European Tour Golf - CASTELLÓ MASTERS - 22 Oct 2009 - 25 Oct 2009

[Jonesy Knows]

CASTELLÓ MASTERS Costa Azahar Club de Campo del Mediterráneo Castellón, Spain 22 Oct 2009 - 25 Oct 2009

• Course Information

Greens Type of grass - L93 Bent grass Height of cut - 3.25mm Speed / stimpmeter reading - 10.4 Monday morning aiming to go to 11 by Thursday Any specific comments - the speed of the 10th and 15th greens is controlled due to the severe slopes Fairways Type of grass - Rye and Bermuda Height of cut - 13mm General width and contouring - average width, tree lined course Tees / collars Type of grass - Rye Height of cut - 12mm Rough Type of grass - Rye Height of cut - semi 28mm, intermediate 100mm Weather Weather in advance - extreme rainfall one month ago (up to 350mm in 24 hours) washed out several bunkers and damaged some areas, but it has been dry since then which has helped recovery Forecast for tournament - rain Tuesday / Wednesday then dry for the rest of the week Course Opened - 1978 Course designer - Ramon Espinosa Special features - Hole 16, par 3 over water General playability - greens are firmer than last year Undulating / flat - more undulating on the back nine Tree lined / exposed - tree lined Many / few water hazards - water hazards in play on holes 2, 7, 14, 16 and 17 Changes to the course - none Other features Hole 17 will be played as a par 4 (it is a par 5 for members) measuring 450-460 metres 2008 Winner - Sergio Garcia -20 Runner Up - Peter Hedblom -17

• Did You Know?

• Sergio Garcia will be looking to make a successful defence of his title on his home course and where he is attached. Should he triumph it would be the first time he has won the same European Tour event in successive years. • Club de Campo del Meditterraneo will be hosting a European Tour event for the second time. The course is no stranger to holding European Senior Tour events, having staged the Oki Castellón Open de España Senior between 2005-07. The Castellon venue witnessed the 2008 Senior Tour Championship and will do so again in 2009. • Sergio Garcia will he hoping history repeats itself at this year’s tournament. All three of his European Tour wins on Spanish soil have come after he led or shared the lead going into the final round; 2002 Open de España, 2004 Mallorca Classic and 2008 CASTELLÓ Masters Costa Azahar. (Source- Europeantour.com) Leaders (Round 1 yet to be completed due to high winds) ROUND 1 Leaderboard Leading Players Thursday, 22 October 2009

		COUNTRY	ROUND 1	SCORE	AFTER
1	Garcia	Spa	63	-8	18
2	Jonzon	Swe	64	-7	18
2	Allenby	Aus		-7	11
4	Olazabal	Spa	65	-6	18
4	Canonica	Ita	65	-6	18
6	Horsey	Eng	67	-4	18
6	Echenique	Arg	67	-4	18
6	Tunnicliff	Eng	67	-4	18
6	Pb Martin	Spa	67	-4	18
6	Kaymer	Ger		-4	12
6	Rose	Eng		-4	11
12	Luna	Spa	68	-3	18
12	Clarke	NI	68	-3	18
12	Drysdale	Sco	68	-3	18
12	Morgan	Eng		-3	13
12	Fernandez-Castano	Spa		-3	11
12	Hanson	Swe		-3	10
12	Tadini	Ita		-3	7
12	Hutsby	Eng		-3	6
20	Arruti	Spa	69	-2	18

There was a bit of controversy yesterday because of a 3 hour delay because of strong winds and the 1st round was left uncompleted. Added to this was the disqualification of Angel Cabrera who was tipped as one of the favourites before the start of the tournament.

Cabrera was late getting to the course and turned up an hour late for his tee off and was then disqualified. He had been delayed due to his flight after in playing in the Grand Slam for the year's four major winners.

European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie reached four under, but then had three bogeys in four holes. He was then told by an official that conditions were too bad to continue and he replied: "That's great. The later starters can walk off and we've just played in it. That's OK, is it?" On his return the Scot made par for a one-under 70. The second half of the field had no hope of completing their rounds before night fell, leaving Garcia with a one-stroke lead over Swede Michael Jonzon (64) and Australia's Robert Allenby, who had played 11 holes before play was called off for the day. Jose Maria Olazabal, partnering Garcia, finished strongly for a 65, the same score as Emanuele Canonica, the Italian who caddied for him at the Masters in April. Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy, who are first and second respectively in the Race to Dubai standings, are not playing this week. Third-placed Martin Kaymer of Germany reached four under after 12 at the end of day one. (Courtesy of BBC Sportwebsite)

[Jonesy Knows]

Re: European Tour Golf - CASTELLÓ MASTERS - 22 Oct 2009 - 25 Oct 2009 One player I have loathed to pick anytime this year due to his frail putting abilities, has been the tournament leader Sergio Garcia. He is one of those infuriating players with so much talent which the bookies know about and price him accordingly for every event and he invariably fcuks up winning positions especially when my money is on him!:lol This place is his attached Club, his home Golf Club and this was the site of the first Castello Masters in 2008 which Garcia duely won by 3 shots from Peter Hedblom. He has started this tournament very well indeed and his -8 for the 1st 18 holes is better than any round he accomplished last year in this tournament when he won here by 3 shots! His knowledge of this place is 2nd to none and it is a fair shout to say that he is a strong favourite now for this tournament after such a great start in difficult conditions. Outright Predictions: Sergio Garcia Win @3.25 Paddypower ***** Peter Hanson EW @26.00 Paddypower *** (1/4 odds 1,2,3,4) Hanson finished 7th here last year and is in good shape coming into this tournament after finishing 4th in The Portugal Masters. He's currently on -3 after 10 holes for his 1st round and I'm expecting a good tournament from him and should Sergio manage to fcuk up his position then he is one of the most likely to capitalise. :ok

[Jonesy Knows]

Re: European Tour Golf - CASTELLÓ MASTERS - 22 Oct 2009 - 25 Oct 2009 In very good shape going into the weekend - Hanson is in 8th place on -8 Sergio is currently -11, 1 shot behind the joint leaders Kaymer & Allenby, however Sergio still has 3 holes to play for his 2nd round and is currently bogeyless for the tournament. Kaymer has surprised after 9 weeks off after breaking some toes in a go karting accident, he's trying to wrestle back the lead from Lee Westwood in the European Order of Merit. I'd be surprised if he can maintain this level of play as he stated after the 2nd round that he felt sore, so although the bookies currently have him a point behind Sergio in the betting markets I expect the break and his wellbeing to start to effect his game in the next couple of rounds. Allenby seems to have been around forever and I'd be surprised if he can maintain this level of play because he invariably drops back when he's challenging in tournaments. I still believe Sergio should be a warm order here because he had played in the high winds over the last 2 days and managed to be bogey free! The winds are due to subside tomorrow and Sunday and I expect with better conditions on this course he knows so well he'll get a lead that could be too much for the chasing pack.