The Punter's blog: Resurgent Rory foils fabulous Furyk

<div class="entry-body__intro" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Rory McIlroy produced the win his good form was threatening when landing an enthralling Players Championship. Steve Rawlings looks back on all the action here...</span></div> <div class="entry-body__story" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="editor" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></strong></span></div> <h2 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0.5rem auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Rory triumphs in a thrilling climax at The Players</span></strong></h2> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Golf doesn't get much better than the final round of the <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Players Championship</strong> yesterday. We began the day with Jon Rahm leading by a stroke over Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood, with Jason Day two back and alone in fourth. Given the leaderboard was dominated by four such elite players, it always looked likely that one of them would prevail but had Fleetwood not rolled in his eight-foot par save on the fourth hole yesterday, we'd have momentarily seen nine players tied for the lead! And that set the tone for a <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">terrific finale</strong>.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">lead changed hands many times</strong> and a plethora of players were backed at short prices and often having been matched at <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="99/1"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>100.00</b></span></span> beforehand. Justin Rose hit a low of <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="22/1"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>23.00</b></span></span> having looked to have no chance before the off, when he birdied three of the last four holes on the front nine, Ollie Schniederjans and Eddie Pepperell were both matched at just <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="11/1"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>12.00</b></span></span>, Brian Harman <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="10/1"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>11.50</b></span></span>, Jason Day, who had been matched at <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="4/1"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>5.20</b></span></span> on Saturday, dipped to <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="7/1"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>8.00</b></span></span> during the final round, Jhonattan Vegas was matched at <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="6/1"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>7.00</b></span></span>, Abraham Ancer just <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="5/1"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>6.00</b></span></span>, Dustin Johnson touched <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="4/1"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>5.00</b></span></span>, <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Jim Furyk was matched at <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="11/5"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">3.20</span></span></strong> before Rory's birdie on 15, Tommy Fleetwood touched <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="8/5"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>2.60</b></span></span> and <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Jon Rahm went odds-on early on, dipping to <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="1/2"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">1.50</span></span></strong>. It was an incredible event with an extremely volatile leaderboard but the tournament was ultimately decided at the 15th hole...</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Paul Krishnamurty's brilliant <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="309/1"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">310.00</span></span> <span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Find Me A 100 Winner tip, Jim Furyk</span></strong>, was matched at just [3.2] after this amazing approach to the final hole, just minutes after his birdie attempt on 17 had somehow failed to drop.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It looked like <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Furyk's -15 total might just be enough for a playoff at least</strong> but having missed a par putt from five feet on 14, and having hit a drive that was a yard away from being dead in the rubbish right of the righthand side fairway bunker, Rory produced this superb approach and birdie putt on 15, just seconds before Jim tapped in his birdie putt on 18.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Rory's play was immaculate after that</strong> and he went on to birdie 16 and to par 17 and 18 to win by one and poor Furyk was left to rue what might have been. The 48-year-old had endured a very different experience to Rory at the fateful 15th. He'd missed a par putt from three feet!</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">immediately gutted for Furyk</strong>. I do like the real ale swigging, amenable major champion and Ryder Cup Captain who is the only man to shoot 58 on the PGA Tour and to have shot two sub-60s. He's an absolute legend in my eyes and I'd have loved to have seen him cap off a magnificent career by becoming the Players Champion at the age of 48, almost four years after his last win. And him doing so with Paul picking him out so brilliantly at such a massive price would have been the icing on the cake but it wasn't to be. It reminded me of ten years ago when Stewart Cink denied Tom Watson one of the greatest sporting stories of all time. Sport can be very cruel at times.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></strong></span></div> <h2 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0.5rem auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </h2> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After such a brilliant tournament, it would be easy to forget what had gone before but I really enjoyed the first edition of the <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Kenya Open</strong> at the delightful Karen Country Club and we were treated to a fabulous finish there too.