Golf betting tips: World Challenge & Nedbank Golf Challenge

Our tipster analyses the fields and comes up with some top tips ahead of the Nedbank Golf Challenge and World Challenge presented by Northwestern Mutual

Zach Johnson

Tiger Woods hosts his annual tournament this week as a selection of big names head to California for the World Challenge presented by Northwestern Mutual.

Across the Atlantic, three of the world's top five are in the field for the lucrative Nedbank Golf Challenge in Sun City, South Africa.

Both these exhibition tournaments contain very limited fields, so it is worth considering a range of different betting markets this week.

Tiger Woods birdied the final two holes at the World Challenge last year to triumph over Zach Johnson and win his first tournament since 2009.

Both players are in the field again this year, and with Woods priced at 5/2 with Ladbrokes, there is some good value on offer.

The Sherwood Country Club isn't the longest, but with 1,800 mature oak trees and a plethora of water features and rose bushes, the emphasis is very much on accuracy.

In an 18-man field, anyone has a chance, and Steve Stricker and Rickie Fowler look very appealing at 33/1, but I like the look of Johnson at 14/1 and Hunter Mahan at 16/1, all with Ladbrokes.

Johnson's game is perfectly suited to Sherwood, where he finished second last year and ninth in 2010.

Mahan was second in Total Driving on the PGA Tour in 2012 and 12th in Greens in Regulation. What's more, he hasn't finished outside the top seven since the tournament's inauguration in 2008.

In the group betting category, Jim Furyk looks good at 4/1 with Ladbrokes against Jason Dufner, Dustin Johnson, Ian Poulter and Bo Van Pelt, and Stricker - a man with a good record in the tournament - also looked well priced at 4/1 against Jason Day, Hunter Mahan, Webb Simpson and Keegan Bradley.

I'd also be tempted by a match betting accumulator this week. Ten pounds on Dufner to beat D. Johnson, Furyk to beat Poulter, Z. Johnson to beat Van Pelt and Matt Kuchar to beat Nick Watney would earn £132.83 with Ladbrokes.

In South Africa, the field is comprised of only 12 players. As such, I'd always have an each way bet on the longest-priced player. In this case, Garth Mulroy, who came close to victory in Italy this season and plays some good golf on home soil - is well worth backing at 40/1 with Ladbrokes.

In the first round leader market, Lee Westwood is a decent price at 5/1 with Ladbrokes. He led after round one last year and sat third after 18 holes in 2010, winning the tournament on both occasions.

Peter Hanson may be making his debut in the tournament, but the Swede is capable of going extremely low when he finds his range. He was ninth on the European Tour in Stroke Average this season and looked well priced in the first round leader market at 12/1 with Labrokes.

Another market that looks interesting is Top European. The Gary Player Country Club measures more than 7,500 yards from the back tees, and history tells us it suits the longer hitter.

As such, Nicolas Colsaerts is worth a bet at 7/1 with Ladbrokes. I'd also be tempted by Mulroy - who was 22nd in Driving Distance on the European Tour this season - at 10/1 in the Top South African Market.

Nick Bonfield
Features Editor

Nick Bonfield joined Golf Monthly in 2012 after graduating from Exeter University and earning an NCTJ-accredited journalism diploma from News Associates in Wimbledon. He is responsible for managing production of the magazine, sub-editing, writing, commissioning and coordinating all features across print and online. Most of his online work is opinion-based and typically centres around the Majors and significant events in the global golfing calendar. Nick has been an avid golf fan since the age of ten and became obsessed with the professional game after watching Mike Weir and Shaun Micheel win The Masters and PGA Championship respectively in 2003. In his time with Golf Monthly, he's interviewed the likes of Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Jose Maria Olazabal, Henrik Stenson, Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood and Billy Horschel and has ghost-written columns for Westwood, Wayne Riley, Matthew Southgate, Chris Wood and Eddie Pepperell. Nick is a 12-handicap golfer and his favourite courses include Old Head, Sunningdale New, Penha Longha, Valderrama and Bearwood Lakes. If you have a feature pitch for Nick, please email nick.bonfield@futurenet.com with 'Pitch' in the subject line. Nick is currently playing: Driver: TaylorMade M1 Fairway wood: TaylorMade RBZ Stage 2 Hybrid: Ping Crossover Irons (4-9): Nike Vapor Speed Wedges: Cleveland CBX Full Face, 56˚, Titleist Vokey SM4, 60˚ Putter: testing in progress! Ball: TaylorMade TP5x