See what I did there? You must forgive me, dear reader, for the lack of updates since last week’s fantasy predictions – I have, happily, just started a new job. But it has meant that I neglected the opportunity to revel in my triumph, as (for the second week in three) the Chipping In pick-of-the-week prevailed at Innisbrook (see the below table). In Spain, Miguel Angel Jiménez, ever reliable, finished in a very good tie for seventh, almost doubling my money on the European Tour

It’s also a point of pride for me as a British citizen, as for all the talk about the series of American winners that started the season, I think it’s rather more remarkable that subjects of Queen Elizabeth II have claimed the last three tour titles, given that our population is around a fifth that of the United States! Luke Donald claimed his fifth PGA Tour title with a birdie on the first hole of a four-man playoff, and with it leapfrogged Rory McIlroy to end his short stint as officially the best golfer in the world. The eyes of the golfing world already look ahead to Augusta, to see if either of them can stamp their domination across professional golf on its most august stage.

We, though, must first look not to one of the game’s best-loved courses, but to one of its best-loved heroes, Arnold Palmer. The swashbuckler from Latrobe has in his retirement reigned over the beautiful Bay Hill, where last year Martin Laird marked the climax of several weeks’ good play by claiming the champion’s blue jacket. That ever-reliable guide, Jeff Palopoli, has for the second consecutive week selected a team that is 75% the same as mine! Let’s hope it brings us good fortune. This week’s Chipping In pick-of-the-week is, like last week’s, someone whose good 2012 has not yet lived up to their stellar 2011. Let us hope, for his sake and ours, that it all comes together for Webb Simpson this week! In Europe, I think that Matteo Manassero, spurred by his second-place finish last week and the prospect of a place at Augusta, can finish well again.