Welcome to Virtual Insanity for OTB, where we spend virtual money to try and win virtual money on golf betting. It's that simple!
I have written a preview article with tips for the Irish Open at Mount Juliet which can be accessed here.
So after those Irish Open wagers, the virtual pot is at €940 from €1000 entering this week's second tournament of focus, the Rocket Mortgage Classic on the PGA Tour in Detroit.
This tournament is played at Detroit Golf Club, a flat par 72 designed by Donald Ross that is one of the easier golf courses on the circuit. Four par fives give generous opportunities and this is the third year of the event.
In 2019, Nate Lashley won with a score of 25 under par. Last year, Bryson DeChambeau came home in front with a score of 23 under par. This is a tournament which suits big hitters that can attack the small greens.
The event starts at 11.45am Thursday, Irish time.
Be sure to shop around, with bookmakers such as Paddy Power, SKY Bet, Betfair, Betfred and William Hill offering 1/5 the odds for your pick to get into the top eight places.
Our headline selection is Doc Redman for €4 each way at 50/1. (1/5 the odds the first 8 places, Paddy Power, William Hill, Betfair, Betfred).
Regular readers of Virtual Insanity would know that former US Amateur champion Doc Redman is popular in this tips feature. American Redman burst onto the tour with a second place finish in this Rocket Mortgage Classic in 2019. He's an excellent ball striker who has posted two top tens in his last five starts. Easier courses tend to suit him. Natural talent is everything in golf and this 23-year-old has it in abundance. I believe he is a PGA Tour winner in waiting.
Our second selection is Joaquin Niemann for €3.50 each way at 23/1. (1/5 the odds the first 8 places, Betfair).
Chile's Joaquin Niemann is going to be a tremendous force in the game of golf. The former top amateur in the world has only missed one cut in 21 PGA Tour starts this season and he finished second twice in Hawaii. He's a big hitter and his sole PGA Tour win came at the Greenbrier, where one has to go low. One weakness I noticed from his play at the US PGA was his work around the greens, but that is something he can avoid at this course. Niemann tasted Detroit in 2019 and it was to his liking as he ended in a tie for fifth. He ticks a lot of boxes this week and is one of the more likely winners.
Our third selection is Rickie Fowler for €2.50 each way at 45/1. (1/5 the odds the first 8 places, SKY Bet).
American Rickie Fowler was one of the selections for the Travelers Championship last week. He missed the cut. I am willing to give him another chance at an easier course, where he finished in a tie for 12th last year at a time when he was completely out of sync. I believe he is in better form now as he talks about playing golf rather than working on swing mechanics. A tie for 8th at the US PGA and a tie for 11th at the Memorial Tournament tells me there is nothing tremendously wrong with a player who remains very talented. It's dangerous to leave him out of calculations, because he is capable of winning this.
Our fourth selection is Maverick McNealy for €2.50 each way at 55/1. (1/5 the odds the first 8 places, SKY Bet).
One of the better recommendations in this slot was Maverick McNealy at Pebble Beach, and he nearly pulled it off. He's been appearing on leaderboards again of late - he fired a 63 at Colonial and then a 65 in the opening round at River Highlands. It's just a case of the 25 year old delivering over four rounds. The former Walker Cup player came home in a tie for eighth at the Rocket Mortgage Classic last year, so the course fits his eye. He strikes me as a ready made PGA Tour winner, so why not this week?
Our fifth selection is Seamus Power for €2.50 each way at 80/1. (1/5 the odds the first 8 places, Paddy Power, Betfair, William Hill, SKY Bet, Betfred).
I am not wearing green tinted glasses in including Waterford's Seamus Power in the staking plan. He's been playing great golf recently, with three top 20's in a row. Power was tied for 12th in this event last year, but it could have been a lot better as he closed with a final round 72. He can maintain his momentum by contending in Detroit at odds which seem fair to me.
So that's €30 wagered virtually on this week's golf. Make sure you bet less at home!
Please gamble responsibly, never bet more than you can afford, and good luck!
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