Players Championship Tips: Masters man Scott one of four three-ball selections on day one at Sawgrass

"Nick Watney took a little while to adjust to his new Nike clubs but has hit upon a real consistent run of results in recent months."

Back Nick Watney @ 2.77/4 

Golf's Fifth Major begins at Sawgrass on Thursday and what better way to get in the mood than a sprinkling of three-ball bets? Dan Geraghty has picked a quartet to follow on day one...

Experience is key at TPC Sawgrass and recent Masters winner Adam Scott has it in abundance. The Australian fulfilled his potential in devastating fashion at Augusta. With that confidence boost it would be no surprise to see him put in a strong performance this week at a venue where he became the youngest winner of the Players Championship in 2004 (at 23 years old). Scott tees off in the first round with Rory McIlroy, who says Sawgrass doesn't suit him and Steve Stricker who may be the danger at a big price.

Tim Clark is another former Players champion and is perhaps a worthy favourite for his three-ball. However, Kevin Streelman has been in superb form this season and he too has some good rounds at the Players on his CV. The American rates the bet at a nice price. D A Points makes up the trio - in three appearances here his form figures read M/M/WD.

Boo Weekley has bounced back to form with a bang this year and in a weak three-ball stands out as a strong pick against first round opponents Andres Romero, who is again struggling for form, and David Lingmerth who is making his debut in this event. Weekley was 21st here in 2008 when last in this kind of form.

Nick Watney took a little while to adjust to his new Nike clubs but has hit upon a real consistent run of results in recent months. The American's form figures at Sawgrass are at least as good as three-ball favourite Lee Westwood's, if not better. Ian Poulter makes up the trio, the Englishman has some fine rounds here to his name but has been struggling for form this year.

Recommended Bets 
Back Adam Scott @ 2.47/5 
Back Kevin Streelman @ 2.75n/a 
Back Boo Weekley @ 1.910/11 
Back Nick Watney @ 2.77/4 
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US Masters Tips: Augusta lover Scott the top Aussie bet

US Masters / Romilly Evans / 03 April 2012 / Leave a Comment

Adam Scott, pictured during practice this week, loves Augusta

"If there is to be a surprise, it could come from John Senden (an attractive [10.0] to back) whose distance control should allow him to find the right shelves of these notorious greens."

Adam Scott gets good vibes from Augusta and that's giving Romily Evans good vibes as he studies the Top Australian market for the 2012 Masters

Greg Norman, for so long the standard-bearer of Australian golf, always came up a whisker shy of Masters glory. And at first glance the generation which followed him appears similarly doomed. Just take last year at Augusta where Adam Scott, Jason Day and Geoff Ogilvy all came up agonisingly short in the final analysis.

Scott and Day played together in that final round and inspired each other to the giddy heights of second place. Trouble was: they ran into the best closing finish in Masters history from Charl Schwartzel, who made birdie on the final four holes. No crime there.

More worrying, perhaps, is their combined lack of recent form. Day hasn't been better than 20th in any of his stateside outings this season, while Scott has only played nine competitive rounds and has taken the last three weeks off. Still, the latter move was a premeditated attempt by Scott to practice and peak for the Masters, following the lead of Rory McIlroy.

It's a tournament which offers the 31-year-old his best chance of a major. And Scott himself concurs: "Every time I walk out on the course, I feel I can shoot a good score no matter how I'm hitting it."

Those are bold words but they were adeptly backed up in 2011 when for the first time, he truly looked comfortable on the greens with his broomhandle putter (his only three-stab came at the first hole). Scott is prohibitively priced for this market (trading at [3.05] to back) but it's a fair price when you consider his lack of opposition.

The next three in the market - Messrs Day, Ogilvy and Aaron Baddeley - are all putting machines whose ball-striking sometimes lets them down. The flatstick is a real weapon on Augusta's speedy surfaces but if you can't put the ball in position with your iron-play, it's rendered a redundant skill.

Therefore, if there is to be a surprise, it could come from John Senden (an attractive [10.0] to back) whose distance control should allow him to find the right shelves of these notorious greens.

