Riding on the crest of a wave after last week (and a double at that) we must hold our horses this week, and go through a "lull before the (US Open) storm".
Austria this week, and a relitavely poor field of 156 playing at the impressive Fontana GC, Austria's best course by some way.
It has a lake the size of Michigan, and trees the size of Giant Redwoods, though is only a par 71, and low scores (like last week) are regular occurrences.
Marcus Brier, the local lad from Vienna, is favourite for this event, having won it twice in the past 3 years, but a 3rd time may be a step too far for him, in the company of people like Westwood, Jimenez, Montgomerie and Green - the partisan crowds will add to the pressure also.
Lee Westwood is playing ok - sharing a twelfth place spot with Brier at Wentworth, is a winner this year again, after slimming down a tad, the chubby mongo, as should pick up tournaments like this with some ease.
Gary Murphy is great value, with decent current and course form - prerequisites in my book.
Gary Orr was in contention at Celtic Manor should've taken some heart for that, and even though he looks as miserable as sin, is still a fancy of mine - very unassuming, very quiet, very underrated - and often (like this week), very good value.
Colon Montgomerie will be looking to get his season back on track, just in time for the US Open - he should've maybe won here last year, but for a cataclysmically bad final 9 holes on sunday, and then there's Paul Broadhurst, the angry little pug dog. Broadhurst (unlike Orr) demands more attention from the press, is a multiple tour winner (without the recognition he deserves, he thinks), and could do himself a favour by winning here...
So.
Selections:
Murphy £1 e/w 55-1
Westwood £1.50p e/w 12-1
Broadhurst £1 e/w 25-1
Montgomerie £1 e/w 14-1
Orr 75p e/w 50-1
Balance before stake: £443.13p
Stake: £10.50p
Balance after stake: £432.63p
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Result:
Murphy m/c
Westwood =52nd
Broadhurst =35th
Montgomerie m/c
Orr =14th
Winnings: £0
Profit/loss: -£10.50p
Closing balance after tournament: £432.63p
COMMENT: Well. We couldn't do it again so soon could we? A poor result for "Twenty-Six" - Lee Westwood challenged in round 1, Gary Orr was thereabouts early in round 4 (one of the last to tee off), but nothing in the end, even though in the preview to the tournament I mentioned the eventual winners name... Note to self - read what I write as a preview!!!
The tournament was delayed due to inclement weather, and eventually, the perennial bridesmaid Richard Green triumphed over Jean Francois Remesy in a playoff.
It is nice to see (motor-mad) Green win again. People have labelled him a bottler, but truth be told, he probably just isn't as focussed as your average golfing pro, who is little more than a machine. Richard Green is one of those pros who has a life outside golf (racing cars) and possibly feels he earns quite enough competing and often coming second on tour!
Did all the star players both in Europe and the USA 'take a week off this week' in preparation for this next week's US Open? Possibly...?!
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