The Open Golf Championship starts this week. For the gamblers amongst you here are my betting tips

Each way bets
Lee Westwood
Martin Kaymer
Todd Hamilton
Paul Lawrie

(You'll get very good odds on the latter two but both are very good links players and have shown some signs of form recently).

To win
Rory Mcilroy
Retief Goosen

I'll give you Westwood and Kaymer as sound each way bets. The other two seem emotional picks rather than based on ability or form.
McIlroy...I'm unsure he's a great links player...certainly not better than Harrington, Woods or even Lawrie (same with Goosen). McIlroy is probably better suited to the high ball, target golf which is the majority of the US PGA tour and increasingly in Europe. If/When he negates the doubles and triples that he makes all too often he might be a contender...at the moment it's all a little hyperbolic in the McIlroy camp.

Goosen is possibly the finest fast green putter...which might make you think he's a better links player than he actually is. If scores look like being low, Goose is a great bet.

If the weather is decent, winds are low and the ball can be hit higher, Goosen and Scott are promising additions to the each way bet which should include Jim Furyk and perhaps Texan, Justin Leonard.

I always bet without Tiger in the field so don't do each way - instead going for trebles on the groups each day. Tiger should win this going away...unless someone gets hot for 4 days with a putter or Tiger gets the wrong side of the draw a la the US Open (which he'd have won by 3-4 if on the other side of the draw).

My bet FWIW will be (without Woods in the field)

Goosen, Scott, Furyk, Leonard all to win.

Interesting picks Gary - I can't see Furyk (aka Mr Punch) featuring if the weather is at all interesting. I presume you mean Adam Scott(??) - no form to speak of whatsoever. Justin Leonard is an interesting choice - I can see him doing well.
You're being a little hard on young McIlroy - it will not be long before he breaks through in the majors and then it will be a case of watch him go!

My other tip for the week is that Sandy Lyle will finally deck that mardy fat public school boy Montgomerie and thereby make himself a national hero

I don't know what schools they went to but Sandy Lyle sounds like a bad loser to me.

Sandy Lyle has always been an excellent sportsman - having been promised the support of Montgomerie in his campaign for the Ryder Cup captaincy and then stabbed in the back without explanation or apology at worst he appears 'a little bitter.'

I think Furyk's tough and grinds well, he hits it well also. As with any golf event, putting is key. If Furyk putts even OK he has a good chance.

Scott has hit it great the last two tournaments but hasn't been able to get 4 rounds out of his game - nearly did at Lomond. He could contend it he starts well enough.

I don't doubt McIlroy's ability - I think he does. Especially on the greens where at best he's average.

Was aware of Lyle and Monty's spat and would've agreed more with John's take...though I understood Lyle's original disappointment. Is it true that Monty back stabbed Lyle to get the Captaincy...was totally unaware of that.

Montgomerie was essentially leading the 'Lyle campaign' earlier in the year until it was made clear to him that he himself was in the running for the captaincy. He has since failed to offer either an explanation or an apology - good coverage of some of the events in this Mirror story
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/more-sport/2...15875-21518396/

You all go on and on and talking like you know something about golf, yet fail to even mention
one Padraig Harrington, son of Ireland, who should have a fair chance, all things being equal, unless he's been assassinated or something that I haven't heard of.

BK



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C3%A1draig_Harrington

Harrington did win the Irish PGA last week against a hoarde of club pros. His general form thus far this year however would suggest that he is a very long shot for this year's Open.

2009 Open Championship Turnberry, Ayrshire, Scotland

Two Yanks

T1 Tom Watson, American -2 278
T1 Stewart Cink, American -2 278

Yes and what a tremendous achievement by Tom Watson at 59 years of age. I have thoroughly enjoyed watching his links expertise over the last few days. I felt he was very unlucky with his iron shot to the last in regulation play but such is golf.
I thought Stewart Cink made a very gracious speech, until that is, he started banging on about God - I am sure that must count as interference from an 'outside agency'.

My tips of Westwood and Goosen did OK. Westwood however made a school boy error on the last hole racing his first putt when 2 putts would have put him in the play off.

I'm off to Turnberry next month and will let you know whether 278 is really a good score!