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Just like we witnessed later on at Sawgrass, but on a slightly smaller scale, a number of players held a chance to take the title. Justin Harding, who was looking for back-to-back wins on the European Tour, traded at just <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="10/3"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>4.30</b></span></span>, Gaganjeet Bhullar began round four fast and he hit a low of <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="7/4"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>2.76</b></span></span>, as did Louis De Jager when he stood over a very make-able birdie putt on the 72nd hole to tie the lead, and young Spanish sensation, <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Adri Arnaus</strong>, a <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="29/1"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>30.00</b></span></span> chance before the off, was matched in-running at just <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="7/5"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>2.42</b></span></span> but his putter let him down badly when it mattered most. The 24-year-old needed as many as 30 putts on Sunday yet, just like Harding and De Jager, he was ultimately beaten by a solitary stroke.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Guido Migliozzi</strong> came in to the event with form figures reading MC-MC-56-MC-MC-63-MC and he was <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">matched at a high of <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="309/1"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">310.00</span></span></strong> last Monday before going off at around <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="149/1"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>150.00</b></span></span>but the 22-year-old, who won the Italian Amateur Championship a remarkable six times in-a-row between 2011 and 2016 could be one to keep an eye on. He's won three times on the Alps Tour and he qualified for the European Tour via Q-School.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></strong></span></div> <div class="entry-body__widgets" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <h2 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0.5rem auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">My Bets</span></strong></h2> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Having bagged both winners in-running last week at nice prices, it was a case of close but not close enough this week. As highlighted in the <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">In-Play Blog</span></strong>, I backed both Harding and De Jager at halfway in Kenya but both lost by a stroke and having played numerous longshots in play at Sawgrass, who nearly all traded much shorter than I backed them at, I drew a blank there too.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I toyed with laying some of the De Jager bet back when he traded so short on 18 yesterday (too short my instinct told me) and I really should have layed some of my Furyk wager back too but didn't, so it was ultimately a disappointing week.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I've <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">no complaints</strong> though, I lost far more in Kenya than I did at the Players but even though he was beaten, I still think the 5/2 about De Jager at halfway was a very good price. He played some awful stuff on the front-nine on Saturday and still only lost by one and I'm pleased with how I kept my stakes down in Florida in what was a really hard event to predict in-running.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></strong></span></div> <h2 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0.5rem auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">What Have We Learned This Week?</span></strong></h2> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Players moving to March seemed to assist the <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">big hitters</strong>. Rory, Day, Rahm and Dustin Johnson all figured and the softer conditions suited their aggressive long driving but Sawgrass is a superb venue and it says it all that Furyk could come so close to winning. It really is <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">a great all-round test of skill</strong> and it was an absolute joy to watch the finish unfold, but once again we saw a couple of <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">age-old trends</strong> come to fruition.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I found the event a <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">little frustrating</strong> as I know it suits the frontrunners but I didn't at any stage see any value in them - especially the winner - but we've now had 38 editions of the Players Championship at Sawgrass and five strokes is the furthest any winner has trailed by with a round to go and that's only happened twice. And 37 of the 38 winners have been tied for seventh or better through 54 holes. It was like some sort of pile-up early on yesterday with the leaders stalling and the field closing up but once again, the <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">winner finished up being someone in the van throughout</strong>.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It may be beneficial to up with the pace, but being in front with a round to go is not where you want to find yourself! This tweet highlights that perfectly.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Wyndham Championship</strong> angle in was given yet another huge boost with last year's winner, <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Brandt Snedeker</strong>, finishing fifth and the 2017 runner-up, <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ollie Schniederjans</strong> - who has just switched to Butch Harmon and needs watching - put in his best effort since that second. He was a complete no-hoper before the off but he hit <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="11/1"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>12.00</b></span></span> before ultimately falling away to finish tied for 16th.