The Punter 
/ Steven Rawlings / 09 February 2012 / Leave a Comment 
Rafael Cabrera-Bello – off to a flier
“Playing the back-nine first, Cabrera-Bello had already gotten himself to -9 by the time he teed off on the par five 3rd but he pared in after that and all the talk of the first European Tour 59 soon came to nothing.”
Steve takes a quick look at the state of play in Dubai, where there was talk of a 59 during round one, and he's already added another pick...
19.55 - February 9, 2012
Despite one of my pre-event picks, defending champ Alvaro Quiros, dropping three shots in his first four holes, it hasn't been a bad day at the Dubai Desert Classic. The enigmatic Spaniard did manage to eventually compose himself and he ended the day on -2. Tied 35th and seven off the lead wasn't exactly the start I was hoping for but I certainly haven't given up on the big feller just yet. He trailed by ten shots at this stage last year and I've had a little top-up at [60.0].
Rafael Cabrera-Bello, today shot the low round I was hoping he'd shoot last Sunday (I backed him at a big price before round four in Qatar) and it could have been quite a bit better. Playing the back-nine first, he'd already gotten himself to -9 by the time he teed off on the par five 3rd but he pared in after that and all the talk of the first European Tour 59 soon came to nothing.
Quiros might have disappointed but two of my picks have fared well so far. Martin Kaymer and Thomas Bjorn both shot 66, as did favourite Rory McIlroy and the three of them are in the bunch in a tie for 4th on -6, three behind Cabrera-Bello.
I've just chucked a few quid at Nicholas Thompson (-4) at a crazy price. He hasn't been in sparkling form of late but he's a winner on the Nationwide Tour and three years ago he had a solid enough season on the PGA Tour, with half-a-dozen top-seven finishes.
It's very, very early days at the A T &T Pebble Beach National but it already looks as though I'm struggling with my picks. Nick Watney and Dustin Johnson are the two that have started the best so far. Coverage starts at 8.00pm on Sky but how much of it I'll be able to watch is debatable. These pro-ams are usually pretty hard to watch, with far too much inane coverage of the 'celebrities'.
Qatar Masters Pre-Event Selections
Martin Kaymer @ [10.0]
Alvaro Quiros @ [28.0]
Thomas Bjorn @ [30.0]
Thorbjørn Olesen @ [140.0]
Thongchai Jaidee @ [220.0]
In-Running Plays
Alvaro Quiros @ [60.0]
Nicholas Thompson @ [350.0]
Steve runs the rule over this week's US PGA Tour event, what's it going to take to win at Pebble?...
Our man takes a good look at the last leg of the Middle East Swing, where Rory McIlroy's a warm order, but is he value?...
Pre-event pick Ben Crane comes up a shot shy but Steve was still happy to see Kyle Stanley win in Phoenix and he couldn't have been more impressed by Paul Lawrie's success in Qatar......
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