No issues with Dustin Johnson as favourite, but odds look a bit skinny with quite a few potential winners all close enough to get the job done if things click and I prefer to look elsewhere and that is with Ian Poulter. He played well at the Masters last week and this is his time of year and, he has some unfinished tournament business.

 

12 months ago the Bitish player was (in consecutive events) a quarter finalist at the WGC Matchplay, won Houston (shooting 73-64-65-67 that scoring is important, more later), 44th at the Masters (his favourite event) , then led here after three rounds (opening with 69-64-67), but faded on Sunday, I think he just hit a wall, also, that was all a bit rushed for the slow moving Brit, with an early start off two tees and three ball play, due to bad weather warnings. The win in Houston was his first for five years and perhaps it took a lot out of him and another chance two starts later was too soon. He has played well all year, was 3rd in WGC-Mexico and 12th at Augusta in a limited schedule based almost exclusively around the big events, as so many top golfers do. He does have a bit of a habit of starting slowly and coming on strong through the final three rounds, witness his win in Houston and he is 70-67-67 here and a another round in the 60's on a course which plays to his strengths and which he likes, is on the cards, he did the reverse here last year, but that was not the norm and I have already explained what I think the reasons were. This time round he has played far less golf in build up and and the only "wall" to hit should be a mental one, but now that he has won again that should be less of an issue and when confidence was being handed out, Poults was not at the back of the queue in any case and unlike some, he will be looking forward to his share of the spotlight this afternoon. He will enjoy being in a two ball with DJ and said yesterday :“I don't put any pressure on myself anymore,it's not just about the win, it's about being in contention, which I've done that a lot this year.“I feel great about my game and I'm just going to go have some fun.” He also has his father with him, which is rare and a big deal for him.