Golf w/c 3/11/25

Abu Dhabi Championship

I'll kick off with the ones I've already mentioned on X - if you want anything new scroll down a bit. Thriston Lawrence was my first bet this week @ 80/1 but he comes with a definitive health/wealth warning as I never seem to call him right! He was 6th in this last year to add to a 2nd and 5th in the UAE so conditions will be fine. He can certainly play links golf as seen by his 4th in the Open. I suppose he's a big price as since his win @ Crans he has certainly been more miss than hit apart from a 3rd in India. One day I'll get him right and lets hope it's a week when he's a big price for his win ratio - hopefully this week!!

PGA World Wide Technology Champs I pencilled Garrick Higgo in for this when he was 2nd in the Sanderson Farms for us @ 45/1 and he maintained that form when 4th in Japan next time out. He's clearly in top form and he does go on these runs from time to time so hopefully he hasn't gone off the boil. He likes the course - 6th on debut last year improving with every round and has similar conditions to his win in the Dominican Republic earlier this year. I thought 33/1 win only on Betfair was fine. Next I put up David Lipsky @ around 125/150 and he has been fairly well backed at that price. I'm not really surprised although the value is really in the place part having finished 3rd twice in the past four months. He was 6th here last year and also 6th in the Mexico Open back in 2022, one of those players where the extra places can count for a lot. First "new" bet comes in the shape of Erik van Rooyen mainly because I was rather shocked to see him @ 180 win and 27 for a top 5. Slightly better than Lipsky he has a brace of seconds this year most notably at Tahoe Mountain in July where he had previously won in 2021. Of course he also won here in 2023 so in a weak field the price just seems too big. Lastly for the PGA tour - it's me old mucker Cristobel del Solar FRL, in theory the course should suit mind you I said that last time but he does have some solid history for starting fast in this neck of the woods and @ 250-300 it doesn't take a lot.

Legends - European Senior Masters No doubt having lumped on Jamie Donaldson on tour debut lto this will be his week but his price has halved and is probably about right, instead three outsiders who may give us a run for our money. Simon Wakefield - only a couple of starts on tour having turned 50 last year but was solid enough in 15th when playing here. It's now 15 years to the week since he won Q School in Spain so maybe a bit of November sun will revitalise him - 125/1 ew or 140 if Denise likes you - they opened 250! Euan Mcintosh - bit stabby - seems to be a link to players who do well @ Murhof where he won his only Seniors title, best of 6th here two years ago 150/1 - 200/1 Jose Coceres - some of the best form there is here the last two years when 6th and 4th so why is he 300/1 you ask? Well he's bang out of form but if you look back those last two years he had also been in poor form - maybe it's just that he loves La Manga so is worth a few quid at the price.