Halmstad Golf Club September 15, 2007

25-1		25-1
Harrington's next to win The Masters		Orangutans next to meet their maker

 

Padraig Harrington is quoted at 25/1 to win next year's Masters, the same odds as the Sumatran orangutan being the next animal to go extinct. Do you pick the sensible golf bet or plump for the cruel extinction based wager? At 25/1 it might even be worth taking a trip to Sumatra with a blowpipe, some darts and an industrial sized vat of orangutan poison. Probably best not though...

Odds courtesy of Paddy Power

...And nine other things we’ve learned from the past week in golf.

1. With Zach Johnson shooting 60 and Mark Calcavecchia and Tiger Woods both carding 63s (Tiger’s winning margin a mere eight shots), last weekend’s FedEx Cup finale had the players romanticising about Oakmont earlier this year.
2. Over his last 20 rounds of golf, Woods is a collective 75-under par and has a scoring average of 66.65.
3. Face-painting is a growth-industry in US golf. Imagine the indignity of losing the Solheim Cup to a bunch of golfers done up like six-year olds…
4. Forget golf – let’s get hammered! Golf course community developers in America are finding themselves in competition from American vineyard developers selling real estate on their land. Why didn’t we think of that!
5. The Ryder Cup 2008 could give us some unlikely heroes - the standings currently feature Sion Bebb, Alistair Forsyth, Ian Pyman and Phillip Archer.
6. Easy on the eye she might be, but Nikki Garrett is a professional golfer - nothing more, nothing less. Is that understood?
7. Looks like Colin Montgomerie’s finally found himself a decent lawyer, after Nick Freeman got him off a speeding offence on a technicality.
8. Scotland loves its birds. What other reason could there possibly be for postponing the decision to grant Donald Trump planning permission for a multi-million dollar golf development outside Aberdeen?
9. Bermuda’s not all it’s cracked up to be in October – that’s the real reason why Tiger’s decided to pull out of next month’s Grand Slam of Golf.
10. China can’t be much cop a month later, either – why else would Arron Oberholser and Sean O’Hair be representing the US in The World Cup in November?

Sing if you're notably gay...sing if you're happy that way

 

Alright?: How!
Who do you think you are, Fred Dineage?: Errm, no. The Turning Stone Championship is being held at a Native Indian resort, just getting in the spirit of things.
Turning Stone eh? Never heard of it...: Probably cos it's the inaugural PGA event here in the inaugural tournament of the inaugural Fall Series.
Stop saying inaugural and explain to me what that all means: The Fall Series is the new PGA initiative for players who need to catch up on the money list at the end of the season to make sure they get their card next year. A prize fund of $6 million at Turning Stone should help.
But with no $10 million pension plan at the end of it, are any of the top names going to bother getting out of bed?:  Nope, they'll all be counting their money somewhere nice while bookies' favourites Robert Allenby and Stuart Appleby are teeing off.
Anyone else I should look for?: Notah Begay III, the only Native American on Tour is a 250/1 outsider to win at the course he has signed to represent.
Will he get scalped if he doesn't?: Doubtful, he might have a night on the firewater if he does though.

You're never too old for a parachute party

 

Last week, on his home turf, Bernhard Langer finished as the highest of our picks at a less than bookie-worrying 27th. This week at The Belfry, we're sticking with the home-advantage theory and have chosen an Englishman along with an Irishman and a Scotsman...and no, it's not some sort of joke.

Lee Westwood @ 18/1

Joint favourite here, Lee tore up the first round in Germany last week with an excellent 61 before losing his way and finishing tied sixth. 18/1 seem fair enough odds on him finding some consistency.

Colin Montgomerie @ 33/1

Disappointed us last week, but has won here before and went close at the Johnnie Walker Championship earlier this month. 33/1 is looking generous for a man with the most European Tour wins in history.

Darren Clarke @ 100/1

Has finished in the top five three times out of his last five appearances here and in the top ten four times. Is in indifferent form but at 100/1 is a good each-way proposition at a course he enjoys.