((( GOLF ))) HONG KONG Open / LAS VEGAS Shriners Hospitals Open

The UBS Hong Kong Open is the European Tour's final tournament of the 2015 regular season where it’s the final opportunity to retain your playing privileges for next season.

Only the top 110 keep their cards so here’s a list of those around the bubble mark...
105 Johann Carlsson, 106 Oliver Fisher, 107 Scott Jamieson, 108 Renato Paratore, 109 Chris Paisley, 110 Seve Benson, 111 Prom Meesawat, 112 SSP Chawrasia, 113 Anders Hansen, 114 Matthew Nixon, 115 Mikael Lundberg, 116 Tom Lewis, 117 Adrian Otaegui, 118 Matt Ford, 119 Ben Evans, 120 Padraig Harrington, 121 Florian Fritsch, 122 Daniel Gaunt, 123 Peter Lawrie, 124 Kevin Phelan, 125 Roope Kakko

Fanling Golf Course is a very short 6,699-yard par 70 with the front nine measuring only 3,144 yards. The two par fives are the 551-yard 3rd and 529-yard 13th. It features Bermuda greens while the fairways are a mix of Bermuda and Zoysia. Four the of 18 holes dogleg left while two dogleg right.


Justin Rose jets in to HK (on British Airways - one of his major Sponsors) after a T6 in the Frys Open in Napa (closed with a 72) with the chance to bank some Race To Dubai points before the four-tournament Final Series which tees off in Turkey next week. "Hong Kong is one of my favourite cities in the world, and Fanling is a great golf course. Fanling is a very traditional, tree-lined, tight course. It’s not long, but a great test of golf and not easy – as the winning score usually tells you.
I haven’t played there for four years now, but decided to add the tournament to my schedule to give myself as good a chance as possible of winning The Race to Dubai.”
He’s currently in fifth place. In his last nine worldwide starts, the Englishman has finished in the top six on less than six occasions. At this venue, his one previous start resulted in a missed cut (74-69) in 2011 - 6/1 fav 5 places will have to do.
© CMiyc

Ian Poulter 20/1 will play in this week's Hong Kong Open at Fanling after Rich Beem unselfishly agreed to give up his spot.

Poulter found himself in a hole at the start of the week. By dropping out of the world's top 50 in the updated rankings (he slipped from 46th to 51st), it meant he became ineligible for the upcoming WGC event in Shanghai. The knock-on effect was that he would not have been able to play the minimum number of 13 events on the 2015 Race to Dubai to retain his European Tour Membership for next season.
With entries closed, the Englishman's only route was via a tournament invite which had all been handed out but Beem, more of a recreational golfer these days, saved Poulter's bacon by stepping aside and handing him his place.
Beem will instead focus on his flourishing commentary career but should reasonably expect to be wined and dined by Poulter as the week goes on. There could also be champagne coming Beem's way if Europe's Ryder Cup star performs as he does usually in Hong Kong. Poulter won the tournament in 2010 and made the top five either side.

Fowler the main bet this week in the States e/w at 10/1,done a few small win bets in the Hong Kong open for the interest,Horsey 55/1-Karlberg 50/1-llonen 100/1-Uileen 90/1,best of luck this week lads,

VIVA LAS VEGAS so going with Ryan Moore 25/1 who posted a share of 10th at the Frys and is a past winner at TPC Summerlin - his stats are not great but respectable enough along with Brandt Snedeker also 25/1 with a T10 here last year and a T17 at the Frys last week. Cross doubles + Tycoon Prince Sp Sunday.

Added NZ Rugby and Foundation RP Trophy for added interest.
Others to consider are Webb Simpson 40's - Winner here in 2013 and T4s in 2010 and 2014 along Kevin Streelman solo second last year with an actual scoring average of 67.55 in 20 rounds here in Vegas.

Dustin Johnson may well overpower this place, hopefully refreshed after poor fed ex series.

Pod won at this venue in 2004,albeit a lifetime ago but he has been fairly consistent recently for a change and could go well with an early start, hopefully trade lower for aa stake trade at some point, also quite like him in 3 ball.

Dustin Johnson 8.6
Padraig 85

Pod 6/4 to win his 3 ball against Tsung-Pan &Khan.

Best of luck.