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Over at the Kenya Open, <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Greens In Regulation </strong>and <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Scrambling</strong> were the key stats and I just can't wait for next year's renewal. The course was reminiscent of Delhi and avoiding the trees was key but it was a little more open than that and there were a number of risk and reward holes that made it a brilliant venue.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And one last observation, it's been suggested before that South African courses (and Karen was similar to a South African venue) are often comparable to a number of the tree-lined courses the top Italians play growing up. I don't think it's a coincidence that Francesco Molinari has a great record at Wentworth and it's interesting to note that his brother won here at Karen in 2007. Lorenzo Gagli won the Kenya Open at Muthaiga GC last year but that too is tree-lined and it might be worth checking out the Italian contingent again in 12 months time.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></strong></span></div> <h2 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0.5rem auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">How Impressive was Rory?</span></strong></h2> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">From the moment his tee-shot narrowly avoided the junk on 15, <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">McIlroy was mightily impressive</strong>. He knew what his target was and he hit it with the minimum of fuss. The approach there was an incredible shot, the putt sublime, and he managed the par five 16th perfectly before parring the tough 17th and 18th with the minimum of fuss and to a large extent, I can see why he received so many <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">glowing plaudits</strong> but...</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The praise received in the aftermath and the many comments made on Twitter suggested the victory was mightily impressive and it was one that will inevitably lead to many more wins and possibly that much-coveted first Green Jacket to complete the Major Grand Slam, as soon as next month, and maybe it will, but <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I'm not convinced</strong>.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Rory bogeyed his first two holes in round three when tied for the lead and he played his first four holes yesterday in two-over-par too. He <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">failed to break 70 over the weekend</strong> and he was aided by the fact that his three main challengers all failed to break par yesterday. His five-foot birdie putt on the ninth turned the whole day around but one could argue that his third shot there was slightly clumsy and he'd played his first eight holes in two-over par. <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">For much of the day, it looked like he'd blown yet another great chance to win.</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I know I'm being<strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> ultra-critical</strong>, and I know he finished well, but <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Rory gets beat far more often than he converts nowadays</strong> and he always trades shorter than he should do so. It's also worth noting how much the softer conditions helped his cause. I'm sure this will be construed by some as just a case of me not giving credit where it's deserved but it's worth going in to detail to try and assess how he'll fare if he does get in to the mix at Augusta, where he is currently <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(187, 187, 187); border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>the Betfair Exchange favourite</b></span>. I fancy the market will side with him even stronger on the back of this victory and I'm not entirely convinced that should be the case.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And finally, one debate that keeps rearing its head is whether he should stick with having his mate, <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Harry Diamond</strong>, on the bag. I've not got an opinion on it because I have no idea what makes Rory tick but <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Jon Rahm may as well get a buddy to carry his sticks</strong>, as he's not listening to the perfectly able and experienced Adam Hayes. <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(187, 187, 187); border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>Read this story</b></span> for the full lowdown on Rahm's calamitous decision to go for the green on the par 5 11th.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That's more than enough looking back when we've got plenty to look forward to. The European Tour is off to Malaysia for the <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Maybank Championship</span></strong> and the PGA Tour stays in Florida for one last week to take in yet another brilliant event - the <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Valspar Championship</span></strong>. I'll be back tomorrow with my previews.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtUbhj0v21nAPHo3rqYoLfGo5AZS9QFUrF05HRxACzk6QUzhLCuyvU42irUO8klAzq44b7d0Hy8VEKekJwel0p_dym6ujgfLT7yEe4EtGMdTbOCZJmvgErhPrLQoyS2U8shv5CImt0CXs/s1600/Rory+McIlroy+wins+the+Players.956x538.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="538" data-original-width="956" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtUbhj0v21nAPHo3rqYoLfGo5AZS9QFUrF05HRxACzk6QUzhLCuyvU42irUO8klAzq44b7d0Hy8VEKekJwel0p_dym6ujgfLT7yEe4EtGMdTbOCZJmvgErhPrLQoyS2U8shv5CImt0CXs/s640/Rory+McIlroy+wins+the+Players.956x538.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div> </div> </div>

The Punter's blog: Resurgent Rory foils fabulous Furyk

Rory McIlroy produced the win his good form was threatening when landing an enthralling Players Championship. Steve Rawlings looks back on ...

