Today sees the start of the 109th US Open Golf Championship, played on the Black Course of Bethpage State Park on Long Island, New York, through to Sunday night.
This will be the second US Open to be played at Bethpage Black – the first was won by that man Tiger Woods in 2002.
The Tiger has returned from a nine-month injury lay-off and is already back to his winning ways, having won two weeks ago at the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield.
Woods captured the US Open in dramatic fashion last year with a leg hanging off, so a fit Tiger is sure to figure on the leader board once again. But 2/1 is just too short a price, unless you are backing with huge amounts of cash.
The Bethpage venue is one of only two municipally-owned facilities to ever host an Open, which means you or I can walk on to this course, hand over our $50 and play a round. But there are five courses, with Black as the hardest, and it’s a monster. If any of you are in New York state on holiday remember to bring the clubs to play this amazing course.
There are three par 4s of more than 500 yards. One of them – the 525-yard seventh hole – is longer than the par 5 fourth hole, which is 517 yards. Crazy or what?
Anyhow, after painfully just missing out on our 100/1 nap for the US Masters, Kenny Perry (who finished second and still paid 25/1 the place), the pressure is on again to nap a big placer for the sixth consecutive major. Anybody following our major tips in the last 18 months, of course, is quids in.
We have gone for the in-form American David Toms who has recaptured the form of a few years ago and is priced at 66/1. He has finished second twice this season – at the St Jude Classic last week and at the Sony Open in Hawaii earlier in the season. He also has three other top six finishes this season and has won over $2 million already, so he goes into the Open in great heart.
Toms is one of the best putters on tour today, especially on lightning fast greens, but the big challenge here will be to keep the ball on the fairway because wayward drives will be severely punished. Toms is definitely worth a few pounds each way, paying 16/1 for a top six finish in most bookmakers.
Another player who has came into form in the past few months is Robert Allenby who is priced at 100/1. The big-hitting Aussie will love this course as he is one of the best drivers on tour.
His accuracy off the tee will serve him well at Bethpage and he’s a live each-way bet.
Local lad Rory McIlroy is priced at 33/1, but this tournament is probably a year or two too soon for the young Irish golfing sensation.
Padraig Harrington is priced at 16/1 but is on what is probably the worst run of his career at the minute, having missed four of the last five halfway cuts so I think I will reluctantly give Padraig a by-ball in this one.
33 comments:
Royal Ascot THURSDAY
TWO days already gone at Ascot – hope you are up as we approach the final three days. We start with the big race today (Thursday), the Ascot Gold Cup.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained Yeats is going for an amazing fourth Ascot Gold Cup and bookies think he can do it with Sean Graham pricing him as their 9/4 favourite.
After watching (and backing) him on his seasonal debut at Navan, I suspect the old sparkle has gone. He finished sixth of eight, fully 33 lengths behind Alandi, and although it was heavy going I didn’t see the class of previous years. GEORDIELAND is the nearly horse who finished second last year and indeed has a knack of finishing second in big races after travelling well. On his seasonal comeback he trounced Patkai at Sandown to set him up nicely for todays race and we are expecting him to turn the tables on Yeats.
Sean Graham bet: Yeats 9/4, Geordieland 3/1, Patkai 3/1, Veracity 6/1, Eastern Anthem 16/1, Tastahil 25/1, Centennial 33/1, Hindu Kush 33/1, Washington Irving 33/1, Sagara 40/1.
On to the fillies in the Ribblesdale Stakes and the Michael Stoute-trained LEOCORNO will take some stopping in this one as he chases the hat-trick after his oh-so-easy win at Sandown in May. The big danger could be stablemate July Jasmine
Sean Graham bet: Leocorno 8/5, Take The Hint 21/10, July Jasmine 6/1, Flame Of Gibraltar 10/1, Flying Cloud 12/1, Mooakada 12/1, Anice Stellato 20/1, It’s Dubai Dolly 22/1, Totally Devoted 40/1, Uvinza 40/1.
Richard Hannon’s Monsieur Chevalier will take some catching in the opener today after side-stepping the Coventry Stakes on Tuesday in favour of the Norfolk. He is unbeaten in four starts and looks the one to beat. The main danger could be the Willie Haggas-trained Nosedive who won well on his debut at Sandown.
