2013 Ballantine’s Championship Betting Preview and Tips

also check out my Zurich Classic Of New Orleans Tips here.

Felipe Aguilar 40/1

The Chilean played great to get into the playoff last week in Parador de El Saler and has the game to contend again this week at Blackstone. Seems to have found form after three missed cuts in March. Started the season well with three top 10’s including tied thirds in Dubai and Johannesburg. Was tied fourth at the halfway point here last year and finished tied seventh.

Richie Ramsay 25/1

Only one top 10 this season to date at the Volvo Golf Champions but I was impressed with his tied 15^th last time out in Morocco after a first round of 74. Ramsay tied for 13^th in 2011 and finished solo second in 2012. Lightly raced with only five starts in 2013 but Richie has already travelled from South Africa, to the Emirates, to Arizona, to Morocco and now to South Korea!

Mikko Ilonen 45/1

Fully fit again, Mikko continues to impress this season. Tied 17^th at the weather affected Malaysian Open then tied second in the King’s front garden at the Trophee Hassan last time out. A poor first round of 75 put paid to any chances of winning here last year but Mikko recovered well for a share of 32^nd place. If he channels his recent good form to start well on Thursday, this Fin might be flying again.

Victor Dubuisson 30/1

What’s your vector Victor? Before you tell me Victor let us down last week, let me say this in his defence. Parador de El Saler was tough, and Victor, coming off a three week break, was on level par coming into Sunday. Okay he had a poor round of 78 which dropped him from tied 30^th to tied 61^st  but let’s look more to his three top 10’s in Qatar, India and Malaysia coming into this week. Tied for third on his debut here last here even with a Friday 75; I expect the Frenchman to be on the podium again this week.

Bernd Wiesberger 25/1

I think odds of 25/1 are very generous on the defending champion Bernd Wiesberger. Came into the event with no form last year having shot nine of his last ten rounds in the 70’s, but decimated the field with a pair of 65’s and a 68 from Friday on to win by five shots. Those last 54 holes were bogey free too and it’s hard to imagine he won’t play well again this year after a tied fifth finish in Morocco where he contended all the way.

Kiradech Aphibarnrat 35/1

The Barn Rat is no longer a man that goes under the radar having given us a great score with a win in Malaysia. Since the event moved to Blackstone he’s been tied 27^th in 2011 and tied 15^th last season after coming off a missed cut in China. His third round of 65 shows he can go low here and now that he’s a winner, should have the confidence to play well again.

Best Of The Rest

David Howell 40/1 tied 12^th here last season, a great result that came at a tough time and gave him the belief that he could climb back up the rankings and compete with the world’s best. With four top 10’s already this season, some week soon everything is going to fall into place and he’ll win again. Let’s hope he can put that disastrous hole in the final round of the Open de Espana far behind him this week.

Magnus A Carlsson 50/1 returned from a missed cut in Morocco to tie fourth at the Open de Espana and it will be interesting to see how he performs in Korea this week given his solid season form.