Scandinavian Masters

This event currently alternates between Barseback G.C. (Malmo) and Kungsagen G.C. (Stockholm) so course form is a little problematic, but it is the fifth time that the event has been staged at Barseback and the list of winners here is rather impressive: Faldo (1992), Parnevik (1995), Haeggman (1997), Montgomerie (1999). That roll-call and the course compatibility stats confirm that this a course for the ball-strikers and not the power-hitters. The course is long at over 7,300 yards, but the fairways are firm and length off the tee will not be a problem for this field.

This is an important month in European golf. Qualification for the Ryder Cup finishes in five weeks' time and between this event and the BMW International Open lies the US PGA Championship and the WGC-NEC Invitational. Were it not for the excellent re-scheduling of the WGC-AMEX Championship, there would a let-down in the run-up to the Ryder Cup. This is a period when those on the fringes of Ryder Cup qualification will suffocate under the pressure. Experience will be vital and without that, those players are ones to avoid in the coming weeks.

The players that are selected this week are Jesper Parnevik, Thomas Bjorn and Robert Karlsson. Parnevik does not have to worry about qualification for the Ryder Cup, he is assured of a wildcard pick, though had he not bogeyed the last hole at Royal Lytham, victory here could have propelled him into the top-12 in the Ryder Cup standings and secured him a place in the lucrative WGC-NEC event. Jumping up to 10th should have then be a problem, but that is just one "if only" problem for Sam Torrance. In terms of this event, Parnevik will enjoy the vociferous support of the largest golf crowds in continental Europe and the return to the home of one of his former victories. In great form and with questions over the Ryder Cup and form hanging over many other players, he is a win-only selection at single-figure odds.

Thomas Bjorn's place in the Ryder Cup team is secure - he ranks 2nd in the standings - he will look to return to the form that make him one of the shortest-priced European for the British Open. He had finished 5th, 2nd and 2nd in the three weeks prior to that event and would have been a strong contender had he not been taken ill. He took last week off and with no reports to say that he is still suffering, he looks to be one of Parnevik's main challengers.

Robert Karlsson completes a trio of Scandinavian selections, though he is a player with Ryder Cup qualification firmly on his mind. With the way he came within one shot of automatically claiming his place in the 1999 team - he closed with 65 at the BMW Open to finish 9th, having finished 4th and 5th in previous two events in Europe - he could be one to reap the rewards while the others freeze. He finished 5th the last time this event was held at Barseback, has one victory on Tour this season already and really should have won the British Masters. He has the credentials to win this week.

Outright plays:

Jesper Parnevik to win 8/1 @ Five Dimes among others

Thomas Bjorn to win 18/1 e.w. @ Sports.com

Robert Karlsson to win 33/1 e.w. @ BetInternet among others

72-hole plays:

Ian Woosnam to beat Michael Campbell +110 @ Victor Chandler
Woosie has missed the cut in two of his three visits here [10th on the other occasion], but he is in much the better form of the two. 2nd in the European Open and 3rd in the British Open in famous circumstances, the gutsy Welshman could easily secure another high finish this week. Worrying time for Campbell - he hasn't finished in the top-20 in over two months!

Per-Ulrik Johansson to beat Greg Turner +100 @ Paddy Power
The difficulties that European Tour players face on the PGA Tour is evident from the stats. Three European Tour regulars who have tried to play solely on the PGA Tour this year occupy the bottom three slots on the putting average stats! Good players, but the greens on the PGA Tour are unlike those found on the European Tour, so they are made to look ordinary. It should therefore be a welcome first event of the year on European soil for Johansson who has shown some improvement in form of late with four top-30 finishes in his last six events, including 6th at the Kemper Open. He should play even better this week and dispose of Turner who did finish 7th last week, but that was the first time in eight starts that he had finished in the top-20, and will be playing for the fifth straight week

Thomas Levet to beat Henrik Stenson -138 @ Sports.com [2 units]
Both have won European Tour titles this year, but both have been in contrasting form since. Levet has made the cut in his last four starts, including one top-10, while Stenson has missed the cut in his last four starts and is easily opposed even in his homeland

Should have a couple more this evening.

Adding:

Per-Ulrik Johansson to beat Greg Turner +100 @ Paddy Power
Adding another unit on this play.

Peter O'Malley to beat Justin Rose -111 @ Paddy Power or Ladbrokes
Rose has been on the fringes of qualification for the Ryder Cup for some time and he has continued to fail to convert his chances. No better than 30th in his last three starts, he can be opposed with a player who has already won this year and looked in good form last week at Noordwijk

Ian Woosnam to beat Lee Westwood -105 @ Camelot
Westwood has missed four cuts in his last six events and finished no better than 47th in the other two. He may have a reversal of form, particularly as he is defending champion, but given that he is showing no agitation or even desire on the course when things are not going right, he is very opposable and particularly with a player in great form

Mid-point update:

Just one play is decided at the cut and that is a win for O'Malley over Rose by four shots. Apart from Woosie, who make the cut on the mark, the rest look positive. Levet leads Stenson by five and Johansson is tied with Turner. Woosnam trails Campbell by five and the rejuvenated Westwood, the leader after 36-holes, by ten shots. Not so good in the outrights. Karlsson missed the cut, Parnevik languishes nine shots behind Westwood and Bjorn is best-placed in 22nd place, six shots behind Westwood.

Final update: 3-2-0 and +2.95 units

Split the remaining 72-hole plays with both plays on Woosnam losing. Johansson beat Turner by four and Levet beat Stenson by nine, so at least the week's two-unit plays won. Woosie sacked his caddie after he failed to turn up this morning! Not a good week to be with that troubled pairing. He lost to Campbell by eight and to Westwood, who finished 2nd, by eleven.

Update on outright plays: 0-3 and -3.00 units

Cancelled out the profits on the matchups with a poor showing on the outrights. Bjorn catapulted himself into contention in the 3rd round, but opened with two bogeys today to end his chances. He eventually finished 9th, one shot out of a place finish. Parnevik was surprisingly struggling with his swing this week and finished down in 36th position, while Karlsson missed the cut.