Recommended Bet
Back Adam Scott @ [3.1]
Back John Senden @ [10.0]

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The Punter's In-Play Blog: Great Scott off to a flyer

The Punter / Steven Rawlings / 09 March 2012 / Leave a Comment

Adam Scott – A reluctant in-play bet for The Punter

“Almost every time I’ve backed Scott he’s disappointed me but he had to be sided with at [7.2] here.”

The winds up and it's going to be a tough week. Steve fancies the early pace setters will have a say at the end of the week in Florida and he's reluctantly got one of the first round leaders onside already. Read his thoughts after round one here...

00.10 - March 9, 2012

The forecast suggests that the wind won't be quite as bad over the next three days as it was on day one, but even so, we look set for a real war of attrition around Doral. It was plenty breezy enough yesterday and the leaderboard is packed solid with wind specialists.

Jason Dufner birdied his final hole (the 9th) late in the day to join Adam Scott at the head of affairs on -6 and they're two clear of the rest. Scott had set the early pace with his excellent 66, and it could have been quite a bit better, but for a disappointing finish. Also playing the course back to front, he was seven under par through eleven holes but played the last seven in one over.

If I hadn't meddled just before the off, I'd be more than happy with my lot so far but a last minute back of Phil Mickelson took the shine off the day. I'm a bit of Lefty fan to say the least and I couldn't really work out why he drifted so badly before the off. I couldn't fancy him at [14.0] at the start of the week when the forecast looked atrocious but as the forecast improved slightly, he drifted a lot. I'm not saying he can't play in the wind because he most certainly can but he's always a better bet in calmer conditions so the improving forecast increased his chances in my eyes. Anyway, I couldn't resist [18.5] before the off and so he got added to the eight I'd already backed. He finished up shooting level par and that was about as well as he ever looked like shooting but it's highly unlikely to be good enough as a fast start here looks essential.

I'd pointed out in my preview that the last seven winners have all been right up there from the get-go, with Tiger Woods' win in 2007, from four back after day one, the furthest any winner has been behind at this stage.

Fortunately, three of my pre-event picks are right up there. Both Thomas Bjorn and Charl Schwartzel are tied for third on -4 and Kyle Stanley's in the logjam in a tie for fifth on -3. I thought I'd be getting further involved at this stage and I have, even though I didn't want to! Dufner's still in search of his maiden win so I'm leaving him out for now but I've felt compelled to get Scott onside, even though I really don't like him!

Almost every time I've backed Scott he's disappointed me but he had to be sided with at [7.2] here. Scott has led or been tied for the lead 13 times in the last ten years and he's converted on three of those occasions, including two huge tournaments (last year's WGC Bridgestone and the 2004 Players Championship). Given Dufner's poor record and the fact that three of the last six winners here were in front after day one, I felt I had to get Scott onside, as much as it pains me.

I'm tempted by Aaron Baddeley, he's on -3 and he's the latest in a long line of magnificent Find Me A 100 Winner picks for Paul Krishnamurty in 2012, but I'm going to leave it for now and see what round two brings.

Away from my bets, one round one finish worthy of note was that of Sergio Garcia. The enigmatic Spaniard has had his spells in the doldrums of late and it looks like he could well be heading for another dark phase - he finished absolutely appallingly, bogeying five in-a-row before finding water twice on the treacherous 18th. And to think some poor soul backed him at [7.0] in-running!

Just a quick word on the week's other event - the Puerto Rico Open. More bad news on the last minute bet front I'm afraid. As well as getting Lefty onside at Doral, I also backed Stephen Ames and Jerry Kelly here. Ames was awful, Kelly slightly less so.

Of my pre-event picks, my bright spark so far is Ben Curtis, backed at [80.0], who spent much of the day atop of the leaderboard. Matt Jones and George McNeill sneaked past him late in the day but I'm more than happy with his five under par 67 start.

I don't know whether the organisers have had the European Tour scorers give them hand this week but there were a number of errors, as there are week in and week out on the Race to Dubai. Two of my players had their scores amended way after they'd finished their rounds but for a refreshing change, both went in my favour. Graham DeLaet's was the most pleasing amendment - his one under par 71 was changed to a three under 69. I'd advise a little caution if you're betting in-running here.

