After two intense days of competition we are left with eight men in the Paul Lawrie Matchplay ahead of the quarter finals of the tournament on Saturday morning at the Archerfield Golf Club in East Lothian.
Big names were few and far between in this event to begin with but those who were here have in the main been seen off on a Friday which was full of shocks so the tournament has a wide open feel to it heading into the weekend.
Friday Recap
It was an up and down day for us on Friday it must be said. One of the two match bets we put up came in when Marc Warren had no problems in winning but sadly a late burst from Johan Carlsson put paid to Robert Rock. Perhaps even more annoyingly we lost all three remaining outrights too so lessen any enthusiasm in the day.
On the golf course there were defeats across the day for three of the four main seeds when Chris Wood, Richard Bland and Matthew Fitzpatrick all got beat while other seasoned professionals such as Mikko Ilonen, Paul Lawrie and Marc Warren bit the dust as well.
It all leaves us with a wide open tournament behind Alex Noren, who did survive the two rounds and who is now a massive favourite to win from here. That said this is 18 hole matchplay and anything can happen, as we’ve seen in the opening two days.
Saturday Quarter Finals
As ever all the matches are priced up for this round. The action begins with Max Kieffer taking on Oliver Fisher before Haydn Porteous and Anthony Wall set off. The third match is an all-Swedish battle between Johan Carlsson and Alex Noren and the last game is arguably the pick of the ties between James Morrison and Alejandro Canizares.
In many ways James Morrison and Alejandro Canizares have been the players of the week so it is a shame from their point of view that they meet in this quarter final. Bookmakers make the match even the two and that’s how I see it too so I’ll leave that game alone.
I fancy Max Kieffer and Alex Noren to come through their matches but both are pretty short and this is 18 hole matchplay so I’m in no rush to plough into short prices which means giving those matches a miss but I will get involved in the other one.
Haydn Porteous might have the advantage on Anthony Wall in the length department but there isn’t much else he is likely to have the better of the two in. Anthony Wall has held himself together well in this tournament and he has done so under the most intense pressures which is very much a positive.
Porteous has done well in this tournament but a lot of his golf has been average and then he has produced a burst of scoring to get in front of an opponent and get the job done but you can’t do that all week so with that in mind I’m going with the solid, consistent approach that Wall brings.
There is a 50/50 element to this match although I’d probably give Wall the edge in this format so at odds against he is a pretty solid proposition to come through this quarter final.
Tips
WON – Back A.Wall to beat H.Porteous for a 4/10 stake at 2.20 with Ladbrokes
Back him here:
