GLENN DAY: Bridgestone Invitational

Obviously this is a time of year when the event planners at the PGA have a lapse. With the seniors having just played all three of their majors one after the other the PGA tour this week stages the Bridgestone Invitational. Two weeks previous we had the Open and next week we have the USPGA Championship. Genius. Not that Phil Mickelson will be complaining as he comes he in sensational form having won the Scottish Open and The Open and will fancy his chances of completing a (very rare indeed) treble.

The last twelve years at Firestone has seen only two winners, Darren Clarke 2003 and Craig Parry 2002, start at bigger than 50/1 suggesting the cream generally rises to the top at a course that depending on weather conditions can play quite tricky. The winning score averages about 12 under par but when Tiger won in ’07 he was the only player to break par!

As readers of my golf blog will know I am not a great one for punting in majors and WGC events and will always look for a bit of value outside the top 15 or 20 so players as these days they are usually priced up way too short.

I was on Hideki Matsuyama in the Open (at 350/1) but following another decent effort across the pond last week he is now only a 50s poke. All value now gone with him!
For the winner, or at least a good run I am looking at another player improving at a rate of knots, Harris English.

Having won his maiden tour title at the St Jude Classic, holding off an inspired finish from Phil Mickelson, English has posted two 15th place finishes in his last two events at the John Deere Classic and more importantly at The Open where he showed he can adapt his game to different conditions and compete against the very best in the game. Long enough and accurate enough from the tee he has a good short game and as proven when winning at Southwind his putter can be very hot even when under pressure. His stats stack up against everything and he stands 14th on the all round ranking. At around the 150/1 mark that will do for me!