 Bent Height of cut - 3.0mm Speed/stimp reading – 9’ 10” Tuesday morning Any specific comments - very true Fairways Type of grass – Rye Grass Height of cut – 11mm General width and contouring – Narrow and quite hilly Any specific comments - Tees Type of grass – Rye Grass Height of cut - 10 mm Any specific comments - No Collars Type of grass - Rye Grass Height of cut – 10 mm Any specific comments - No Rough Type of grass – Rye Grass Semi-rough - Height of cut – 32mm Intermediate Height of cut – N/A Rough - Height of cut – 90mm Any specific comments – The rough was heavily fertilized due to lack of growth but is growing very fast. Weather In advance – Extremely hot summer. Forecast for tournament – Thursday a possibility of rain. Warm & sunny for Fri, Sat & Sun. Other Features Accuracy off the tee will be very important this week.

• Did You Know?

• Charl Schwartzel won the inaugural Madrid Masters 12 months ago to claim his third European Tour title and second consecutive one in the Spanish capital. He claimed the 2007 Open de España at the Centro Nacional de Golf; the same venue being used this week. • Should Schwartzel win for a second consecutive year, he would become the 31st different player in European Tour history to win the same European Tour event at two or more different venues. • Should Schwartzel win for a second year he would become just the third South African to successfully defend a European Tour title, following Ernie Els (2002-03-04 Heineken Classic) and Trevor Immelman (2003-04 South African Open Championship). • As a result of Rafael Cabrera-Bello’s victory in the Austrian Golf Open, Spain reached the milestone of 150 European Tour victories since The European Tour’s first season in 1972. (Source - europeantour.com) Ok so here we have another opportunity to sniff out some potential value in this weeks European tour event. Sergio Garcia is the 7/1 favourite and it represents very poor value considering the form he's in as he couldn't hit a barn door with a banjo at the moment! Next in the betting is Luke Donald who comes off a decent performance in last week's Alfred Dunhill, however at 14/1 and the way he contrived to throw away a winning position to only finish 7th last week puts me right off him!

Charl Schawrtzel @21.00 EW Paddypower ****

This leaves Schwartzel as the next one up in the betting who has in my mind the best chance because he knows this place having won the 2007 Open De Espana here. He also has a habit of performing well in Spain having won this event last year! and also finishing 5th this year in the Open De Espana Rafael Cabrera Bello @26.00 EW Paddypower *** I couldn't leave out one of the home contingent for this event and this Guy has done nothing but impress recently.

Clinched his first European Tour victory with a stunning 11 under par 60 in the final round at the Austrian Golf Open, having started the day eight shots off the lead. Won the Spanish National Championship every year from Under seven to Under 18 level after taking the game up at the age of six in his back garden which backed onto a golf course. He comes here off the back of another strong showing in last weeks Alfred Dunhill finishing 4th.

Gregory Bourdy @34.00 EW Paddypower ** Next up another Guy who seems to perform well in Spain! He finished 8th in the Open De Espana here in 2007. Finished 8th in that event this year. Won the Mallorca Open in 2007. Finished 4th in the Open De Madrid in 2007. He also has very good form on similar climate and courses in Portugal too having won the Estoril Open in 2008. 7th in the Portugal Masters in 2008. Coming here after a strong showing in last weeks Alfred Dunhill finishing 9th and also finishing a decent 6th at Gleneagles recently in the Johnnie Walker. I expect another strong showing this week from him. :hope :ok