38. FINAL TOURNAMENT OF THE YEAR FOR "TWENTY-SIX". THE VOLVO MASTERS, VALDERRAMA. 1ST-4TH NOVEMBER 2007

Last tournament of a LONG year Grapple fans, and after last weeks disappointment (SOooo close) we need to make amends here, at the traditional showpiece end to the EPGA tour.
The traditional curtain closer to the tour proper (although next years 2008 tour begins in 8 days, unbelievably enough), clashes with the rich Singapore Open, so the likes of Els, Scott, MIckleson, SIngh, Cabrera, Westwood, Howell, Schwartzel and O'Hern, have all been tempted away to the far east, by the big bucks.
Of course, the Final Order of Merit will be decided in Spain - Els, Harrington, Rose, Fasth and Stenson could all yet triumph with a top class finish at Valderrama...

This course is a short, tricked up course, where positioning of the ball in exactly the right spots on fairways and greens, and solid putting are absolutely paramount.

Selections:

Peter Hanson £1.50p e/w 33-1
Donald £1 e/w 16-1
Poulter £1 e/w 16-1
Anders Hansen 50p e/w 66-1


Balance before selections: £335.46p
Stake: £8
Balance after stake: £327.46p

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Result:

P.Hanson =14th
Donald =34th
Poulter =8th
A.Hansen =25th


Winnings: £0
Profit / Loss: £327.46p

FINAL BALANCE: £327.46p

Comment:
A sad way to end the year (but not really that out of character)!
Justin Rose held it together at Valderrama, nto triumph in a 3 man playoff (against Kjeldsen and Dyson) which meant at the seasons end, after only playing (I think) 5 times in Europe ALL year, he also grabbed his first ORDER OF MERIT TITLE.
It couldn't happen to a nicer man. Well, it could actually, it could go to David Howell, but you know what I mean.



End of year comment:
See next post.

37. MALLORCA CLASSIC, PULA GC, MAJORCA 25-28TH OCTOBER '07

We're nearly there now. The Mallorca classic is our penultimate event - what a long season it has been - without much luck it would seem.
This course is very tricky, even it is quite short, at around 6900 yards long. I can't see past the clear favourite Garcia (if he can tear himself away from Greg Norman's daughter for a week) or Niclas Fasth (who has recovered from a severe bout of flu - so you can forgive him his terrible scoring in the first round of the World Matchplay at Wentworth a fortnight or so ago).

No more talk.
Selections :

Fasth £2.50p to win 10-1
Alexander Noren £1 e/w 80-1
Kjeldsen £1 e/w 50-1
Derksen £1 e/w 33-1
Garcia £1.50p to win 9-2F

Stake: £10
Balance after stake: £336.21p

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Result:

Fasth =27th
Noren =7th
Kjeldsen =34th
Derksen 3RD!
Garcia =16th

Winnings: £9.25p
Profit / Loss: -£0.75p
Balance after tournament: £335.46p

Comment:

This might well go down as the tournament that VERY NEARLY saved the day for "Twenty SIx". BUt alas, no.
After the second and the third rounds, we had FOUR of our selections in the top five, including the leader at the time, Derksen.
Then the final round happened, and we were just left with Derksen picking up third spot.
Very close, but ultimately very dissapointing, and we go to Valderrama next week, needing a miracle, to pick up any respectability for the year.
Here's hoping.

36. PORTUGAL MASTERS. VICTORIA GC, ALGARVE 18-21 OCT '07

OK then.

Back to standard 4 round strokeplay - a much... er.... safer? bet!

A relatively new course, which hosted the World Cup in 2004, but other than that, no real course form to speak of.

Not a particularly great field either, although at least Justin Rose (the likely winner of the order of merit by the look of it, even though he's played virtually all his golf in the USA this year), takes a bow in mainland Europe, for, (can you believe it?!), the FIRST time this year!



Selections then:



Soren Hansen £1.50p e/w 28-1

Dredge £1 e/w 28-1

Rose £1.50p to win 10-1

Van de Velde 75p e/w 125-1

Levet 50p e/w 80-1



Opening balance: £356.71p

Stake: £10.50p

Balance after stake: £346.21p



==================================================



Result:

S.Hansen =34th

Dredge =12th

Rose =21st

Van de Velde m/c

Levet m/c



Winnings: £0
Profit / Loss: -£10.50p



Balance after tournament: £346.21p



Comment: None really. This year is looking worse and worse!

BET OF THE WEEK (3) GOLF

Once again, I've forgotten I have this label on "TwentySix". I must think of some more bets of the week, as I haven't posted under this section since April!

Great chance this week though.
Low odds, but a sure fire way of almost doubling your money...

At Wentworth, in the HSBC World Matchplay champs this week, Wentworth-lover is paired against out of sorts Retief Goosen.
A certainty. Not in matchplay, but near enough to get on at 5-6.

Tip:

CABRERA TO BEAT GOOSEN in R1 @ 5-6
STAKE: £100

Lets see what happens.
Watch this space...


OK. The next day (17:04).
Cabrera WHUPS Goosen 6&5 (and is the first man to win today, as it 'appens).

BET WON!!!

Winnings: £183.33p
Profit: £83.33p

New balance: £766.33p

(3 bets. 3 wins. £266.33p profit so far...)

Have you learned yet, grapple fans?

WATCH.
THIS.
SPACE.

35. HSBC WORLD MATCHPLAY CHAMPIONSHIP. WENTWORTH (WEST COURSE) 11-14th Oct '07

So... once again, (after two weeks watching the crazy golf) we return to The Burma Road at Wentworth for the ridiculously named "World Matchplay Championship".
World Matchplay it might be named, but World Matchplay (in its originally designed idea) it most shertainly is not.
None of the world's top 4 are here, nor is Masters champ, Zach Johnson.
Never mind. A host of course winners do play - Angel Cabrera, Colin Montgomerie, Anders Hansen and Paul Casey, taking on twice US Open Champ, Retief Goosen, Open Champ, Padraig Harrington, bridesmaid Justin Rose, and 8 World Matchplay virgins.

After a bit of a wet week, the weather looks much better for the rest of the week, until sunday.
I'm hesitant to predict the outcome of Matchplay golf - players simply don't have time to recover from a bad hole in the 1 or 2 round format, and anybody can quite literally beat anybody else on their day.
I would suggest the best bet is no bet, but that probably goes for golf in general, so lets have a stab eh?

No more talk.
Selection time....


Opening balance: £362.71p


Selections:
Fasth £1.50p e/w 16-1
Rose £2 to win 7-1
A.Hansen 50p e/w 28-1

NB. THERE IS A STANDOUT BET OF THE WEEK AT WENTWORTH THIS WEEK.

SEE SPORTS BETS (BETS OF THE WEEK LABEL) FOR DETAILS.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Total staked: £6. (The lowest all year - Matchplay stakes you see!)
Balance after stake: £356.71p

=============================================

Result:

Fasth: Lost in R1
Rose Lost in R1
Hansen Lost in QF (R2)

Winnings: £0
Profit/Loss: -£6

Balance after tournament: £356.71p

Comment: Mmmm. A bit embarrassing really. No joy for "Twenty-Six", (apart from the special bet). Els won his 7th World Matchplay championship at the 14th hole against Angel Cabrera yesterday, 6 and 4.
We move on quickly...!