Weekly previews
A superb week on both the European and PGA Tour this week with the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles and the second round of the FedEx Cup play-offs in the form of the Deutsche Bank Championship.
Tournament: Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles
Course: The Gleneagles Hotel
Prize fund: ?343,692 (winner)
Course details: Par 73, 7,320 yards. Relatively new to the European Tour, this event which is now in its ninth year, has cemented its place as one of the players favourite destinations. This year the tournament will be played on the PGA Centenary Course, designed by Jack Nicklaus, which is the same course that will host the 2014 Ryder Cup. The architect describes it as 'The finest parcel of land in the world I have ever been given to work with'. Rolling hills and bumpy fairways are going to provide this week?s players with a true test of golf.
Key hole: This is a course where there are no easy holes, and if the weather is wet, it will make the course that little bit more difficult to play.
The par 4 fifth, will arguably be the most difficult hole this week. At 461 yards it is quite a long par 4, with a blind uphill drive and a green guarded by a pond on the right.
The low-down: Paul Casey has already won at this event twice, originally in 2001 and then again in 2006, so he has to start as one of the favourites. Another of the favourites, and someone who will have plenty of home support is Championship Chairman, Colin Montgomerie. This is an event yet to be won by a Scot, and so the onus will be on Monty and fellow countryman Paul Lawrie to try and win something in front of the home crowd this year.
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The contenders: Paul Casey, Colin Montgomery, Paul Lawrie.
Betting Guide: For betting tips from our expert Paul Krishnamurty click here.
Tournament: Deutsche Bank Championship
Course: TPC Boston, Norton, Massachusetts
Prize fund: $7,000,000 Winner: $1,260,000.
Course details: This par 71, 7,415 yard course was designed by Arnold Palmer and opened in 2002. Set in a picturesque location, this tree lined venue requires accurate driving off the tee to hit its narrow fairways. With numerous water-hazards and bunkers, accuracy and patient play is the key this week.
Key holes: The par 5 second, will be one of the hardest holes this week. A tee shot over a stream onto a narrow fairway, with a lake guarding the green meaning that most players will not hit the green in two shots. If the pin is placed in a tricky position, expect to see plenty of players taking six and seven shots on this hole.
The par 5 eighteenth, is perhaps the most difficult hole on the course. It is the perfect hole to finish the round. If anyone can drive ahead of the bunker complex, they can set themselves up to hit the green with their next shot, but expect most players to hit to the safer area behind the bunkers, and then lay the ball up just short of the wetland. Then it?s a wedge to the well protected green, two put, and they have themselves a well deserved par.
The low-down: The Deutsche Bank Championship boasts some top players of the contemporary game winning this event, including Adam Scott in 2003, Vijay Singh the following year and Tiger Woods in 2006.
Expect to see Tiger Woods giving it everything to defend this title. His form the second half of this season has been inspiring, and last week he rested and missed The Barclay?s, so don?t be shocked to see Tiger win again this week.
There are 50,000 FedExCup points on offer at this event, and a field of top competitors, so hopefully we will see some first class golf. With plenty of Europeans playing this week such as Henrik Stenson, Luke Donald and Sergio Garcia, there is a good chance the event could be won by a non-American.
The contenders: Tiger Woods, Sergio Garcia, Rory Sabbatini.
Betting Guide: For betting tips from our expert Paul Krishnamurty click here.