World Number One Kaymer The Favourite at the Transitions

Martin Kaymer is number one in the world and he tops on the betting board at (9-1)as the Transitions Championship tees off on Thursday.

However, he’s had some pedestrian results recently and it could be the pressure of number one is getting to him.  Although, he’s as cool as they come and his recent run could simply be a lull in what has been a career changing 12 months for the German.

He did finish second recently at the Match Play in Arizona losing to Luke Donald in the final, while sandwiching that result 31st in Dubai and a 24th at the Cadillac Championship.

The main cause for concern is his recent inability to make a move on the weekend.  He hasn’t broken 70 on the weekend since Saturday in Qatar way back at the beginning of February.

Second on the board at (13-1) is last week’s winner at Doral, Nick Watney, who is coming off the biggest win of his career which could go two very different directions.  Obviously, there could be a letdown after what was most certainly a very draining week and an even more draining post victory celebration. 

However, the win could propel him to near future success.  It’ll be known early Thursday as to which Watney we’ll see this week.

In a betting board littered with Europeans, Paul Casey sits third going out at (18-1) and he’s had a pretty good start to 2011 and this could be the week where he contends for a title over the full 72 holes.

Casey hasn’t missed the top-20 in his first three PGA Tour events of the season that included a tie for 18th at the Cadillac Championship last week. 

What has held Casey back thus far has been at least one higher than average round in each stroke play event he’s played in 2011.  He fired a 73 in the third round at the Northern Trust Open and a 72 in the final round last week both of which essentially ended any hope of victory.

Farther down the board are two young guns that have shown considerable brilliance early in their careers.  Spencer Levin (50-1) is just 26-years old, but he already has two top-5’s in 2011 and he narrowly missed out on a win at the Mayakoba Classic losing in a playoff to Johnson Wagner.

Joining Levin in Tampa is Italian teenage sensation Matteo Manassero (55-1) who at 17 years of age has already put together one heck of a resume.

He’s already won on the European Tour and started his season by finishing 2nd at the Hong Kong Open, so this is no wide eyed teenager.  He comes to win each and every week.

Someone once told me that there is more to life than golf. I think it was my ex-wife    - Bruce Lansky