The Royal Trophy: Dragon Lake Golf Complex Guangzhou
The Royal Trophy at Dragon Lake Golf Complex Guangzhou takes place this week.
It’s a tournament that will be huge in Asia and the Far East but is relatively unknown over here. The venue of The Royal Trophy is the Dragon Lake Golf Complex in Guangzhou China and is a Ryder Cup style challenge between Asia and a strong European team led by the Ryder Cup captain, Jose Maria Olazabal.
No part of the World is throwing money at the game like the Far East and this European team coming here the week before Xmas will have cost a fortune but the ratings will be huge and the organisers will hope this Ryder Cup spin off will push the game further forward.
Both the European Tour and The PGA Tour are falling over themselves to stage events out here but the Chinese Golf Federation are keen to show the players they can stage their own high quality events and this week is about that too.
Last time the Asian team did to Olazabal what the USA couldn’t with a defeat in a thrilling extra hole play off. That’s the thing about the Royal Trophy it cannot be a tie if they are level two team members have to bite the bullet and go out and play a sudden death play off.
This is being played on the King Course at this vast golfers paradise that is Dragon Lake. It’s a classic matchplay layout with long holes full of risk reward shots and big quick greens. Only adding to the matchplay excitement there is water everywhere here.
betting is divided with many firms going Bookmakers cannot split them with many going 11/10 the pair.
Personally we think Jose and the boys can come out on top against a highly motivated, highly talented but inexperienced Asian team and is quite a value bet?
The event is played over 3 days commencing Friday 20th December.
Our selection…. take Jose and the boys to come out on top at 11/10 with bet365.
Other golf news…..
Tiger Woods believes the selection of venues for the 2014 major championships could give him the advantage as he looks to end a five-year wait to win one of the big four.
The 37-year-old has just completed his most successful season to date since his return from a self-imposed hiatus, winning five competitions, including two World Golf Championships.
Woods was also a serious contender for the Masters and US Open titles in 2013 but failed to get over the line as he ended up finishing tied for fourth and sixth respectively.
The world number one’s failure to capture one of golf’s four top prizes this year will see his barren run enter a sixth year, his last title coming at the 2008 US Open.
However, Woods has now admitted he is quietly confident he could pick up a 15th major crown next year after learning of the venues the events will be played at.
He was won four times at Augusta, the permanent home of the Masters, while he finished second and third at the two US Opens he has played at Pinehurst.
Elsewhere he has won at the venue for next year’s Open Championship, Hoylake, and Valhalla, the venue for the 2014 US PGA Championship in August.
Woods is 11/2 to win a fifth Masters title, while he is priced at 8/1 for the Open Championship.
While Woods has been happy with his efforts this year he is full of belief that 2014 could be a momentous year for him.
“I’ve won at every one, except for Pinehurst, and I’m trending in the right way,” said Woods. “I’ve finished third, second. You get the picture, right?
“So I’m looking forward to the major championship venues next year. They have set up well for me over the years and I look forward to it.”
Woods was unable to end the year with a win at the World Challenge last weekend as he lost on the first hole of his play-off with Zach Johnson.
Woods had been on course to win the event he hosts for a sixth time when four shots clear through ten holes of the final round, only for Johnson to pip him at the last and force a play-off.
Current Live Golf Betting
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.