Golf Central

Michael Lorenzo-Vera leads the field after a first round 67 and before you have the sheer audacity to ask 'who the hell is he?', take a moment to study last year's Challenge Tour rankings, look right up to the top and then realise just how limited your knowledge of golf is.

23-year-old Lorenzo-Vera is aiming to be the third French tour winner in Europe on the trot, following wins for Gregory Bourdy and Tomas Levet. He's one shot clear of seven players including China's Li Chao, who is ranked 1261st in the world and InGolfWeTrust tip Zane Scotland.

Room for a little one? John Daly has been under the knife before, but we seem to remember it was in the hands of one of his wives. This time round the operation, which took place last weekend in Arkansas, was to fix a torn rotator cuff in his stomach which he injured last year.

He's missed 14 cuts in 33 events over the past two years and has withdrawn from eight tournaments and his first appearance back is likely to be the Spanish Open in Seville. According to our friend at The PGA Tour he may consider an extended stay in Europe, taking in the Italian and Irish opens, as well as the BMW Championship in Europe. Burger vendors in the Surrey area are reportedly shooting stray horses in preparation (they're not really...) 

I'm treading very cautiously this week, which is betting-speak for 'My head's still in American golf mode and I don't really know what's going on'. Markus Brier won last year and Graeme McDowell is favourite, but there are a host of Asian Tour players who could upset the applecart.

So here goes nothing...

Graeme McDowell @14/1: playing safe with the top-ranked player in the field, but I've consistently backed GMac over the years, so there...
Daniel Vancsik @ 33/1: the Argentinian smashes it long off the tee and has played some tidy golf so far this year.
Zane Scotland @100/1: lovely chap, great golfer, nice Puma gear, little more than a hunch bet, but you never know...