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The Punter's In-Play Blog: Too tight to call at Sawgrass

<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm not having the best of weeks so far, with <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ian Poulter </strong>being the latest selection to fall by the wayside. Having backed him before the off at <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="79/1">80.00</span>, I thought he might give me a real run for my money when he hit <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="15/2">8.40</span> on Friday but I soon knew my fate with him on Saturday when this happened on the par four fourth...</span><br /> <div> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div> <div> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Despite the Poulter capitulation that followed that triple-bogey seven, I still enjoyed the third round and there was plenty of entertainment. <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Jim Furyk</strong> taking an age to play his second from an extremely precarious narrow stance adjacent to the sleepers on 18, before eventually chipping out with a wedge, was a will he won't he fall in for a while but the highlight of the day was provided by Kevin Na and <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Tiger Woods</strong> on the 17th green...</span></div> <div> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div> <div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then after all that, we got to witness a quite <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">fabulous comeback by Tommy Fleetwood</strong>. I wrote at length yesterday about how terrible Fleetwood's been performing in third rounds in-contention of late and when he began yesterday's round with a double-bogey six, it looked like business as usual. He bounced back to birdie the second but two more bogeys followed at four and seven and he drifted out to almost <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="19/1">20.00</span>. Given what had gone before, Fleetwood falling away looked highly likely but he was having none of it and he played the last 11 holes in a bogey-free five-under-par.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That was a great finish but the best round of the day belonged to <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Jon Rahm</strong>, whose eight-under-par 64 has seen him jump to the top of the pile. Here's the 54-hole leaderboard with prices to back at 12:30.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jon Rahm -15 <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="12/5">3.35</span><br />Rory McIlroy -14 <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="13/5">3.60</span><br />Tommy Fleetwood -14 <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="4/1">4.80</span><br />Jason Day -12 <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="10/1">11.50</span><br />Abraham Ancer -11 <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="45/1">46.00</span><br />Dustin Johnson -10 <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="27/1">28.00</span><br />-10 and <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="89/1">90.00</span> bar</span></strong></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">stats suggest we need to be concentrating on the leaders</strong>. We've only seen two men win at Sawgrass from any further back than three strokes this century but both victories were easy to explain. Fred Funk won from four back in the foulest of conditions in 2005 and Henrik Stenson won from five adrift in 2009 but he sat second with a round to go and his four-stroke victory was greatly aided by the collapse of the 54-hole leader, Alex Cejka.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The weather forecast suggests <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">plenty of rain and moderate to fair winds</strong> (11 knots - gusting to 15 knots) and if it transpires to be worse than that, we could see someone posting from off the pace. <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I've thrown a few pounds at Brandt Snedeker and Keegan Bradley</strong> at big prices just in case.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I thought the Wyndham Championship was the best angle-in</strong> and Snedeker won last year's edition so I couldn't leave him out and all four of Bradley's PGA Tour titles have come from off the pace. Neither will mind how bad the weather gets and I thought they were just about worth chancing at around 100/1 given they only trail by five but I suspect one of the front four will win.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I've really enjoyed the <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Players Championship</strong> so far and, bets aside, I'll be cheering on Fleetwood tonight. He's such a likable character and a win here could elevate his career tremendously but I can't trust him enough to back him. And the same can be said of Rory. Again, I wrote about his final round failings in <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">last week's De-brief</span></strong> and I definitely don't want to side with him either. <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Rory's been within three of the lead 14 times since he won the Tour Championship in 2016 and only once has he gone on to win.</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The 2016 Players Championship winner, <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Jason Day</strong>, is nicely poised and arguably the value play, but he'll struggle to catch any of the front three if they play well and so I'm reluctantly swerving him too. There's just not quite enough juice in there at <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="10/1">11.50</span>.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Jon Rahm is the man to beat.</strong> He's enjoying the soft conditions but he needs to back up a low round (notoriously hard to do) and this is the first time he's ever held a clear lead on either the European or PGA Tour. And one last little negative...six of the last players to hold a clear 54-hole lead at Sawgrass have been beaten. He's the right favourite and a reasonable price but I'm more than happy to let him win unbacked.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">set up brilliantly</strong> and it's bound to be entertaining but it doesn't look like a heat to throw too much cash at. <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">It looks very tricky so I'm going to just sit back, enjoy the drama, and cheer on Tommy.