Golfwise Extra: Friday's Dubai World Championship news and advice

 By Jeremy Chapman 1:53PM 26 NOV 2010 ENGLAND may be 3-1 to win the first Test in Oz but over in Dubai they're hot favourites to win the final event of the 2010 European Tour with Hong Kong hero Ian Poulter, Ross Fisher, world No. 1 Lee Westwood and Ryder Cup reject Paul Casey occupying the first four places on the World Championship leaderboard.

Admittedly, Casey is only sharing fourth place with Martin Kaymer, the German destined to win the Race To Dubai and with it the No. 1 ranking in Europe on Sunday, and Thai ace Thongchai Jaidee, but it still represents a stranglehold on this mega-bucks competition at the Earth course at Jumeirah, a 7,675-yard patch of real estate which the big boys are tearing up.

In round two it was Wentworth bomber Fisher with the low round of the week, an eight-under-par 64, who stole the show but Poulter and defending champion Westwood, playing together in an explosive pairing which produced seven birdies in the first four holes, were not far behind and it is Westwood who has regained his place as tournament favourite at a general 3-1 after his 67.

He's one behind Poulter and Fisher but his victory on the same course by six big shots 12 months ago plus, of course, his elevation to the top spot on the world rankings have convinced layers to make him a narrow market leader ahead of 7-2 Poulter, with Fisher and Kaymer bracketed at 13-2 in third place and Casey, who moved up with a 67, at 8-1 and very much a threat on a course he had not seen until this week and didn't think he was going to like.

First-day leader Robert Karlsson shot ten more than his opening salvo of 65 and is now five behind but just as one RPSPORT recommendation fades, another one, Fisher, and the chief one at that, has flashed into a share of the lead, so there is no need to put up alternatives at this stage.

Even so, if the winner comes from outside the top five in the betting, it will come as a major surprise as they not only represent the cream of European golf, they also represent the cream of world golf these days as it is a long time since Tiger or Lefty made much of an impression. Once in this position, they are unlikely to throw it away. Poulter, for instance, has not had a bogey in 36 holes and last week's victory has only served to bolster a confidence that has never really needed bolstering.

True, Westwood made a horlicks of the par-five 14th, taking four more to get down and duffing a pitch after two massive blows to within 35 yards of the flag, and also missed a tiny putt on the front nine that stopped his gallop, but it has to be remembered that he has played very little competitive golf in the past three months because of his calf problem.

With Kaymer extending his Race To Dubai lead over McDowell to eight shots - G-Mac falling back to a 73 after a strong start - they might just as well hand the trophy to the German right now. Those who got on at 15-2 at the start of the year, form an orderly queue at the payout window. Kaymer could easily win the Race, plus the Championship, plus the world No. 1 ranking from a perfect position two off the pace.

Best prices: 3 Westwood, 7-2 Poulter, 13-2 Kaymer, Fisher, 8 Casey, 20 F Molinari, 25 Jaidee, 40 Jimenez, Quiros, 50 Karlsson, Noh, 66 bar

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