Round 1 plays (1pt):
Michael Allen to beat Jeff Klauk -125 @ FiveDimes
Winning his debut event on the Champions Tour - and the Senior PGA Championship at that - appears to have re-invigorated Allen's game. He shot no worse than 68 in all four rounds last week when finishing 14th in the Travelers Championship and can be confident of another good finish this week on a course in which he has played well in the past: in his two previous appearances he has been 6th after the 1st round in 2005 and he shot three rounds in the 60s last year to finish 24th. Klauk, by contrast, is making his course debut and has broken 70 just once in his last ten 1st rounds.
Brett Quigley to beat James Nitties -125 @ FiveDimes
Similar story here. Quigley has finished 21st and 40th in his two previous visits to Congressional and comes into this event in improving form, finishing 29th last time out. Nitties is making his course debut and while he gained attention in May due to two consecutive top-20 finishes, since then he has finished 54th, mc, 49th and mc.
Anthony Kim to beat Davis Love -141 @ Unibet
Finishes of 16th and 11th in the last two weeks are evidence of a much improved form for Kim who had been struggling since January. As definding champion (he also finished 25th in 2007), he clearly has the course form to play well again here and should easily defeat Love.
K.J. Choi to beat Davis Love -120 @ Paddy Power [tie loses]
Kim won this event last year; Choi won it in 2007. And, as with Kim, his form has been improving since the last couple of events, so he should be confident of another good performance here. There has been little indication this year that Love will be competitive for two events in a row.
Stuart Appleby to beat Bryce Molder +110 @ FiveDimes
Taking a chance on Appleby re-discovering his game given his excellent course form: in 2005 he finished 7th here (2nd with one round to play); in 2007 he led for the first three rounds before finishing 3rd; and last year he was 6th after the opening round. Molder has been in good form recently, but the odds are high enough to tempt me with such a difference in course form (Molder is making his course debut).
Michael Allen to beat Jeff Klauk -125 @ FiveDimes
Winning his debut event on the Champions Tour - and the Senior PGA Championship at that - appears to have re-invigorated Allen's game. He shot no worse than 68 in all four rounds last week when finishing 14th in the Travelers Championship and can be confident of another good finish this week on a course in which he has played well in the past: in his two previous appearances he has been 6th after the 1st round in 2005 and he shot three rounds in the 60s last year to finish 24th. Klauk, by contrast, is making his course debut and has broken 70 just once in his last ten 1st rounds.
Brett Quigley to beat James Nitties -125 @ FiveDimes
Similar story here. Quigley has finished 21st and 40th in his two previous visits to Congressional and comes into this event in improving form, finishing 29th last time out. Nitties is making his course debut and while he gained attention in May due to two consecutive top-20 finishes, since then he has finished 54th, mc, 49th and mc.
Anthony Kim to beat Davis Love -141 @ Unibet
Finishes of 16th and 11th in the last two weeks are evidence of a much improved form for Kim who had been struggling since January. As definding champion (he also finished 25th in 2007), he clearly has the course form to play well again here and should easily defeat Love.
K.J. Choi to beat Davis Love -120 @ Paddy Power [tie loses]
Kim won this event last year; Choi won it in 2007. And, as with Kim, his form has been improving since the last couple of events, so he should be confident of another good performance here. There has been little indication this year that Love will be competitive for two events in a row.
Stuart Appleby to beat Bryce Molder +110 @ FiveDimes
Taking a chance on Appleby re-discovering his game given his excellent course form: in 2005 he finished 7th here (2nd with one round to play); in 2007 he led for the first three rounds before finishing 3rd; and last year he was 6th after the opening round. Molder has been in good form recently, but the odds are high enough to tempt me with such a difference in course form (Molder is making his course debut).
