Round 1 play (4pts):
Rory McIlroy to beat Graeme McDowell +100 @ 5Dimes [also available @ William Hill, Paddy Power and Boyle Sports]
One of the marquee matchups featuring two very in-form players: since the Valderrama Masters, McDowell has finished 1st, 34th, 3rd, 5th, 13th, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, while McIlroy has finished 5th, 6th, 5th and 4th over the same period. However, the difference is certainly marked in terms of course form: whereas McIlroy has finished 11th, 5th and 3rd here, McDowell's record reads 41st, mc, mc. By his own admission, he struggles on this course because it is so long - over 7,500 yards. There have been some tweaks to the course to place more emphasis on straight driving, but this is still a course that does not suit McDowell's game no matter how well he is playing. So long as McIlroy isn't too rusty in his first start of 2011, he should have a decisive advantage over his compatriot this week.
[unofficial rd1 system plays: Hansen A tb Manassero +102; Lawrie Pa tb Colsaerts -110; Molinari F tb Oosthuizebn -105]