The Punters In-Play Blog: Pod hits the front

Padraig Harrington, the man making the running in Portugal
Our man's had a quiet start to the week so far with almost all the in-running powder still dry but he has had one monster-priced punt. Should one of the players tied for 2nd at the Frys.com Open really be 240.0239/1? Steve thinks not.
11:05 - October 12, 2012
The forecast suggested that the wind would get up in the afternoon on day one of the Portugal Masters and it did. Playing in the much trickier conditions, on average, the afternoon starters shot over two shots more than those that teed it up in the morning but I don't expect that to level out today. If anything, the forecast points to a weakening wind early on this afternoon so the advantage yesterday's morning starters have already enjoyed may yet be increased.
My pre-event picks haven't started brilliantly but only Gary Boyd was out it after day one and I haven't got involved in-running as yet. I wanted to wait until this afternoon but if Padraig Harrington doesn't slow up I could be in trouble! He's already five under-par for the day but one of my men, Berndt Wiesberger is keeping tabs, he's currently just two behind Pod.
Over in the states, at the Frys.com Open, Australian left-hander Nick O'Hern emerged from the wilderness to shoot a nine-under par 62 to lead big bombers Jhonattan Vegas and Nicolas Colsaerts and Monday qualifier Derek Ernst.
One of my picks, Billy Horschel, did ok, shooting four under-par but promising youngster Luke Guthrie had a shocking day, shooting two over!
I'm treating this one with plenty of caution too so far but I have had one small wager. I confess, I know nothing about brand new pro, 22 year-old Derek Ernst, but at around 240.0239/1, sitting alongside the new favourite, Colsaerts, there isn't an awful lot of downside so I've chucked a few speculative pounds his way.
Portugal Masters pre-event picks
George Coetzee @ 26.025/1
Thomas Bjorn @ 50.049/1
Bernd Wiesberger @ 65.064/1
Lee Slattery @ 130.0129/1
Ricardo Gonzalez @ 160.0159/1
Kristoffer Broberg @ 200.0199/1
Gary Boyd @ 300.0299/1
Frys.com Open pre-event picks
Luke Guthrie @ 46.045/1
Billy Horschel @ 75.074/1
In-Play pick
Derek Ernst @ an average of 240.0239/1