BMW Asian Open


Back Mardan Mamat to win 1.5 pts @ 55 at Betfair
Have to admit to having little interest in this tournament but will offer this as a fair-value selection. It's the first ever European Tour event in China, I know nothing of the course, the conditions or the state of the greens so clearly we hardly have the ideal basis for a bet! However, this 36 year old is in the form of his life this season, has just become a winner for the first time since turning pro in 1994, and played in the final group on Sunday the last time the European Tour co-sanctioned one of the Asian Tour events. That was the Singapore Masters less than 2 months ago which Colin Montgomerie won, and Mamat, securing his third Asian top ten in around two months, finished tied 8th after playing in a stuttering last group out with eventual runner-up Greg Hanrahan and last week's winner Barry Lane. Those two shot 72 and 75 respectively but as Lane proved last week, odd poor rounds like that can soon be overcome and actually Mamat proved that even before Lane as he impressively won in India the very next week. It looks like he put that experience in front of his home fans in Singapore to good use and it's to his credit he could conquer his disappointment so soon and shoot a Sunday 65 to run out a five shot winner after starting the day three back. Reports suggest he went about his task aggressively and confidently and that is extremely pleasing after the struggles of seven days earlier, even if it did come in a lower grade - after all a first win is a first win. He has since secured another top ten, in China 2 weeks ago, and the only glitch we have to overlook is a missed cut last week in Macau. For a player whose game is so obviously on the up, who is a recent winner, and who contended seriously in the last European Tour-sanctioned event in Asia, this looks a decent throw.
Update Tuesday 17:53:
All the 55 seems to have gone at Betfair but there is plenty of acceptable 50/1 with the bookies.

Summary:
Nothing to report, never had a hope. Loss = 1.5 pts.