Sean Graham Bet: Monsieur Chevalier 6/4, Radiohead 7/2, Reignier 10/1, Tawaabb 11/1, Here Now And Why 11/1, Nosedive 14/1, Moran Gra 17/1, Kingdom Of Light 22/1, Yogaroo 24/1, Star Rover 27/1, Running Mate 29/1, Diamond Johnny G 50/1.
Rest of Ascot Picks:
4.20 Hyades
4.55 Palavicini
5.30 Pollys Mark
Good Luck. Todays £10 winner P.Gourley...
nice napping david toms although i dont know much about golf
i must get to the bookies before lunchtime.I missed out on the last few major naps in your column.
joey t
toms no chance
Liam
First thing i have won all year now to pick a few winners Monsieur Chevalier in the first and Desert Creek ta for the free bet
pg
Ascot Day 3 selections....
2.30 - YOGAROO - It's hard to oppose Monsieur Chevalier but these American sprinters are blowing the home grown sprinters out of the water.
3.05 - LEOCORNO - I think this race is between my selection and John Gosden's Take The Hint but Take The Hint doesn't look the most straigtforward of rides and hung badly on her last two starts.
3.45 - YEATS - Can't see past him in this race and he will take all the beating.
4.20 - BRIEF ENCOUNTER
4.55 - FREEMANTLE
5.30 - CHIBERTA KING
Going big on Freemantle!
Barstool
easy on there barstool,dont get too excited
eric
I think today will be a day to stay on the right side of the Murtagh/O'Brien combination. I think they'll have at least 2 winners today.
YEATS would be my NAP today. A poor run last time out can be forgiven and he is a triple C&D winner. Today's race will be tougher than the other 3 that he's one but I can't see anything beating him.
Chickened out of going as big as I had planned on Mastercraftsman the other day & regretted it, even though I still won quite abit. SO today it was a decision between Yeats & Freemantle.
All the doubters aboyt Yeats have put me off, even though I'm still confident he will win. Freemantle is also the class horse in his race so went large at 7/4...biggest bet of the year so far for me....and the money has come in for his, is a general 6/5, 5/4 shot now.
PS apparently Yeats done a piece of work at the curragh the other day & it was mind blowing (words that were used to desribe it by another)
Barstool
Barstool
That piece of work at the Curragh you talk about is one of the reasons I am sticking with him.
He worked along side a horse called Von Jawlensky and when Johnny Murtagh asked him to quicken he did so in good fashion. Aiden O'Brien said afterwards that he is a "lazy" horse but that the Ascot Gold Cup was definitely his target again.
no man is an island
no woman is a continent
never trust a man with brown d-m's
A day without sunshine is like night.
Lads, Yeats is too old and slow and I just had a bet with Hills that he will not be in the first 3 at 7/1 which is great value
J Murtagh
DIAMOND JOHNNY G - 50/1 into 14/1 in the first at Ascot!!
Tawaabb 1st race
Lucky Brew Bum
RADIOHEAD wins the first. VERY backable!!!
taking audere and barstool's advice on this one with Yeats PG having 200 on i have just hit confirm on the bet shitting it sitting in at weekend if this baby loses
Del
you madman del boy Yeats is pass it and sitting here watching him go to post doesn't fill me with confidence i'm with geordieland in this one
yeats sitting second going ok
del
In fourth stting pretty Jim McGrath worst commentator in the world
inside the last mile
on the bridle
Yeats looks fooked pushing along hits the front though
well clear
600 Great tipping BOYS
Sweating like a champion there - hoped bloggers liked my commentary
Del
Yeats - winner
what fools you all are
l.piggott
Well done mate. No tipping on our part, horse is just a true champion!
Barstool
US Open play has been suspended due to heavy rain. Apparently the bad weather is due to stay in New York over the next few days making this tough course even harder!!
GOLF = A GOOD WALK SPOILED
Micky Ginge
Got on yeats cheers, put it in a lucky 15 secret society came second ah well. have two left: fremantle and chiberta king hope they romp home.
lucky brew bum
john 3:16
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