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This week, some of the world’s best golfers are in action on opposite sides of the globe. The European Tour heads to South Korea for the Ballantine’s Championship, while the PGA Tour is in Louisiana for the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Perhaps the best matchup of the week is Luke Donald vs. Nick Watney, but we pick nine matches in all and should improve on our 2011 record of 64-50-9.

2011 Ballantine’s Championship Head to Head Odds

Dustin Johnson, USA (12) -120 vs. Ian Poulter, England (17) -110

Poulter finished T36 last week at The Heritage in South Carolina, while Johnson hasn’t played since finishing T38 at The Masters three weeks ago.

Our pick: JOHNSON.

Y.E. Yang, Korea (34) -120 Thongchai Jaidee, Thailand (75)  -110

Yang missed the cut last week at the China Open, and he missed the cut here last year. Jaidee won here in 2009 and  was T9 here last year. Jaidee finished second to Lee Westwood at last week’s Indonesian Masters.

Our pick: JAIDEE.

Miguel Angel Jimenez, Spain (27) -115 vs. Soren Kjeldsen, Denmark (111) -115

Jimenez hasn’t played since finishing T27 at The Masters three weeks ago. Kjeldsen has been playing well in Asia the past two weeks, finishing T2 at last week’s China Open and T13 at the Malaysian Open the week before.

Our pick: KJELDSEN.

Ernie Els, South Africa (15) -115 vs. Rafael Cabrera-Bello, Spain (110) -115

Els missed the cut at The Heritage last week, and has only three top 20 finishes this year. He did finish T9 here last year. Cabrera-Bello finished T52 at last week’s China Open, a week after a T4 finish in Malaysia. Last year, the Spaniard finished T48 here.

Our pick: ELS.

2011 Zurich Classic Of New Orleans Head to Head Odds

Luke Donald, England (3) -130 vs. Nick Watney, USA (14) EVEN

Donald narrowly missed a shot at the No. 1 ranking last week, losing in a playoff at The Heritage. Still, it was his 10th Top 10 in his last 11 events. Watney hasn’t played since a 46 finish at The Masters three weeks ago, but he won in New Orleans in 2007.

Our pick: DONALD

Nick Watney, USA (14) -130 vs. Steve Stricker, USA (9) EVEN

Stricker also last played at The Masters, where he finished T11 for his third straight top 10.

Our pick: STRICKER.

Bubba Watson, USA (16) -120 vs. KJ Choi, Korea (37) -110

Bubba and Choi both last played at The Masters, where Bubba finished T38, and Choi made his second straight top 10 with a T8. Choi also won here way back in 2002.

Our pick: Choi.

Rickie Fowler, USA (36) -115 vs. Brandt Snedeker, USA (38) -115

Fowler missed the cut at last week’s The Heritage and has only two top 10s this year. Snedeker bested Luke Donald in The Heritage playoff and has five top 10s this year.

Our pick: SNEDEKER.

Graeme McDowell, Northern Ireland (5) -120 vs. Ben Crane, USA (35) -110

McDowell started the year with four straight top 10s but has struggled since, missing the cut at the Masters and then finishing T61 at The Heritage last week. Crane also missed the cut at The Masters, but rebounded with a T6 finish at The Heritage.

Our pick: CRANE.