</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'll be back tomorrow with the De-brief but in the meantime, the final round of the <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Kenya Open</strong> is drawing to close on Sky Sports. The leaders are on the back-nine and it's still a hard event to call.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A late run from <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Rory McIlroy</strong> in round two saw him finish eagle-birdie-par to join <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Tommy Fleetwood</strong> at the top of the leaderboard and to gazump him at the head of the market. Here's the 36-hole leaderboard with prices to back at 14:10.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Rory McIlroy -12 <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="9/5">2.78</span><br />Tommy Fleetwood -12 <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="7/2">4.50</span><br />Ian Poulter -9 <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="21/1">22.00</span><br />Jim Furyk -9 <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="45/1">46.00</span><br />Abraham Ancer -9 <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="45/1">46.00</span><br />Brian Harman -9 <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="64/1">65.00</span><br />Jason Day -8 <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="18/1">19.00</span><br />Kevin Kisner -8 <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="41/1">42.00</span><br />Keith Mitchel -8 <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="49/1">50.00</span><br />Dustin Johnson -7 <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="15/1">16.50</span><br />Jon Rahm -7 <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="29/1">30.00</span><br />-7 and <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="74/1">75.00</span> bar</span></strong></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This a fabulous leaderboard but not the easiest to assess. <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Frontrunners have a great record here</strong> and being up with the pace is often the place to be. Si Woo Kim sat 16th and six back at this stage two years ago, Tim Clark was 23rd and seven back in 2010 and Tiger Woods sat eighth and six back in 2001 but every other winner this century has been within four through 36 holes and 15 of the 19 winners since 2000 have sat first, second or third with two rounds to go.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That suggests we can't go scanning too far down the leaderboard and that we should probably be focusing on Rory and Tommy but <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">neither man has been convincing of late</strong>.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I looked at Rory's recent in-contention woes in <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Monday's De-brief here</span></strong> and he certainly has something to prove this weekend. And it's <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">déjà vu for Tommy</strong> who's third round efforts have been appalling...</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Since winning the first of his two Abu Dhabi Championships in 2017, Fleetwood has sat inside the top-five places at halfway 14 times and he's fallen down the leaderboard on Saturday on 12 occasions. He remained in third place between rounds two and three before going on to win the Open de France in July 2017 and he moved forward from fifth to second at the Hong Kong Open in November last year but he fell to 14th in round four. Although, in his defence, he wasn't in with much of a chance there given he trailed the eventual winner, Aaron Rai, by six with a round to go. He also bounced back after dropping from third to fourth to defend his Abu Dhabi title but those three efforts apart, <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Tommy has put in a couple of shocking third rounds, including last week!</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Having led the Alfred Dunhill Championship at halfway in 2017, he finished 25th. In May last year, he shot 77 in round three at the BMW PGA Championship having been fourth and four off the lead at halfway. He shot 78 at the <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">US Open</strong> after shooting 66 in round two in June last year. He fell from third and one back at the Open Championship to finish 12th with weekend rounds of 71 and 73. He led the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at halfway after a 63 in round two but weekend rounds of 74 and 71 saw him tumble to 14th. He fell from fourth at halfway to 24th at the Dell Technologies in September, second to seventh at the WGC - HSBC Champions, and only last month in Mexico, he finished 16th having sat fourth at halfway after a pair of 72s on the weekend.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He had a great chance to put all that behind him at the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week when he and Keegan Bradley led by four at halfway but he shot 76 to drop to 11th before a 68 in round four saw him finish third - beaten by three.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I wrote in yesterday's update that <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I was quite keen on Tommy</strong> to gain redemption here but rather stupidly I tried to see if I could get bigger than the <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="7/1">8.00</span> he traded at - thinking (wrongly) that he'd drift before his tee-time. His price went the other way and he was around <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="6/1">7.00</span> when he began his second round but when he started it birdie-eagle-birdie I was never going to get on at a price I wanted.</span></div> <div class="entry-body__widgets" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I really don't want to get with Rory at less than 2/1 and I've got to leave Tommy out at <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="7/2">4.50</span> too.</strong> The stats very much suggest that one of them will win but I can't trust either at those prices. Dustin Johnson, Jason Day and Jon Rahm are quite well-fancied but trailing by five, four and five strokes respectively, they don't make much appeal either so I'm going to stick with what I have and add two more...