Matchplay aces can go close at massive prices

Betting:


THE first big event of the 2013 golfing year gets under way tonight when 64 of the finest players on the planet contest the WGC-Accenture World Match Play Championship.

Favourite Tiger Woods has won the event three times, while the last three golfers to come out on top have been his fellow American Hunter Mahan – who beat Rory McIlroy last year – Luke Donald and matchplay king Ian Poulter.

All have chances once again, but betting on this tournament, in which 18-hole matches can go either way given their sprint format, is notoriously tricky.

It follows that there is little value in backing players at cramped odds, which for the purposes of this column rules out Woods, McIlroy, Donald, Charl Schwartzel, Poulter, Mahan, Louis Oosthuizen, Adam Scott, Justin Rose and Lee Westwood.

Of course, any one of them could win, but their odds are too short for my liking.

That brings us to golfers priced at 33-1 and above- and the two I like are Kaymer and Dustin Johnson.

Kaymer is such a steady player that whoever beats him will need to play well – and even that might not be good enough.

Johnson (35-1) also enjoyed a fruitful Ryder Cup and his booming drives can pile the pressure on opponents.



RECOMMENDATIONS: Dustin Johnson, 35-1 (general); Martin Kaymer, 40-1 (Stan James, Ladbrokes).



ATHLETIC are 20-1 to win in 90 minutes in next Tuesday’s FA Cup fifth-round replay against Everton.

The hosts are 1-6, with the draw in normal time rated a 13-2 shot.