Time to get Involved

After the conclusion of yesterday's golf, I decided that it was finally time to weigh in on the action, and bet heartily on the outcome. I have opted (and so should you) for Gary Stal (10/1) in the Lyoness Open, and Brooks Koepka (7/1) in the Fedex St Jude.

The idea behind the bets is looking for overall value. Stal did not perform as expected yesterday, but everyone has off days. Thankfully no one else was able to shine through and he finds himself only one shot off the lead going in to the weekend. 10/1 represents a huge amount of value for a one shot deficit, which would be easily overcome even in the last hole of the tournament, let alone with 36 holes to play. Stal seems the obvious choice in the field and shout outscore compatriot Gregory Bourdy, and the Lombard(direct) man today.

For some time yesterday I was regretting having not backed Colt Knost, and with good reason, he started on the back 9 and finished it three under for the day, and got up to eight under through 12. Colt was one behind and looked set to make up a couple more shots. Then, disaster struck. On the Par 3 fourth, courtesy of a blocked tee shot, Colt found himself twenty yards off line to the right. A perilous chip shot awaited him, with the quickening green ready to whisk away balls in to the water.

No sooner said thank done and Colt had to watch in frustration as his ball sneaked in to the wet stuff. Penalty and drop out and he chipped on for his fourth, two putted (should have been one putt) and made a 6. At a par 3. He dropped back three shots to five under and must have thought his misery had peaked, he had gone from one shot off the lead to four.

But no.

Oh no.

The Golfing Gods are not that kind and misery comes in droves, not drips. Colt's tee shot on the next found the rough, and now he was to be penalised for his lack of distance off the tee. Colt had 238 yards to the green, on a par 4, which is only three yards fewer than his tee shot went. The difference here for the guys with the distance is that even when it goes wrong, they don't have that much left. A strong wedge or maybe a 9 iron, just being cautious of a flyer out of the Bermuda grass rough, but Colt has to take a whole lot more club.

He did an admirable job from the thick stuff, but couldn't make the green. He was thirty yards short, and would need to display some serious short game prowess. Failing to really do so, Colt put his third shot to seven feet, and damn near holed the putt, but not near enough. A five meant four over through the last two, and the disappointment must have been at peak amounts and Colt was probably wishing that he had jumped in the water with the ball.

Colt must have thought that normalcy had resumed on the next hole when he made a fairway-green-two-putt par. Colt was wrong. Thanks to a tugged second on the next hole, and swiftly found himself with a twenty footer for par, which he did not make. Another five and Colt had dropped five shots in the last four holes.

Next up was a Par 3. Colt didn't take enough club off the tee and found himself in the front bunker. Inability to get up and down led to another bogey. Colt had thrown away six shots. Had I backed him, I would have been going absolutely loopy. (Not Loupe). I would have been wishing that I had a Colt 1911 so I could go rampaging and murdering, finally culminating in shooting myself in the head six times. I imagine Colt probably felt similar, although being an American he probably has access to that kind of thing. I consider myself lucky not to be an American, for pretty much that reason alone.

But Colt carried on, and on the 9th, his last hole of the day, he made another birdie. Birdieing the last is excellent for morale, so Colt may feel a little bolstered going in to the weekend, despite a poor rest of the round. The third favourite 14/1 shot is now available at 50s, Poor chap.

Brooks Koepka went about as far in the other direction as possible yesterday. He carded a solid 65, a score that has only been beaten once during the tournament, by Daniel Berger. Koepka is four off the lead going in to the weekend, and will be ready to take the course apart again, to card some strong scores. The powerhouse should do well this weekend, and can overcome any deficit.