</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I went to bed with <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">pre-event pick, Ian Poulter</span></strong>, safely on the fairway on the par five ninth, when trailing by two, and I thought he might close to within one but instead, he bogeyed the hole but I can't complain. His six-under-par 66 was a great round and he's nicely positioned. And I was <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">pleasantly surprised by outsider Keith Mitchell's 65</strong> to get to within four. They both have outside chances if the leaders wobble and the same can be said of the players alongside Poulter in a tie for third - Brian Harman, Abraham Ancer and <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Paul Krishnamurty's Jim Furyk</span></strong>. I've added all three at juicy prices.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's been a good week already for <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Paul's Find Me a 100 Winner column</span></strong> with both Furyk and Byeong Hun-An hitting their first lay back targets.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The third round of the <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Kenya Open</strong> has just finished and as much as I've enjoyed the venue, I haven't enjoyed how my picks have played today. Each-way selection, <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Stuart Manley has had a disaster</strong>, saver in-play pick, Justin Harding, has been disappointing and Louis De Jager, who I backed at <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="5/2">3.55</span> when he led by four at halfway, now trails by one after a very up-and-down round three. I need a bounce-back from him but I'm leaving the alone now. <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I've made my bed and I'm going to have to lay in, no matter how messy it now is!</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'll be back tomorrow with a last look at the <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Players Championship</strong> before the fourth and final round.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We've reached the halfway stage of the <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Kenya Open</strong> so here's the latest leaderboard with prices to back at 16:15.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Louis De Jager -12 <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="5/2">3.50</span><br />Adri Arnaus -8 <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="13/2">7.40</span><br />Jack Singh Brar -8 <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="21/1">22.00</span><br />Justin Harding -7 <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="6/1">7.20</span><br />Gaganjeet Bhullar -7 <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="10/1">11.50</span><br />Guido Migliozzi -7 <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="35/1">36.00</span><br />Stuart Manley -6 <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="31/1">32.00</span><br />Liam Johnson -6 <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="39/1">40.00</span><br />-5 and <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="31/1">32.00</span> bar</span></strong></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As highlighted in <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">the preview</span></strong>, frontrunners have done well here of late. Michael Palmer won the Karen Masters on the Sunshine Tour in soaking wet conditions having sat fifth, trailing by three, last year but the previous nine course winners were all either first or second at halfway suggesting the leader, <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Louis De Jager</strong>, with a four-stroke advantage, is <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">a very fairly priced at in excess of 2/1</strong>.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">De Jager looks to be in his prime at 31 and he's looking for his third win in ten starts. He's won five times on the Sunshine Tour and the Pretorian spoke after his round today about how comfortable he is here and how much like home it feels. He might just take some stopping and I'm happy to take a chance on him at <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="5/2">3.55</span>.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Rising Spanish star, <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Adri Arnaus</strong>, has far more scope than the leader, or anyone else in the field in all probability, and he'll be a <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">popular choice</strong> with many but I'm not convinced he's quite ready to break his European Tour duck. He finished brilliantly today, coming home in 30, but he started poorly and he lost his way in-the-mix last week in Qatar. I wouldn't be in the least bit surprised to see him win but last week's winner, <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Justin Harding</strong>, looks a more sensible proposition.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Harding won back-to-back titles in May last year, before finishing sixth, first, 18th and first in his next four starts so he clearly stays hot when he gets hot. He started a bit slowly (understandably) yesterday but played nicely this morning to close up and I've had a small cover bet on him.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">each-way pick, Stuart Manley</span></strong>, has moved on to the fringes of contention and he may well place but I fancy the winner could already be in front.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The opening day has ended at the <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Players Championship</strong> but the first round hasn't quite been completed. Almost the entire field finished their first rounds but play was suspended due to darkness with Anirban Lahiri still left with a three-foot par putt to take on the 18th. That's frustrating because we don't have any in-running stats to look at but we do have a leaderboard with prices to back at 10:45...