Buick Invitational

FINAL RESULT: 1-2-0; -0.23pts

Sabbatini/Casey VOID (Casey dns)
Lehman/Riley WON by 15
Singh/Els LOST by 5
Maruyama/Howell LOST by 9

Small loss on the matchups, but didn't like too many anyway and just thankful for the inadvertent double-play on Lehman.

* Thanks to everyone who emailed ... yes, I have already had one play on Lehman over Riley and yes, I had forgotten that I had done so! But as I still liked the play at -132, I suppose that makes it a 3pt play. *

Further matchup plays (1.5pts):

Vijay Singh to beat Ernie Els +100 @ GolfingGods
I don't see how they can make Els the favourite in this match. Only one shot has separated them in each of the two events this year, but this week they're in California and that is a State that Els has tried to avoid altogether. I can only presume that he is uncomfortable on the greens in this region and that has been confirmed in his comments this wek about the poa annua on the greens. He hasn't played a strokeplay event in this State since the 2000 U.S. Open and his record in this State in the WGC Matchplay is dire for someone so dominant at Wentworth: 2-4. Singh does not have the best course form, but neither did he have last week and he won.

Shigeki Maruyama to beat Charles Howell -115 @ Carib
Betting against one of the outright selections, so a type of hedge, I suppose. The reason is that in matchups, Maruyama is definitely the player to side with here. In the last 19 common events, dating back to February last year, Howell has finished ahead of Maruyama on only three occasions and the last time was five months ago.
(available widely)

Tom Lehman to beat Chris Riley -132 @ Pinnacle
Siding with one of the outright selections here, though. Lehman has become extremely consistent and that makes him a good player to side with in matchups. He has only finished behind Riley on one occasion since last March, so with good course form, he looks likely to not do so again this week.
(also available at Olympic and Five Dimes)

Matchup plays (1.5pts):

Rory Sabbatini to beat Paul Casey -110 @ Olympic
Casey missed his 2005 debut in Hawaii last week, which is probably a result of the pressure caused by his comments last year about Americans. But his reception in Hawaii will be nothing compared to that now that he is on the mainland. He should be one to oppose on the PGA Tour for some time and Sabbatini looks a worthwhile opponent as he leads in the h2h standings with Casey both on this Tour and on this course.

Tom Lehman to beat Chris Riley -115 @ Olympic
Over the last twelve months, Riley has finished ahead of Lehman just twice and is nowhere near the level of consistency that Lehman has achieved in the past four months. Comparable course form, but Lehman is playing far better at the moment.