Without Tiger Woods golf betting

Four bookies have priced up a 'Without Woods' market. As one would expect, Padraig Harrington, Steve Stricker and Ernie Els lead the way after sharing second with Woods at Liberty National. However, its important to remember that this will be a completely different type of golfing test than the Barclays; more typically American and less penal; so form may not necessarily transfer to Boston.   Harrington, for instance, has missed both previous cuts on this course. Stricker has made the top 15 here in each of the last three years, but that and his recent form are well reflected in his price. Els is bound to be popular after more evidence of a return to form, and third place in this last year. Again though, that improved effort is reflected in the price, and even with that distant third last year, I doubt this course will prove as perfect for Els as Liberty.

Fergus Bisset's preview of the Deutsche Bank Championship

HUNTER MAHAN may not have played a prominent part in the Barclays, but he did manage yet another top-20 finish in this consistent summer. Mahan was always playing catch-up at Liberty and finished well enough for me to retain faith in him as an imminent winner. On the basis of all recent form, Mahan is a great value each-way bet without Woods at 28/1.   With two wins and four top 4s from five tries at TPC Boston, Vijay Singh has by far the best course record. On that basis, 28/1 without Woods seems like a massive price, but he will need to produce his best effort of 2009 to do so. I wouldn't entirely write Singh off, though, as even a half-decent week on the greens would markedly improve his score. The same, as always, could be said of Sergio Garcia, who finished fifth last year. However, Garcia's form going into this event 12 months ago was vastly superior to the listless performance we saw over the weekend at Liberty National.