</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Tommy Fleetwood -7 <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="7/1">8.00</span><br />Keegan Bradley -7 <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="14/1">15.50</span><br />Byeong Hun-An -6 <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="21/1">22.00</span><br />Brian Harman -6 <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="69/1">70.00</span><br />Rory McIlroy -5 <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="9/1">10.00</span><br />Ryan Moore -5 <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="49/1">50.00</span><br />Vaughn Taylor -5 <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="169/1">170.00</span><br />-4 and <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="13/1">14.50</span> bar</span></strong></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As highlighted in the In-Play Tactics section of<strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">the preview</span></strong>, a fast start is beneficial here and three of the last five winners have won wire-to wire. As many as <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">15 of the first 45 victors were in front after the first round</strong> and it's going to be interesting to see how the two leaders cope this week. Better than last surely?</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Tommy Fleetwood</strong> and <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Keegan Bradley</strong> sat tied for the lead and four clear of the remainder at the halfway stage of last week's Arnold Palmer Invitational but they both endured awful third rounds. Fleetwood bounced back to finish third but Bradley slumped to 46th.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">quite interested in Fleetwood</strong>. I think he'll be inspired by his good mate, Francesco Molinari's victory last week and I think he's capable of learning from last week but I'm going to wait and see what happens with the morning wave before backing him. He'll probably drift a bit as the early starters pass him and I'd be surprised if he shortened up before he kicks off round two 17:17 UK time.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I have had one in-play wager already though - on <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ryan Moore @ <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="54/1">55.00</span></strong> - who did this at the 17th yesterday.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As highlighted in <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">the preview</span></strong>, I really like the Wyndham Championship angle-in and like six previous winners at Sawgrass, Moore is also a winner at <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sedgefield Country Club</strong>.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Paul Krishnamurty's <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">Find Me a 100 Winner pick, Byeong Hun-An,</span></strong> has started very nicely and if he gets off to a decent start today, he could hit Paul's lay back target of <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="9/1">10.00</span>.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The second round of the <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Kenya Open</strong> is well underway and South African, <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Louis De Jager</strong>, is leading having just completed his second round. I'll return late this afternoon if I get involved in-running but for now it's just a <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">watching brief</strong>. And an enjoyable watch too. The course is great and a very welcome addition to the European Tour schedule.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Kenya Open Pre-Event Selections:<br /><span style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Shubhankar Sharma @ <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="35/1">36.00</span><br />Haydn Porteous @ <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="43/1">44.00</span><br />Stuart Manley @ 100/1</span></span></strong></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Players Championship Pre-Event Selections:<br /><span style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Francesco Molinari @ <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="28/1">29.00</span><br />Ian Poulter @ <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="79/1">80.00</span><br />Matthew Fitzpatrick @ <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="99/1">100.00</span><br />Lucas Glover @ <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="99/1">100.00</span><br />Keith Mitchell @ <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="149/1">150.00</span></span></span></strong></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In-Play Picks:<br /><span style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Louis De Jager @ <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="5/2">3.55</span><br />Justin Harding @ <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="6/1">7.20</span></span></span></strong></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In-Play Picks:<br /><span style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ryan Moore @ <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="54/1">55.00</span><br />Jim Furyk @ <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="45/1">46.00</span><br />Abraham Ancer @ <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="47/1">48.00</span><br />Brian Harman @ <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="64/1">65.00</span><br />Brandt Snedeker @ <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="94/1">95.00</span><br />Keegan Bradley @ <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="109/1">110.00</span></span></span></strong></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeZSsACDwThyb_Ork_Gb29SDlKuz8ve-NtFnUuRIc5l1s4NfoJUr-a6f6x4rlgq4uF8jf4ZRiTgpMDuZB_l8z4syqqP2Zczgq2lIIh8CSHhAyh_qTFaq0BclEIQqFDQUnJWl8pxjJsV4I/s1600/gty-1136457720.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1000" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeZSsACDwThyb_Ork_Gb29SDlKuz8ve-NtFnUuRIc5l1s4NfoJUr-a6f6x4rlgq4uF8jf4ZRiTgpMDuZB_l8z4syqqP2Zczgq2lIIh8CSHhAyh_qTFaq0BclEIQqFDQUnJWl8pxjJsV4I/s640/gty-1136457720.jpg" width="640" /></a><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="109/1"><br /></span></span></span></strong></div> </div>

The Punter's In-Play Blog: Too tight to call at Sawgrass

I'm not having the best of weeks so far, with  Ian Poulter  being the latest selection to fall by the wayside. Having backed him before ...