Lucas BJERREGAARD (50/1 now 25's) good score (after closing 66,66 for T9 in Portugal)

Justin Rose 5/2
McDowell 9
Fitzpatrick 14
Dustin Johnson 14
Poulter 16
Anirban Lahiri 14
Patrick Reed 22
Lucas Bjerregaard 25

Seen Justin Rose's last few holes,he seemed to have the right tactical idea for the course and bogeyless for the round. Hard to look past him though 5/2 with 3 rounds is skinny enough. No sleep interruption though hopefully Sunday morning.
Small EW db with Callits Rickie Fowler for kick off, best of luck with your picks.

Shriners Open

3pts e.w Ricky Fowler
1.1pt e.w Brandt Snedeker 28-1
1.2pt e.w Ryan Moore 25-1
.4pt e.w Jonas Blixt 80-1
.3pt e.w Colt Knost 150-1

Jonas Blixt and Graeme de Laet are both very good 3 ball bets today. Both available at 11-8, when I think anything evens or above would represent a bet.

3pts Jonas Blixt 11-8 3.04pm 3 ball
3pts Graeme de Laet 11-8 3.04pm 3 ball

Ricky Fowler 11-1

I stuck a few euro on Lucas Bjerregaard and Robert Dinwiddie, in the Shriners Hospitals just 1 bet  Alex Prugh,

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Thanks Kinger, me lucky charm has arrived. Expecting great things today now.

Jonas Blixt threw away any chance of collecting yesterday, when going 7 over through 4. The way he subsequently rallied showed both that he is in fine form, and that he is up for the battle to make the cut.

I would make him slightly more likely to win today, yet 7-4 is available. Cracking bet.

4pts Jonas Blixt 7-4 7.49 3 ball

Weather warning issued for Hong Kong...

..."due to the fast approaching tropical storm Katchem with 100 m/hr winds & torrential rain forecast over the weekend".

"The European Tour is likely to declare a result as the requisite 36 holes of competition is completed". The violent storm is expected to make landfall in the next few hours and further play is highly unlikely in the coming days. "The decision, in conjunction with Competition Main Sponsors UBS, is based on travel commitments of those participating in other events worldwide and with regard to preparation time needed. The safety of players and spectators is foremost in their consideration and the final decision is due shortly". ©CM

Meanwhile, Six of golf’s biggest global names have gathered in central Hong Kong on Friday night to showcase an innovative form of the sport to a new audience in the UBS Hong Kong Open’s ‘Urban Golf Challenge’.
Dustin Johnson, Justin Rose, Graeme McDowell, Patrick Reed, Victor Dubuisson and Thongchai Jaidee got together in Chater Gardens in Hong Kong’s Central district, where UBS had constructed a special ‘nearest the pin’ competition for the star players to take aim and attempt to claim the ‘Urban Golf Challenge’ in front of an enthusiastic crowd against a jaw-dropping backdrop of Hong Kong’s incredible skyline.

After the nearest the pin competition, the pros attempted to replicate Rory McIlory’s winning bunker shot from the 2011 UBS Hong Kong Open on a specially constructed replica of the Hong Kong Golf Club’s 18th green.
Read more at http://www.europeantour.com

Ask Snap to PM u the winner.

rickie fowler layers at over 100 might need a new pair of underpants for the weekend

ALL OVER IN HONG KONG

Well Done Justin -9

2. BJERREGAARD -8
3. POULTER -7

Ricky could even have been a couple of shots better.

Missed 5ft on the par 3, and then made a mess out of the very easy par 5. Two shots more gained would have put him in the mix. Probably needs at least 7 under today, probably 8, to leave him on the coat tails for tomorrow.

Blixt was lucky Justin Hicks didn't have his putting boots on on the back 9 last night!

Dustbin, Jimenez & POD miss the cut

Other "Ricky" Barnes looks big at 150/1 with PP 4 places.

fowler 8 under after making an eagle on the short par four, but as the leaders are looking fairly fragile one imagines he should be within four shots or so by the close of play and with a realistic chance of winning.

Going into the round I thought 15 or 16 under would be the leading score going into round two but that now seems unlikely, even if the back nine is playing significantly easier.

tbh the top of the leaderboard is very poor in quality, Jimmy walker and Rickie fowler apart, Jimbo hasn't got it done for a while so you'd have to fancy Fowler's chances

going into the final round rather.

just as I say that Rick goes in the drink

Curse of posting when a player is looking good,followed it up again,an early night.

