Welcome to Virtual Insanity, where we spend virtual money to try and win virtual money on golf betting. It's that simple!
The virtual pot is at €984 from €1000 entering this week's tournament of focus, The Honda Classic on the PGA Tour in Florida.
The Honda Classic is played at PGA National, a tough golf course that hosted the 1987 PGA Championship. It's a par 70, requiring strong tee-to-green play. There's water to be negotiated and it can get windy.
This week's event starts at 11.25am Irish time on Thursday.
From an Irish perspective, Open champion Shane Lowry, past Honda winner Padraig Harrington and Graeme McDowell are in the field.
Be sure to shop around, with bookmakers such as Paddy Power, Betfair, SKY Bet, Betfred, William Hill and Betway offering 1/5 the odds for your pick to get into the top 8 places.
Our headline selection is Matt Wallace for €4 each way at 55/1. (1/5 the odds 8 places).
England's Matt Wallace had the week off last week, and may approach this tournament with freshness having expressed happiness with his game. The four time winner on the European Tour plays tough golf courses well; he was tied for third at the 2019 PGA Championship at Bethpage Black and then finished in a tie for fourth at the Memorial Tournament last year. He's getting to grips with the challenge of the PGA Tour and finished inside the top 20 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational on his last start. He also has a top 20 posting in this event back in 2019. I think he could go well in a weakened field and be in contention on Sunday.
Our second selection is Dylan Frittelli for €2 each way at 50/1. (1/5 the odds the first 8 places).
South African Dylan Frittelli is another player happy to have found something in his game. He fired three good rounds at last week's Players Championship, closing with a 68. He was 11th at the Honda Classic three years ago and is a PGA Tour winner, his victory at the John Deere Classic evidence he can get the job done. Frittelli obviously has something about him if he can rock up at the Masters and tie for fifth on his debut, which he managed last November. He has the ability to be a part of the conversation this week.
Our third selection is J.T. Poston for €2 each way at 60/1. (1/5 the odds the first 8 places).
One of the certainties of watching golf relentlessly is that you notice those players that fade just as much as the winners at times. Last year, American J.T. Poston fell away in this tournament after being second at halfway and it was notable that his final three rounds at Sawgrass last week were decent. A winner on Tour at the 2019 Wyndham Championship, the 27-year-old is a good putter and may ride some good form towards the top end of the leaderboard on Sunday.
Our fourth selection is Maverick McNealy for €1 each way at 90/1. (1/5 the odds the first 8 places).
When we tipped McNealy at Pebble Beach earlier this year and he finished second, it was off the back of a missed cut. Perhaps something similar will happen this week after he bombed at the Players. McNealy has a lot of talent and was tied 11th at the Honda last year, so I think he's worth another look.
Our final selection is Harry Higgs for €1 each way at 125/1. (1/5 the odds the first 8 places).
The popular American Harry Higgs is so laid-back - I think a lot of us identify with him - that easygoing nature and the grip it and rip it nature. He has finished second twice on tour and was inside the top 30 at Sawgrass last week. Higgs didn't putt very well at the Honda last year, but he's a free spirit and is worth a small flutter for a small each-way stake.
So that's €20 wagered virtually on this week's golf. 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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