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City strong favs for FA Cup and Reds go top of the Premier League

<div class="entry-body__intro" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Manchester City remain on course for the quadruple after surviving an almighty FA Cup scare on the same weekend that Liverpool overtook them at the top of the Premier League table...</span></div> <div class="entry-body__story" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="editor" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Manchester City</strong> are the <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="2/5"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>1.40</b></span></span> favourites in the <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(187, 187, 187); border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>FA Cup Winner</b></span> market after producing a remarkable comeback against Championship side Swansea, while later in the day City's neighbours United lost to Premier League new boys <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Wolves</strong>.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It means that the Citizens are the only 'big six' club remaining in the competition at the semi-final stage with <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Watford</strong> and <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Brighton</strong> - who produced a stunning comeback of their own against Millwall (read below) - completing the line-up for the last four.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Hornets will face Wolves in the semi-final, while Man City will play Brighton.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></strong></span></div> <h2 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0.5rem auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Fortunate Citizens still on for the quadruple</span></strong></h2> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pep Guardiola's men had a far from easy evening however, finding themselves 2-0 down at the interval courtesy of a <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Matt Grimes</strong>' penalty and and excellent goal from <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Bersant Celina</strong>.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Swansea</strong> had been matched at a high of <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="43/1"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>44.00</b></span></span> just to win the game, while the 2-0 Correct Score was matched at <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="439/1"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>440.00</b></span></span>, but the dream soon turned into a nightmare for the Liberty Stadium faithful as they saw their side concede three times in the last 20 minutes, <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">two of which were highly controversial</strong>.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">VAR</strong> is in operation for this season's FA Cup it has only been used at Premier League grounds, meaning that it wasn't available when <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Raheem Sterling</strong> was awarded a controversial penalty in the 78th minute and when <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sergio Aguero</strong> headed home the winning goal with just minutes remaining despite clearly being in an offside position.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">City have been matched a high of <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="6/1"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>7.00</b></span></span> to lift this season's FA Cup but now trade as <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">strong odds-o favourites</strong> ahead of Wolves at <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="4/1"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>5.10</b></span></span>, Watford at <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="11/1"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>12.00</b></span></span> and Brighton at <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="17/1"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>18.00</b></span></span>.</span></div> <div class="entry-body__widgets" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Seagulls themselves produced a <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">miraculous recovery</strong>, coming from 2-0 down against Championship side Millwall with just two minutes remaining to secure a 2-2 draw before going on to win a penalty shoot-out.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2-2 Correct Score</strong> was matched at a high of <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="359/1"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>360.00</b></span></span> in-play, while the Draw was matched at <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="99/1"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>100.00</b></span></span> in the Correct Score market.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The win for Manchester City also keeps them on course for a <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">remarkable quadruple</strong>. With the League Cup already secured Guardiola's men now need to win two more games in the FA Cup, win the Champions League for the first time in their history, and see of <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Liverpool</strong>'s challenge in the Premier League.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Citizens can be backed at <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(187, 187, 187); border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>9/2 on the Betfair Sportsbook</b></span> to win all four trophies.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></strong></span></div> <h2 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0.5rem auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">And talking of Liverpool...</span></strong></h2> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Like Man City,<strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Jurgen Klopp's men</strong> also had their scares before getting the better of Fulham 2-1 at Craven Cottage, a result that takes them twp points clear of the Citizens at the top of the Premier League table.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In-form <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sadio Mane</strong> gave the Reds a first half lead with his 17th league goal of the season but former Liverpool attacker <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ryan Babel</strong> equalised for his new club when tapping home after a mix-up between Virgil van Dijk and his goalkeeper Alisson.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But Liverpool proved they are ready to take the title race all the way to the wire by battling back to take all three points, <strong style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">James Milner</strong> converting a penalty after Mane had been fouled when looking certain to score.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(187, 187, 187); border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>Premier League Winner</b></span> market Man City remain the <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="4/9"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>1.45</b></span></span> favourites with the Reds now trading at <span class="inline-odds" style="border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="11/5"><span style="border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>3.20</b></span></span>.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 640px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpGPxXFPCdflkhGC4Vf_IWwYd38JNoRPyuBb5G7G9ppiOpSBvGWgkUer-TSsCGgWpJXvFeuTd0utAttmm4mW125BdI7urR3Lajhj04rMd5n9GoOd9leErK5HRVeq-zBfbtjQJMv63sa-8/s1600/celebration.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpGPxXFPCdflkhGC4Vf_IWwYd38JNoRPyuBb5G7G9ppiOpSBvGWgkUer-TSsCGgWpJXvFeuTd0utAttmm4mW125BdI7urR3Lajhj04rMd5n9GoOd9leErK5HRVeq-zBfbtjQJMv63sa-8/s640/celebration.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div> </div> </div>

City strong favs for FA Cup and Reds go top of the Premier League

Manchester City remain on course for the quadruple after surviving an almighty FA Cup scare on the same weekend that Liverpool overtook the...

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