Review blog re the Portugal Masters and the Butterfield Bermuda Championship – October 27-30.

Hi,

we did manage a full place with Hurly Long in Villamoura at 40/1. We also missed a full place with Marcel Schneider, who failed to get there by one stroke. Those who took eight places would have got a part place return on Schneider. No other returns from our selections and so a one-point loss on the week re picks. Both top twenty picks missed the cut. Ricardo Gouveia had a good opening round of 66 but messed up on Friday with a 74. S H Kim was not on his game in Bermuda.

Portugal Masters:

Was won by Jordan Smith, who got it done on Sunday with a 63 and a win by three strokes. A golfer who regularly contends but seldom wins gets it done. But a low scoring week on an easy resort course. Tour stalwart Gavin Green finished in second place. Consistent Finn Tapio Pulkkanen was third and Eddie Pepperell showed up well again in fourth place. As already mentioned, Hurly Long delivered a full place for in a tie for fifth place.
Marcal Schneider finished in a tie for eighth and should really have pushed on and got a full place on a birdiefest course. Matt Fitzpatrick’s brother Alex, who has recently joined the tour, had another good finish in a tie for 15th place, despite and opening round of 71. Pre-tournament favourite Robert MacIntyre finished in a tie for 18th place. No fireworks from Rob.
Matt Wallace is back on the tour but could only manage a tie for 43rd place. The much-favoured Andy Sullivan let supporters down again, back in tied 59th. Save your money and swerve Sully. Those missing the cut included Ricardo Gouveia, Tom Lewis, Thorbjorn Olesen and Nicolai Hojgaard. What a wasted talent Tom Lewis has now become.

Butterfield Bermuda Championship:

Was won by Seamus (Popeye) Power, the highest ranked golfer. But it fell into his lap with Ben Griffin blowing the final seven holes when leading. I did have concerns about Power, as his iron play had been poor recently. European tour regular Thomas Detry finished second and so the top two in the prestart market finished one two. This was a full tour event with two-year exemption and a Masters invite for the winner. As well as the prize money. I should have spent my teenage years practising instead of engaging young women, football and lager! Lesson learned too late. A big opportunity missed for Ben Griffin, who looked to have it sewn up until the final six holes on Sunday.
Patrick Rodgers had a decent finish when tied for third place. Our in-play selection Aaron Baddeley could only manage a mediocre 71 in the final round. Only good enough for a tied sixth finish. Previous winner and now on the senior’s tour, Brian Gay, blew it in the final round with a 73 and still finished tied eleventh. The much-vaunted rookie Robbie Shelton only managed a tied 23rd place. A poor weekend for Robbie after a good start.
Missing the cut, our two initial selections Brandon Wu and Chandler Blanchett, albeit the latter went off at 400/1.

We will be back on Tuesday with our initial selections for the action on Mexico.

Arriba, arriba!

Martin