Welcome to Virtual Insanity, where we spend virtual money to try and win virtual money on golf betting. It's that simple!
Virtual Insanity is going to end up in profit for 2021 after last week's headline tip Lucas Herbert won the Bermuda Championship at 60/1!
We started the year with a 'virtual' €1000 and the pot is at €1490 from €1000 for 2021 with three tournaments to go. At times it's been a challenge, with ups and downs, but ultimately we have come out on top for a healthy profit with winners throughout the year at 60/1, 33/1, 22/1, 12/1, and 9/1 and places at 150/1, 150/1, and 175/1.
So sincere thanks to everyone who checks out the column each week. I hope it informs your decision-making.
This week's tournament of focus is the World Wide Technology Championship on the US PGA Tour in Mexico.
Played at the par 71 Greg Norman-designed El Camaleon golf club at the Mayakoba resort, the field features our own Shane Lowry, Seamus Power, and Graeme McDowell, last year's winner Viktor Hovland and major champions Brooks Koepka and Justin Thomas.
It's a tight golf course that demands accuracy off the tee, but once that is achieved, opportunities are plentiful and the winning score tends to be in the region of 20 under par.
Bets need to be placed by 11.55am Irish time on Thursday.
Be sure to shop around, with bookmakers such as Paddy Power, Betfair, William Hill, SKY Bet, and Betfred offering 1/5 the odds for your pick to get into the top 8 places.
Our first selection is Scottie Scheffler for €7 each way at 33/1. (1/5 the odds the first 8 places, William Hill).
One of the American stars from the Ryder Cup was Scottie Scheffler, who took down the world number one Jon Rahm in the singles. Rookie of the year in 2020, he posted eight top-ten finishes last season and three of those were in majors. Ranked 23rd in the world, it's hard to believe he hasn't won on the PGA Tour, but that's where we are. It's a question of when Scheffler breaks through, not if. On his only appearance at Mayakoba, he came home in a tie for 18th place. He was 17th in strokes gained off the tee last year, so he should be able to give himself the platform to attack this week. I have a sense that he could be a PGA Tour winner on Sunday.
Our second selection is Abraham Ancer for €5 each way at 18/1. (1/5 the odds the first 8 places, William Hill, Betfred).
It would be a good local story if Mexican Abraham Ancer won on his home patch. He's got the victory monkey off his back - in a World Golf Championship no less at the Fed Ex St Jude Invitational in August. He followed up on that with a couple of top-ten finishes and started the new season with a tie for 14th at the CJ Cup. Ancer has been the model of consistency and is now ranked 14th in the world. On his last four appearances at Mayakoba, he has finished three times within the top 12. Fifth in driving accuracy last season, Ancer has the tidy game required to challenge for what would be an emotional victory.
Our third selection is Dylan Frittelli for €4 each way at 125/1. (1/5 the odds the first 8 places, Paddy Power, William Hill, SKY Bet, Betfair, Betfred).
South African Dylan Frittelli is a gut pick for me this week. I have noticed that he has a habit of springing from nowhere and doing well - that he was tied for fifth on his Masters debut a year ago and then finished solo fifth at the Open Championship in July. He won the John Deere Classic on the PGA Tour in 2019 so he knows how to get it done. Frittelli has made one appearance at Mayakoba and fired rounds of 65 and 66 en route to a tie for 11th. There is nothing flashy about him statistically, but he was tied for 22nd in Bermuda last week and I rate him as a lively outsider.
Our fourth selection is Patrick Rodgers for €3 each way at 66/1. (1/5 the odds the first 8 places, Paddy Power, William Hill, SKY Bet, Betfair, Betfred).
American Patrick Rodgers is playing a lot of stress-free golf after losing his Tour card and winning it back at the Korn Ferry Finals. Once a college phenomenon at Stanford, with a record as good as Tiger Woods, Rodgers had to dig very deep to get the result required to continue his journey on the PGA Tour. Since the start of the new season, he's ended in a tie for sixth at the Fortinet Championship and was then solo fourth in Bermuda last Sunday. Rodgers hits it far and is a decent putter on his day. He has three top 17's in this tournament from seven starts and one could argue that he's playing better than ever now. It may be a case of striking while the iron is hot for a talented golfer who remains under 30 years of age.
Our fifth selection is Russell Knox for €3 each way at 66/1. (1/5 the odds the first 8 places, Paddy Power, William Hill, Betfair, Betfred).
Scotland's Russell Knox narrowly missed out on the European Ryder Cup team back in 2016 when he finished 10th in the Fed Ex Cup off the back of wins at the HSBC Champions and Travelers Championship. His form has been patchy since then, but he did claim the Irish Open in 2018. Knox played well in Bermuda last week, a tie for 12th the summation of his efforts. So he's in decent nick going to Mexico where he has a fantastic record - second in 2015 and tied for third in 2016. This could be his comeback event.
Our final selection this week is Emiliano Grillo for €3 each way at 66/1. (1/5 the odds the first 8 places, Paddy Power, Betfair).
I wouldn't put Argentina's Emiliano Grillo down as the most reliable option most weeks. He's an excellent tee-to-green player, but the putter is the weakest club in his bag. That's the case until he encounters Paspalum greens, which is the case at Mayakoba. Grillo leads in strokes gained on Paspalum among this field and has consistently delivered on these greens elsewhere; in golf tournaments in Puerto Rico and in the Dominican Republic. On five appearances in this event, the 29-year-old has been in the top 15 on four occasions and was the 54 hole leader last year. He ranks high in par four performance, which is required here. Grillo is overdue for a second win on the PGA Tour and this could be the place.
So that's €50 wagered virtually on this week's golf. Please make sure you bet less at home! A euro each way will do!
Please gamble responsibly, never bet more than you can afford, and good luck!
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