Maybank Malaysian Open Preview & Picks

Weekly feature from David Jenkins @ Fettes Management looking at the top players and picks for this week's Maybank Malaysian Open in the Race to Dubai.

Maybank Malaysian Open

Hello and welcome to hot and humid Kuala Lumpur for a few weeks of “regular” golf before the focus of the next Major starts once again. Apologies for the recent silence, I’ve honestly been away in Augusta – not seriously. Only in Oz - my travel agent has a lot to answer for and will be replaced (much as Tiger Woods’ nine iron will).

Date:                        12^th – 15^th April 2012

Venue:                   Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club

We find ourselves right in the heart of KL on a course that has been wholly reconstructed (every blade of grass is new), but routing and layout the same as before. It is to be found on pleasantly undulating ground where trouble, in the form of water, comes into play on no fewer than 13 holes!

Yards:                      7,000 yards dead!

Par:                           Par 72

Field:                     

Five major champion winners take the 30 hour trip back across the globe to KL – well three. The major Major champion winners including Charl Schwartzel, Martin Kaymer and Louis Oosthuisen (all 62/5) – do we have verification that Todd Hamilton (557/1) and Michael Campbell (712/1 – all BetDaq) actually still play golf?

In 2010 an 18 year old Korean outsider won this event – Noh Seung Yul. In 2011 a 17 year old Italian took it to the field for a second Pro win of his career. What are the chances of a 16 year old winning this year round? Too high for anyone! Looking at the longer odds available at the Maybank, take a look at Ramasamy Nachimuthu, Muhammed Arie Fauzi and Muhammad Afif Razif – all of whom sit at 1,000/1 with SkyBet. They are definitely a long shot.

Consider…:

The fairways are small and tight and strike the fear of god into Alvaro Quiros (44/1 with BetDaq), meaning that we are probably looking at an accurate player more than someone with pure length in his armory. Look no further then than Adilson da Silva (406/1 with BetDaq) and Simon Khan (250/1 with BetFred) – with the two highest ranking stats in driving accuracy and greens in regulation respectively.

The forecast for tournament - hot and humid with a daily threat of thunder storms – does this curry favour with the Asians who are more than used to this? History would say not and actually I was in Singapore last week and it was hot and humid – sweaty but bearable.

Ones to watch:

Matteo Mannesaro (16/1 with William Hill) is a year older, a year wiser and with two top-6 finishes in March is certainly one of the European Tour players currently worth beating. Won the tournament as a 17 year old last year to notch up his second win although with a stronger field in the event than last year is this an unlikely title defence and a more likely top 5 finish? I think so.

The son of a fish farmer from Santander, this professional knows his plaice (get it?). Pablo Larrazabel (63/1 with BetDaq) is on the cusp of a return amongst the shoal of the Big Tour – his change in fortunes started in Morocco when he netted a top ten finish. Not much you say, but he has had a few weeks off to bring his game in line with the high standards he set last year when he hooked his BMW win and now looks to progress up the R2D (big fish) ladder.

Ones to win:

Two top ten' and a top ten world ranking don’t mean prizes but it’s getting personal as Martin Kaymer (62/5 with BetDaq) slips down all of the rankings. However, he’s is German. He’s probably angry and he is clinical. Having just shown the golfing fraternity his best performance at the Masters on a course that is not to his liking, just you see, this will be the start of the turning point for the former World number 1. Jawohl?

Currently the man of the hour! Has played outstandingly for much of the season and no better demonstration than last weekend when Louis Oosthuisen (12/1 with Bet365) came up just short in the Masters (in finishing and on the 2^nd extra play off hole). Has had 4 top tens including a win in the opening tournament of 2012 – and currently sits 3^rd in a tight leader board at the business end of the Race to Dubai league table.

Trick shot:

Simon Dyson at 5/1 (SkyBet) to finish in the top ten after all he had 8 top ten’s across the full season in 2011.

Winning margin to be 1 stroke is also a sure thing at 11/4 with 118Bet. 7 from the last 12 events have ended with a victor by one stroke.