Golf Betting Update; China Open with the bookmakers making Jaidee their 12/1 favourites

Added: (Wed Apr 15 2009)

Pressbox (Press Release) - VOLVO CHINA OPEN

WHERE: Beijing CBD International Golf Club.

COURSE CHARACTERISTICS: A flat but mainly challenging par-72 layout with water coming into play at almost every hole. Some of the fairways are tree-lined but overall accuracy rather than length are the key factors with the need to find the putting surfaces, which are very undulating, just as essential.

MY BEST BETS

DAMIAN McGRANE: Murdered this course last year as he strolled to a nine-shot victory, his first on the European tour. The win was even more meritorious as the final day was punctuated by cold and driving rain. He was one of only four players to end the four days under par and although he dropped shots on the second and eighth holes of the fourth round he was making fewer mistakes than his rivals. Finally killed off the chasing group when chipping in from the edge of the bunker on the ninth which was followed by a birdie two holes later. His putting was sensational all week and when he holed out for bogey on the 18th it was just his 96th putt over the four rounds. Had a mixed 2009 so far with four missed cuts being interspersed with a couple of decent results in the Qatar Masters and the Madeira Island Open. Showed he can reel off low scores with a 66 in the first round of the latter event and was the halfway leader in the Johnnie Walker Classic following a 68 before fading out of contention. Once again his putting kept him in contention in Madeira as he was in the top sixth in both categories and helped him to secure a share of third place. Needs to recover from two consecutive missed cuts in his most recent outings but with his course and distance form he must be one for the short-list. BEST PRICE: 28-1

MARKUS BRIER: After missing the cut at his first attempt in the China Open in 2006 he returned 12 months later to capture the title and last year made a good fist of being the defending champion when posting a fifth place finish. The Austrian shot successive rounds of 67 over the weekend in 2007 to cruise to a five-stroke success, holing out with a five-foot birdie putt on the 18th to seal his win. Scored well over the first two days of the 2008 renewal, particularly a 69 in the second round but as conditions worsened he failed to maintain that momentum and all hope was lost when he double-bogeyed the fifth in the fourth round. But at least he was eighth for GIR and sixth for putts per GIR. Only shown glimmers of his talent this season with a 10th in the Johnnie Walker Classic in Australia being the highlight where he climbed 13 places on the last day with an excellent round of 67 and once again his iron play was good as he posted a second for GIR. Has to bounce back from a missed cut last time out but given his record in China he must be one for the short-list. BEST PRICE: 40-1

MARK BROWN: The New Zealander first caught the eye of the golfing media when he romped to a stunning three-shot victory in the 2008 running of the Johnnie Walker Classic in New Delhi, which followed closely on the heels of his maiden Asian tour win in the SAIL Open, also in India. Up until then his main claim to fame was finishing a stroke better than Tiger Woods when competing in the 1994 Eisenhower Trophy in Paris in his amateur days. Finished the latter half of last year with a fifth in the Panasonic Open and a 10th in the Indian Open before a 14th in the Volvo Masters of Asia event in December. Battled his way into contention in the China Open last term with a 69 on the third day to lie in fifth place with a round to go. But like most of his rivals (apart McGrane) he struggled in the terrible conditions that prevailed on the final day and a 77 just kept him in the mix. His stats were pretty good however as he was eighth for driving accuracy, sixth for distance off the tee and second for GIR. Missed the cut in half of his eight starts this year but there were some signs of encouragement from his 46th in the WGC-CA Championship appearance and his 28th in the Estoril Open, particularly his third round score of 68 on the tough Blue Monster course at Doral in Florida. Could be ready to bounce back to form and one to bear in mind this week. BEST PRICE: 50-1



• All prices correct at time of writing.

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