2010 Race To Dubai: Five Players To Follow

1. Ross Fisher
Rory McIlroy's decision to concentrate on the US PGA Tour in 2010 leaves the way clear for the likes of Fisher to pick up plenty of Euros in regulation events and at 12/1 (bet365) there are worse bets for the Race To Dubai. He will also play in the World Championship events and the four majors - all of which count towards the title - and as a proven big occasion player he will fancy his chances of winning at least one of those. His quadruple bogey at the fifth hole of his final round in the Open at Turnberry is still fresh in the mind, but he will learn from that experience and this year's venue, St Andrews, affords him a good chance to make amends as he played well there in the 2008 Links Championship (beaten in a play-off).

Best chance to win: European Open (London Club, May).

2. Lee Westwood
A predictable pick perhaps but he's worth highlighting as, like Fisher, a Major breakthrough might be imminent. At one stage last season, I was putting the Worksop Wonder up as a lay when in contention as he'd become a serial loser and I thought his bottle had gone. Golf's a funny game, though, and he finished the season in brilliant style with wins in Portugal and Dubai, which gave him the 2009 Race To Dubai title. A repeat in 2010 is very likely, although a best price of 9/2 looks plenty short enough. Better odds can be obtained on him winning the US Open, an event he always plays well in, while he should continue to win his fair share of lesser European events.

Best chance to win (a major): US Open at Pebble Beach

3. Martin Kaymer
At just 25, there is plenty more to come from the German who completed only his third year on Tour in 2009 and has already won four times. He might have won the Race To Dubai were it not for a go-karting accident, which kept him out for several weeks, and he looks a decent bet at 15/2 (Paddy Power) for top honours in 2010. His future lies on the world stage and he'll no doubt give the PGA Tour a go at some stage but for this coming season at least he's planning to play the bulk of his schedule in Europe. His game doesn't have any weaknesses and being German he has the temperament to go with it, so he screams multiple winner.

Best chance to win: On home soil but virtually anywhere he tees up.

4. Robert Allenby
A surprise inclusion perhaps but the Aussie is planning on making several appearances on this side of the pond after plying his trade on the PGA Tour for many years, with limited success. He has never quite fulfilled his early promise and had become one of the more frustrating players to back due to tendency to buckle under pressure. However, that might be about to change as a fresh outlook on life after the death of his mother and a new mind coach has brought about a transformation in his game. In two consecutive weeks in December, he won the Nedbank Challenge in South Africa and followed up in the Australian PGA. I expect him to go on to better things in 2010 and post a win on European soil.

Best chance to win: Plays well in the wind and likes links-style golf so something like the Irish Open would suit.

5. Sam Hutsby
A less familiar name completes the list but I predict he will make a name for himself in 2010 and golf punters will be singing his praises by the end of it. Second to Simon Khan at Q-School at the backend of 2009, he's already made his mark on the pro circuit, finishing eighth in the Castello Masters and 14th in the Singapore Open. His 21-year-old frame may be slight, but he still gives the ball a good whack. Combine that with his prowess with the flat stick and youthful confidence, and it's hard to see him not winning at least once this season - a 7/2 shot with Skybet.

Best chance to win: Any time soon, the Africa Open perhaps.

 

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