WGC Cadillac Championship Pre-Event Bets
Phil Mickelson @ [18.5] (after the preview was published)
Charl Schwartzel @ an average of [34.0]
Rickie Fowler @ [55.0]
Kyle Stanley @ [100.0]
Louis Oosthuizen @ [160.0]
Thomas Bjorn @ [210.0]
Paul Casey @ [250.0]
Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano @ [450.0]
Greg Chalmers @ [450.0]

In-Running Bet
Adam Scott @ [7.2]

Puerto Rico Open Pre-Event Bets
Dicky Pride @ [55.0]
Troy Matteson @ [65.0]
Stephen Ames @ [70.0] (after the preview was published)
Jerry Kelly @ [70.0] (after the preview was published)
Ben Curtis @ [80.0]
Matt Bettencourt @ [110.0]
Graham DeLaet @ [130.0]

It may well be playing second fiddle to the WGC Cadillac Championship but someone has to win in Puerto Rico. Has Steve found that someone? Read his preview here......

With breezy weather forecast for the second WGC event of the year, our man plumps for an octet of wind specialists at tasty prices, and he also has a plan for day one. Read his preview here......

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Scott Baumstein Leads WPT Bay 101 As Only 20 Players Remain

Poker News / Matthew Pitt / 08 March 2012 / Leave a Comment

Scott Baumstein (Photo: WPT / Francesco Rizzo)

Baumsteim, like his fellow Americans, lost his right to play online poker in the aftermath of Black Friday and was forced to turn his attention to live poker and so far it seems to be working out more than okay for him

One of the most popular stops on the World Poker Tour is without a shadow of a doubt the Bay 101 Shooting Stars Main Event in San Jose. The tournament is always one of the best attended each season, which means it has some huge prizes on offer but its unique format makes it fun and exciting to both watch and participate in.

Each year a number of prominent poker players are selected to become Shooting Stars for the duration of the event and each of these so-called Shooting Stars has a $5,000 bounty placed on their head. Whoever eliminates a Shooting Stars picks up their $5,000 bounty and a personalised T-shirt. It is all good fun and has always been received well. Along with these bounties the chip leaders from Day 1a and Day 1b also receive a $10,000 bonus which means it can be quite a profitable trip even if a player does not make it into the money.

Yesterday saw 149 players and 19 shooting stars return to their seats in the Bay 101 Casino in San Jose, California for Day 2 of the Main Event and by the time the tournament director Matt Savage called time on proceedings only 20 players has chips to bag up, amongst them just two Shooting Stars. They were JC Tran who bagged and tagged 145,000 and former World Series of Poker Main Event champion Jonathan Duhamel who ended the day with a much healthier looking stack of 751,000 chips. However, both bounty-laden players were massively outchipped by Scott Baumstein who will start Day 3 later today armed with little ceramic discs worth 1,301,000.

Who wants to be a millionaire

Baumstein was one of only three players to end the Day 2 with more than one millions chips, the others being Andrew Badecker (1,106,000) and Moon Kim (1,016,000), and he is now in pole position to take down this tournament. Baumstein may not be a household name just yet but he is an extremely talented poker player indeed and it is only a matter of time before he becomes better known in the live poker world; maybe this could be his springboard to stardom?

The American is a high-stakes heads-up sit 'n' go specialist and like some of his peers, Olivier Busquet springs to mind, he has been able to transfer his online skills into the live arena. Baumsteim, like his fellow Americans, lost his right to play online poker in the aftermath of Black Friday and was forced to turn his attention to live poker and so far it seems to be working out more than okay for him. In 2011 he cashed twice at the World Series of Poker including reaching the final table of the $5,000 Shootout event, he also finished fourth at WPT Amneville where he busted out in fourth place and in November he won a star-studded €10,000 buy-in High Roller event at the Amsterdam Masters for a career best score of €129,500. In total Baumstein has won just under $745,000 from live poker tournaments but that amount will be dwarfed if he goes all the way in this event as there is $960,900 awaiting the eventual winner, plus the possibility of two $5,000 bounties of course.

