I've been an Angel Cabrera groupie since I watched him play at the 2000 World Cup in his native Argentina, and the feature I did on him last year ranks as one of my favorite stories of my career, such as it is. When I'm at a Tour event and can't think of whom to follow I always gravitate toward the hard-living, titanium-denting gaucho.

Cabrera is off to a nice start early in his afternoon round but the advantage of having followed him on the front nine is that I have figured out who is going to win this thing three days early. That would be Cabrera's playing partner Paddy Harrington, who is hitting the ball beautifully and playing with a confidence that is as palpable as Beijing pollution. (As I type this his par putt just spun out on the 9th hole, but no matter.) After Harrington's victory at Birkdale there was a lot of talk about how he cemented his standing as the third-best player in the world. When, not if, he wins here, I'll be ready to declare Harrington No. 2.