“Casey has already won in China twice, including this event in 2005, and he always seems to play well here. I know I’m taking a big risk on current form but at 38.037/1, I think it’s worth it.”
The Race to Dubai moves on to China this week, to yet another brand new venue. What will it take to shine at Binhai Lake Golf Club, where Steve's putting his faith in a pair of Pauls?
Tournament History
It's not a bad field by any means, but with a purse of US$3.1million and a first prize of US$500,000, I would have expected one or two more high-profile players lining-up for this, the 18th staging of the Volvo China Open.
Venue
Binhai Lake GC,Tianjin,China
Course Details
Par 72 - 7667 yards
Having only opened last year, the Binhai Lake Golf Course is seeing tournament action for the very first time. Designed by Schmidt-Curley Design with the help of legendry designer, Pete Dye, it's a long, wind-swept track with wide fairways. There are 10 waterfront holes and small, undulating greens are protected by a number of Dye's trademark sleeper-faced bunkers.
Useful Sites
Event site
Tee Times
TV Coverage
Live on Sky all four days, 6.30am on Thursday and Friday and at 6.00am on Saturday and Sunday.
Sky advertises the coverage as live but tends to show recorded play for the first couple of hours on Thursday and Friday. If you want to avoid the recorded stuff I suggest you switch on after 9.00am. The live coverage didn't start until just 9.00am in Malaysia last week, and I imagine they'll do the same again here.
Last Five Winners
2011 - Nicolas Colsaerts
2010 - Y.E Yang
2009 - Scott Strange
2008 - Damien McGrane
2007 - Markus Brier
Market leaders
Having both performed with much credit at Augusta National, Ian Poulter and Peter Hanson are vying for favouritism. Defending Champ, Niclas Colsaerts, who should be suited by this year's venue, is currently third best.
Selections
With yet another new venue, we're somewhat in the dark again but I've taken a chance on a couple of players from the start.
From what I've read about the venue, length is required off the tee, with accuracy not necessarily that important. With the small greens, solid Greens In Regulations stats are a must and an ability to play in windy conditions looks key too. So step forward the bang in-form Paul Lawrie.
Having already won this season, at long, windswept Doha in Qatar and fresh off a brilliant performance at Augusta National, Lawrie is playing some of the best golf of his career this year and I thought he looked fairly priced at 34.033/1.
My only other pick, Paul Casey, is much more of a gamble with regards to current form. Since returning from injury, having dislocated his shoulder snowboarding, Casey hasn't exactly set the world alight, in fact, he's missed his last three cuts but he was in great form prior to the injury and if he's going to bounce-back, China could be the place for him to do so.
Casey did actually play well last weekend, losing out to Thomas Bjorn in a playoff for the Bahrain Invitational. I'm not for a moment suggesting that we should consider this one-round jolly a solid form guide but it does at least show he's happy enough with the injury to play such an event. He's already won in China twice, including this event in 2005, and he always seems to play well here. Some of the High Street firms are as low as 21.020/1 about him this week and I can see why they're cautious. I know I'm taking a big risk on current form but at 38.037/1, I think it's worth it.
Volvo China Open Selections:
Paul Lawrie @ 34.033/1
Paul Casey @ 38.037/1
I'll be back later with a preview of the week's US PGA Tour event - the Valero Texas Open.
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