Standing between Baumstein and the win are the aforementioned players but also a sprinkling of talented and famous players including WSOPE bracelet winner Erik Cajelais, former WPT champion Taylor von Kriegenbergh and WSOP bracelet winner Amir Lehavot. Play resumes at 12:00 Pacific Time (20:00GMT) and we believe the plan is to play down to the six-handed final table. At which point each player will be guaranteed $128,200 and will be just five eliminations away from becoming a World Poker Tour champion.

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Timeform Radio Racing Tips: Stick with Scott at Ffos Las

Timeform Radio Tip / Will Hayler / 28 November 2011 / Leave a Comment

How will Azione fare at Ffos Las today?

"Priors Gold has a touch of class and is up to defying top-weight in the two-mile handicap at Wolverhampton (17.20pm) despite a 6lb penalty for winning a maiden at this track on Friday."

Will Hayler fill the pundit's chair at Timeform Radio today and brings two horses to follow starting at Ffos Las...

With a fine strike-rate and a level-stakes profit for SP backers for the last three years, the Jeremy Scott stable is always one that punters should want to be with.

And odds-against ([2.08]) looks a fair price for Azione as she bids to follow up last week's Exeter win in the UC Better Handicap Hurdle (14.55pm) at Ffos Las this afternoon.

Making her debut for the stable, she soon skipped clear and was never in any danger throughout under Matt Griffiths, holding off the late rally of Water Garden by a length-and three-quarters without ever having to be quite asked for maximum effort.

Of course, there are reasons for fearing a 'bounce' today as she as she comes back to the track just eight days after that first start for more than seven months, while this contest is probably also a little stronger.

But off the same lowly handicap mark - more than a stone lower than her highest rating - and with the prevailing soft ground in her favour, there is no doubt that she deserves to be a hot favourite and the doubts about her are fairly factored into her price.

Priors Gold has a touch of class and is up to defying top-weight in the two-mile handicap at Wolverhampton (17.20pm) despite a 6lb penalty for winning a maiden at this track on Friday.

He has been expensive to follow as a hurdler but ideally wants to do everything on the bridle as he never looks that keen when pressure is applied.

Tom Queally gave him the ideal ride on Friday night, letting him cruise through the contest with only minimal urging before his obvious class told in the closing stages. Although this is hotter, if today's talented teenage rider can keep him similarly sweet for the first mile-and-a-half, he could prove simply far too good where it matters.

Cautious backers might like to consider leaving in a small stake-covering lay at an odds-on price, just in case Priors Gold decides not to exert himself fully in the finish.

Recommended Bets
Back Azione @ [2.08] in the 14:55 at Ffos Las
Back Priors Gold @ [2.88] in the 17:20 at Wolverhampton

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Adam Scott

Player Profiles / Paul Krishnamurty / 29 March 2011 / Leave a Comment

Player Profiles

Tiger Woods Phil Mickelson Lee Westwood Martin Kaymer Graeme McDowell Nick Watney Paul Casey Luke Donald Rory McIlroy Dustin Johnson Matt Kuchar Bubba Watson Jim Furyk Padraig Harrington Hunter Mahan Steve Stricker Ernie Els Retief Goosen Geoff Ogilvy Vijay Singh Anthony Kim Alvaro Quiros Ian Poulter Justin Rose Sergio Garcia Adam Scott Rickie Fowler KJ Choi Martin Laird Francesco Molinari

Putter problems make Scott a dodgy bet

Last five Masters results: 18/mc/25/27/27
Current Masters odds: [95.0]

Scott went into many a notebook as a future Masters winner when finishing ninth on debut in 2002, but has never since justified that early confidence. Some might say that reflects the wider career trajectory of a man once billed as 'the next Tiger Woods', though in reality Adam is one of the most prolific winners around, with 19 worldwide titles to his name. The problem, however, is a weakness with a putter which is never likely to bode well for Augusta.

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Last five Masters results: 4/mc/41/27/mc Current Masters odds: [70.0] Choi has twice put up a superb final day challenge at the Masters, including when fourth last year. Those memories are bound to make the Korean a popular outside pick, especially...

Last five Masters results: -/-/-/-/- Current Masters odds: [65.0] With his flamboyant style and superb iron play, Fowler is another emerging American with more than a passing resemblance to Mickelson. However, while nobody doubts his enormous potential, the 2010 'Rookie...

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