Outright plays (total stake per play: 1pt)
Steven Jeppesen to win 80/1 e.w. @ BetInternet and Paddy Power
Avoiding players who competed in today's 36-hole U.S. Open qualifier at Walton Heath as it is far from ideal preparation for this event as I would have otherwise backed Richard Green at 20/1. But he qualified for Winged Foot and will surely withdraw from this event. And even though Monty, Bjorn and Jimenez are in this field, they will still have next week's U.S. Open on their mind, so that should mean that this event is little more than the Aa St Omer Open which is co-sanctioned with the Challenge Tour. So, in this field, previous course experience from the last three years when this was a Challenge Tour event should be very helpful and that leads to Jeppesen who finished 2nd last year. And it was almost one better ... Michael Hoey needed to birdie the last two holes to pass Jeppesen's clubhouse score. That was the start of four consecutive top-5 finishes, three as runner-up, which enabled him to earn his European Tour card for this season and he has done well this season with five top-25 finishes, three of which have been in his last five events. He has only had limited experience on these courses this year and done well, so a return to a Challenge Tour venue on which he has had success should augur well for the Swede this week.
David Park to win 100/1 e.w. @ BetInternet and Ladbrokes
Would have liked to add Markus Brier to these two, but will not go as low as 50/1, so Park is the only other selection this week. He has no previous course experience, but this price is simply too large for a player of his ability relative to this field. He led the Malaysian Open with one round to play in February and was in 6th place with one round to play last week in Wales, so he has shown more than a few glimpses of his former game this year. But again, this really is a play based on the value in these odds - he should be as low as half this figure in this particular event.
