Bob Hope Classic: Clark Has Big Shout in Shootout

Bob Hope Classic (January 20th-24th)

Format: Pro-am played over five rounds (field of 128 pros plus 384 amateurs)
Courses: SilverRock Resort (par-72, 7,578 yards), La Quinta CC (par-72, 7,060 yards), PGA West-Palmer Course (par-72, 6,950 yards), PGA West-Nicklaus Course (par-72, 6,951 yards), La Quinta, California - all four courses used in rotation.
Weather: Strong possibility of storms Wednesday through to Friday, calmer conditions at the weekend.
Where to watch: Live on Sky Sports all four days, starting 8.00pm (UK time) Wednesday
Bets on by: 5pm (UK time) Wednesday
2009 Winner: Pat Perez (33 under)

Ross' Three Off The Tee:-

Tim Clark @ 22/1 bet365
Both Clark and Brian Gay (one of my other picks last week) played OK at the Sony and I was tempted to put them both up again this week. Gay's record here is not that great, though, whereas Clark (tied-25th last week) has posted two top-fives in just three starts. As always, this event is going to be a shootout - only one winner this century has registered a total worse than a25 under - and my man's dialled-in irons should set up plenty of birdie opportunities on greens that are expected to be soft and receptive. I'm convinced he will land his first PGA Tour win in 2010 and this week affords him a great opportunity.

John Senden @ 33/1 Blue Square
Like Clark, Senden hits it straight as an arrow off the tee and finds greens with monotonous ease (ranked first on Tour in 2009), so it's not hard to imagine him having a good week. He's already shown a liking for the set-up here having posted three to-10 finishes in the last five renewals and arrives here with some good form under his belt, having finished runner-up in the Australian PGA Championship just before Christmas. At a tasty 33/1, I fancy him to pick up where fellow Aussie Robert Allenby left off last week.

John Merrick @ 60/1 Stan James
Was co-leader after the first round of the Sony, only to fade away to finish in a tie for 25th. Still, he did manage to hit a field-tying-high 57 greens in regulation (79.2%) and that bodes well for his chances this week. Runner-up here last year and sixth in the 2008 US Open at Torrey Pines, the Californian clearly thrives in his home state and the 60/1 seriously underestimates his chances.

Bubbling Under: Martin Laird
In form (tied-4th in the SBS Championship) and has the game to succeed here - hit 60 out of 72 greens at Kapalua (83.33%).

Punters Beware: Justin Rose
Finished like a train at Waialae with a 64 to earn quotes around the 20/1 mark this week but he often flatters to deceive.

Recommended Bets:-
Tim Clark 1.5pts each-way @ 22/1 bet365
John Senden 1pt each-way @ 33/1 Blue Square
John Merrick 1pt each-way @ 60/1 bet365

 

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Tags: Bob Hope Classic,  Golf Betting,  John Merrick,  John Senden,  Justin Rose,  La Quinta CC,  Martin Laird,  PGA Tour,  PGA West,  Silverrock Resort,  Tim Clark