Yeah, I was thinking Fowler would have had to get to 12/13 under just to be on the premises for tomorrow.

Shame he finished so poorly, 10 under was certainly attainable. May have looked good by days end.

Tempte to have few quid on Morgan Hoffman, but hate backing on outright during play, as at big disadvantage to those with 'live' pics. Hopefully he will be one or two going into tomorrow.

fancy this Stegmaier to get it done from here. sounds like one of these 1980's teen comedy characters but he seems fairly solid and most of the players chasing him down don't convince me, players like Nah, Tringale and Chad Campbell who struggle to get over the winning line. Walker the main danger.

I hope  Lucas Bjerregaard can do the Business  for me in Hong kong, Rose is playing well i just hope he is a little wayward , ill know when i wake up in the morning.

Walker never really convinces either.

Looks set up for someone to shoot a 6/7 under from a couple off the pace tomorrow, when the leaders are sh*tting themselves.

Shame Justin Thomas isn't in it LR

I kind o hope Bjerre doesn't win Frank....I put him in the golf comp on main forum, but never had a bet in it. Put in Morgan Hoffman in this, but in a toss up backed Knost instead. If the two of them win, I give up!!

I'm convinced that young Justin will win soon. And leaving Justin Rose aside, who will be winning again in a few hours, young thomas shouldn't be doubted either

Na flattering to deceive again. The market never seems to learn the lesson with him, as surely he should be twice the price of a normal player on the same score, given his ability to chuck away winning situations.

Morgan Hoffman is certainly worth a bet this evening at the 7 available on here.

Yes, he has to prove himself in the cauldron of a Final Pairing on Sunday, and yes he did bogey the last last night, and has an unproven player alongside tonight which could result in 4 hours of fear and failure for them.

But over the last two years he has been a player I have looked to have onside in Sunday 2 balls. Granted them punts were generally when he was a little further off the pace, but he does seem to have the bottle for pay day.

If Hoff has questions to answer, so do most of those around him. Jimmy Walker is the big name amongst them, but he has been very fragile on occasions. Kevin Na needs no introduction on that front. Stegmaier, Campbell will hardly strike fear into many either.

Cameron Tringale may put up most resistance, but Hoff does have a two shot start on him, and if there is a future star in the mix, I expect it is Morgan Hoffman. This may be the day he announces himself.

Doubled Hoff and Tringale in 2 balls aswell.

3pts Morgan Hoffman 7.0

Tringale gone 6 up through 4 in his 2 ball, I hope he reigns it I a bit now as he looks a real contender.

Walker has taken an early dump with back to back bogeys. There could be some in running carnage in this I feel!

Hoffman made superb par after horror drive on the first, but another wayward one into trouble on 2 doesn't bode well for the round ahead.

Strange that Na is still shorter(5) than Tringale(5.6), even though Tringale a shot better than him. As you LR, Na a complete headcase. Tringale much more likely to hold it together. McGirt could still have a role to play too.

Na shocking price.

Hoff dead in the water sadly. Very poor effort so far.

Hoffman strikes me as a choker. then again so do Na, Campbell, Bohn, all guys who are seemingly up there week in week out. One of these days one of them will sneak through and win

I recall tringale came very close to winning a tournament in the last 18 months (was he pipped by adam scott? I can't remember) and is one of this lot who are knocking on the door.

If mcgirt posts 15 under that will be interesting as that will be close to the winning score.

Hoff just 3 putt from 12ft on the 5th. That is taking the piss. McGirt would have had a right chance had he holed the putt on the last.

Hoff certainly gets a squiggle after this!!

These guys off the web.com tour getting better every year.

While Hoffs putting gets worse! Just 3 putted from 9ft.

As bad as he has he has been, if he holed the 12ft and 9ft putts instead of 3 putting them(a 4-1 shot instead of the 10000-1 shot he landed!!), he would still be right in it.

thankfully the class acts like Justin Thomas will be back soon and we won't have to endure much more of this dross

Justin Rose.....6/1 fav 5 places will have to do...and a 25/1 second.
© CMiyc

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