[FC Basher]

BMW Asian Open Top GB & Ireland Player Market
Looks a very open market with likes of Graeme Mcdowell, David Howell,Darren Clarke all easily oppesable, Mcdowell did finish 5th last week but only posted one sub 70 round ok hes improved this season to win an event this season but hes there to be shot at in my eyes opening round of 73 last week and thats the same score he posted in last years opening round in this event were he eventually finished 9th.David Howell well the wheels have come off in 2007 he was shocking were he was ranked 142nd,2008 hes lying 55th,he finished 2nd in Portugal over a fortnight ago,so abir of a confidence booster if nothing else,but had another poor event finishing 28th and posting a 79 in the final round.Darren Clarke now seems to be a player in name only and is becoming a also ran,Damien Mcgrane did win last week and has been installed 3rd fav in this market,probably just a flash in the pan,ok he finished 2nd in the Indian open,but hes 2008 record shows he still has plenty of bad rounds highlighted by the fact he has only shot one sub 70 round in the final round of any event so far this season.
I putting my faith in Oliver Fisher @ 14s generally is in his rookie year and is ranked 38th if hes there abouts can post sub 70 final rounds which has done six times this season.

Singles Market- John Bickerton @ 66's total stab in the dark here as he has no form for this event.

Oppose Paul Lawrie hes been a frustrated golfer for along time now.

[Beanie]

Gonna open up my trading for the BMW Asian open with a few punts - the presence of some of the bigger names in players like Goosen and Stenson means some pretty meaty prices on the names at the top of the leaderboard.

The reputation/class of players like those isnt in question - but their form in China/energy after the Masters and other US tournies might be. Those that need these wins so much more will be far hungrier for this, and so I dont particularly see any value in those players, but plenty elsewhere.

This tourney does look a tricky one to read tho, so just small stakes for now...

2pt Darren Clarke @ 8.00
1.6pts RJ Derksen @ 9.80
0.8pts Tunnicliff @ 20
0.4pts Wen-Tang Lin @ 50
0.2pts Illonen @ 95
0.2pts Mu @ 140

Darren is back after a short rest and looking fresh and good, a lot more like his old self. If he is back to his best then the 8s are huge. RJ is top of the leaderboard and playing well - he can handle these situations and for a 2nd round leader looks a little big.

Tunnicliff is a very consistent, steady player, and so if the conditions are tricky again he should stay well in contention. Same goes for Wen-Tang.

Illonen, on the other hand, is exceptionally streaky(was in contention after R1 before going +5 for his first 4 holes in R2.) He could easily do that again and play himself out of it, but likewise from off the pace he's still a live contender. Mu is an amatuer, hence the huge price despite only being 3 off the lead - so I'm prepared to take a chance on the unknown local.

[Snodser]

Can see where you are coming from beans but its too "up in the air" for me.I'd love to see Clarke get in after all he's been thru but there's little room for sentiment.
I'm on Goosen & McIroy for my sins since before the off but I'm stopping there.
Im keeping my powder dry for the WE rugby but best of luck.

[Beanie]

Clarke is usually a player I avoid like the plague - one of those players that seems incapable of following a good round with another, but I watched most of his round today and he seems a lot different to the way I've seen him look for atleast a year.

But I take your point about this tourney - the Chinese events are always tricky to call as you dont know how the course is going to play from one round to the next. I'm hoping for some fairly stable conditions in which case those at the top such as Clarke and RJD can push on given that they already have 4/5 shots on the bulk of the field which could be tricky to make up round here. If not, it could be carnage

[Snodser]

Originally Posted by Beanie

Clarke is usually a player I avoid like the plague - one of those players that seems incapable of following a good round with another

You've obviously never seen him in front of a few round's of Guinness . No stopping him

[Beanie]

Touche

[Snodser]

Originally Posted by Beanie

Touche

Plutôt "Touché" mais enfin' ;-)