Golf - Transitions Championship J.B To Take Title Holmes by Anthony Lucas

Posted: Tuesday, 16th March 2010

Compare odds on the Transitions Championship

(Starts Thursday 18th March 2010)

No one player is dominating the PGA Tour in Tiger's absence, which makes for entertaining golf for the viewer but a bit of a minefield for your average gambler.

Take Ernie Els for example. Ties for 67th at the Honda Classic and seemingly not in the running to win in Doral, only to then go and spank the field by 4 shots. And who would have guessed little known Derek Lamely would win in Puerto Rico after only a dozen starts?

Golf is a complex game and betting on it can be even more complex, but with the field so open, there's always a chance of landing a big one.

And they don't come much bigger than monster hitter J.B Holmes, who's definitely due a win on current form. In 6 starts this season, he has made the cut every time and then gone on to finish in the top 25 in four of these events.

Still only 27, his best golf is yet to come and if he continues to back up a thunderous long game with a delicate short one, adding to his two tour wins won't be a problem for the man from Kentucky.

The big guy has a 2nd and 3rd already this year and finished a respectable 12th at the Honda Classic, played on the difficult Champions Course in Florida.

You can forgive him for missing the cut at Innisbrook last year as he was just on the cusp, shooting a 71 and 73, yet was sent home for the weekend. Two years prior to this, however, he tied for 11th so it's not beyond the realms of possibility that he could go ten better and secure his third PGA Tour win.

The 50/1 on offer creates a good each way bet and I'll be hoping Holmes overpowers the course to take another title back to Kentucky.

Usually I don't back the favourites in a golf event because in my experience, only Tiger Woods has ever been able to consistently win tournaments when leading the betting before the off. Everyone else tends to disappoint.

However, in Steve Stricker there is a man who quite rightly deserves the tag as number two in the world and the most consistent player on the PGA Tour.

In his five events this year he has managed three top ten's including a win and a third. In 2009 he made 19 cuts and finished in the top ten on 11 occasions. If there is one player the others will fear next to Tiger, then it's the 43 year-old from Wisconsin.

A tie for 16th last week is poor compared to the high standards he has set himself in recent times and I'm sure Stricker will want to improve on his 4th at this tournament last year.

What I like about Stricker is he cares about the game and he cares about doing well. He's had more success than most in the past two years, yet still cried when he won the Northern Trust Open.

I have every confidence that he will be in with a shout come the final day and when he is, watch out for him to storm through the pack and take his second title of the year, justifying the short odds of 15/1 with Betfair.

RECOMMENDATIONS
4pts - STEVE STRICKER @ 15/1 (Betfair)
1pt Each Way - J.B HOLMES 50/1 (GENERALLY)

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