Golf Special Report: Portugal Masters 2010- Players in the spotlight (Part 2)
Another Englishmen in the limelight is Danny Willet who is on the brink of a breakthrough win on the European Tour. Willet finished 3rd and 2nd in his previous couple of starts. In the Portugal Masters in 2009, Danny finished 6th.
If his good form and good credentials are coupled, Willet has good chances of winning this year. His betting odds are 22/1. Willet is upturning his game as he is moving up his rankings in the World and in the Race to Dubai this year. He is currently 19th
in the race and was ranked number one amateur in 2008. In 2009, he had eight top ten finishes on the tour. Playing so well in first year of the tour is quite an achievement. This year, he has had seven top ten finishes. By the looks of it, his first professional
win is right around the corner. Last week, Willet was a runner up to Martin Kaymer at the Links Championship. In the Austrian Open last month, he tied for third. If Danny continues the way he is going, he might just end up winning the Portugal Masters.
Another player who knows the course well is Alexander Noren. Noren has attained three top twenty finishes in Vilamoura. Noren also finished at a good 17th position at the Dunhill Links Championship on Sunday. Last year, he was at sixth place and
from the way he has performed, it is pretty evident that he is a fan of the golf course. His first win came at the 2009 European Masters and he ended 95th place in the Race to Dubai. Looking at how he was in 2009, more was expected of him this year.
He does seem to stepping up his game since he came third place in Austria and also did well in Scotland. If Noren is to make it to the Dubai World Championship, he really should play well this week. Currently, the odds for Noren are 33/1.
Charl Schwartzel also seems like he could make headlines this week. The South African golfer was definitely on fire at the start of the season. He won twice in South Africa and was the runner up in the WGC event at Doral in America in March. At that tournament,
Charl almost broke his duck during the game. Now that’s called enthusiasm. Ever since March, Schwartzel has been in good shape. He finished 18th at the USPGA and was fifth at the European Masters. Having taken a month’s rest, Charl should be up
and ready to battle. The betting odds for him are 20/1.
Thomas Levet, who has been a runner up in the Portugal Masters is number 119 on the Money List right now. However, with back to back top-20 finishes, he looks like he’s up for something big. In this part of the world, Levet has played some of his best golf.
According to Skybet, he’s 3/1 for another top twenty finish here.
Many Australasian will be playing the field in Portugal. Heading the Australasian will Richard Green, who is joined by Brett Rumford, Andrew Dodt, Mark Brown, Peter O’Malley, Scott Strange and Michael Campbell.
The defending Champion of the Portugal Masters, Lee Westwood, won’t be competing due to his injury. As disappointing as it is for the organisers, it’s even more frustrating for Westwood. Lee was on a six month rest prior to the Ryder Cup. This was because
his calf muscle flared up during the French open and he couldn’t play properly. Doing extremely well in the Ryder Cup, Lee did enter the Links Championship but couldn’t complete it. His injury recurred and hence put him on rest again. There is a very high
possibility that Westwood replaces Tiger Woods on October 31st. The next advent of Westwood will most probably be the HSBC Championship that will take place in Shanghai.
As for those competing, this Tournament will definitely be an exciting one. Taking place at a breathtaking resort and having the best play against each other, the Portugal Masters will surely keep golf fanatics on the edge of their seats.
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