Sky Bet odds compiler John Rhodes talks Luke Donald, Sergio Garcia and this week's top golf action.
Sky Bet odds compiler John Rhodes talks Luke Donald, Sergio Garcia and this week's top golf action around the globe
Skysports.com: Plenty of punters were kicking themselves last week as the results seemed so obvious with Sergio Garcia winning on his home course, Luke Donald beating a weak US Tour field, KJ Choi winning his own event and women's number one Yani Tseng trotting up on home-soil. What were the respective odds of those four and, the big question, did anyone have them all in an accumulator?
John Rhodes: Donald and Garcia were both 8-1 with us, KJ Choi was the 4-1 favourite ahead of S-Y Noh and Anthony Kim, and Yani Tseng wrapped up her seventh victory of the year as the strong favourite at 5-2. No one managed the four timer, but one Sky Bet punter placed a £50 each-way treble on Donald, Garcia and Tseng, so he was delighted with the three favourites coming in!.
SS: Looking at the tournaments individually, what price was Luke Donald going into the final round and did many people back him before Sunday's action teed off?
JR: He was a 20-1 shot going into the final round, five shots back of both Leonard and Chappell. He was backed both pre and during round one, but no one really took the world number one to win after the third round had ended.
SS: Luke's win gave him the US Money List title. What odds were you quoting him at pre-season and what price were Tiger Woods and Money List runner-up Webb Simpson?
JR: Donald went off at 33-1! Woods was the 4-5 favourite and, amazingly, we didn't even quote Webb Simpson in the ante-post market, so you would have been looking at 150-1, maybe even 200-1.
SS: Have you priced up this the 2012 US Money List yet?
JR: Yes I managed to get some odds out after Donald's victory, and I make both him and Tiger 9-1 joint favourites, with Rory McIlroy third best at 10-1. The Americans dominate the rest of the market with Dustin Johnson and Simpson at 12-1, and Nick Watney at 14-1.
SS: Do you have odds on Luke winning a Major in 2012?
JR: Yes, we are 11-4 from 3-1 that he wins a Major. We are 16-1 for the US Masters and 14-1 for the Open Championship.
SS: Looking to Sergio now, what odds is the Spaniard to win a Major next year and do you have any other specials on him?
JR: Sergio is an 8-1 shot to win a Major next year, 25-1 to win the Open and 33-1 for the US Masters. We also make Sergio a 1-2 shot to make the 2012 Ryder Cup side, from a pre Castello Masters price of 2-1.
SS: Sergio is back in action in this week's Andalucia Masters at Valderrama while Rory McIlroy and Lee Westwood contest the Shanghai Masters. What are your prices and do you predict a few Garcia/Westwood or Garcia/McIlroy doubles?
JR: We have seen early money for Sergio this week and are now 13-2 from 7-1 for him to score back-to-back wins in his native Spain. In China, McIlroy heads the betting at 5-1, with world number two Westwood next best at 11/2. With small fields this week all over the world I'd expect punters to be "multi-ing" up this week, so it wouldn't surprise me to see the favourites covered in these perm bets.
SS: The US Tour boys head to Malaysia for the CIMB Asia Pacific Classic. How do you price that one up?
JR: A pretty weak affair unfortunately, with defending champion and last time out winner Ben Crane the joint favourite at 12-1 with Brandt Snedeker. Ryan Moore and Camilo Villegas are next in the market at 14-1.
SS: Finally, what other events have you priced up John, and let us know your best bet of the week?
JR: Sky Bet have odds on the Andalucian Masters, Shanghai Masters in China, CIMB Classic in Malaysia, the Nationwide Tour Championships from Florida, The ABC event on the Japanese tour, the WA Open on the Australian Tour and the Allianz Tour final from France, where European Tour player Alexandre Kaleka heads the betting at 7-1. We also have an early show for next week's Challenge Tour Finale from Italy where exciting English prospect Tommy Fleetwood heads the market at 7-1, but look out for fellow Englishman Sam Little who, amazingly, has won three of his last four starts on the tour!
For a tip, a bit boring I know but Sergio was so impressive last week it's hard to see past him at Valderrama this week.
SS: Thanks John.
* John Rhodes was talking to Dave Tindall
