Transitions betting preview

By Dave Tindall Last updated: 17th March 2010

Justin Rose can strike another blow for English golf by winning the Transitions Championship in Florida, says Dave Tindall.

These are golden times for English golf.

But in the collective charge up the world rankings, one man has rather been forgotten.

It wasn't that long ago that Justin Rose was a top 10 player. In fact he climbed to number six in late 2007 - a year that saw him finish in the top 12 in all four majors.

But while the likes of good friend Ian Poulter, Paul Casey, Lee Westwood and Ross Fisher have taken the limelight since, this week's Transitions Championship could be the right time for Rose to bloom again.

Rose lives in Florida and was clearly relieved to get back 'home' after five weeks on the road on the West Coast.

The four-time European Tour winner described his play there as "nearly very good" and you could see what he meant - lots of good rounds and a couple of decent finishes (12th at the Sony Open and 22nd at Torrey Pines).

But sleeping in his own bed, as it does with so many golfers (Camilo Villegas and Ernie Els being the latest), certainly worked wonders when his first start on the 'Florida Swing' produced a fast-finishing third place in The Honda Classic two weeks ago.

Rose was particularly pleased with his ball-striking after working with new tutor Sean Foley (also coach to fine iron players Hunter Mahan, Sean O'Hair and Stephen Ames) and said he hit some shots at the Honda that he hadn't been able to for the last couple of years.

Having been European number one, Rose now wants to crack America and grab that elusive first US Tour win.

He's been close on many occasions (he's a three-time runner-up in the States) but this could be the week where he gets the job done.

Rose has played this event four times and hasn't finished worse than 30th.

Each year he's thrown in one poor round so if he can just eradicate that he can get in the shake-up.

The early 80/1 was gobbled up but 66/1 is still attractive.

Despite the off-putting putting, I remain firmly convinced that Vijay Singh is back in the groove again.

He's finished tied second in greens in regulation for the last two weeks, his iron play helping him finish fourth at The Honda and 11th at Doral.

The 7,340 par 71 Copperhead course has a reputation for producing course specialists and since it was first used on Tour both KJ Choi and Retief Goosen have won the tournament twice.

Singh, the winner here in 2004 (and also runner-up in 2003), will be looking to add to that record and at 25/1 he's fairly priced to do so.

The Fijian is a 34-time Tour winner, has the competitive juices flowing again after a bit of a drought and may just have been inspired by the win for fellow 40-something Ernie Els last week.

It's always interesting to see a player go well on a course they don't have much time for and that was the case with J.B. Holmes last week.

The massive-hitting American said of his past trips to Doral "I wasn't a real big fan of it" so his 18th place finish in such a top field may have been better than it looked.

Certainly Holmes has been in great form in 2010 with a third at Riviera and a second at Pebble while he began the Florida Swing with a 12th at PGA National.

He can boast course form here too after shooting 72-68-69-69 to finish eighth in 2007.

On his play in 2010, Holmes is generously priced at 50s so have a go each-way on a man still determined to punch his ticket for Augusta.

Finally, Bryce Molder went off as the 16/1 favourite in Puerto Rico last week but although he couldn't justify the tag he still finished tied seventh after finishing 65-66.

It means his last three US Tour finishes read 10-8-7 and those first two top 10s (at Pebble and Phoenix) were the reason why he was made favourite in last week's event.

Clearly in hot form, Molder also seems to be something of a Florida specialist.

In his last five starts in the Sunshine State, Molder's results show a win, a third, a fifth and a sixth. Okay, three of those were in the Nationwide Tour's Miccosukee Championship but he clearly thrives on this coast and you can't argue with his form.

Tied second at last year's St Jude (also on Bermuda grass) he's an interesting outsider at 90/1.

Tips:

1pt e.w. Justin Rose at 66/1 (General 1/4 1,2,3,4,5). Based in Florida and home comforts helped him finish T3 at Honda last time. Solid form in this event.

2pts e.w. Vijay Singh at 25/1 (General 1/4 1,2,3,4,5). Coming back into form again and has a 1st and a second here. 34 US Tour wins.

1pt e.w. J.B. Holmes at 50/1 (General 1/4 1,2,3,4,5). Has an eighth to his credit here and in excellent form in 2010. Wants Masters spot.

1pt e.w. Bryce Molder at 90/1 (Stan James 1/4 1,2,3,4,5). Top 10 in last three US Tour starts and boasts some excellent Florida form.