Round 1 plays (1pt):
Camilo Villegas to beat Alvaro Quiros +100 @ Stan James [tie loses]
Opposing Quiros despite his top-10 finish in the HSBC Champions event two weeks ago. It was his first top-10 since May, so it should be difficult to repeat that feat against this field and particularly here - he has yet to record a top-10 finish in six previous starts in the United Arab Emirates. And there's also a report from his father that his game is a "bit off at the moment", so I'll back Villegas in his current form and on a wide-open course with big, fast greens and particularly given that it's a Greg Norman-designed course ... he has a very impressive record at the Norman-designed Sugarloaf course.
Robert Allenby to beat Alvaro Quiros -105 @ Bet365
Backing another player in form against Quiros and another who should play well on a course more commonly found in Florida. That is a State in which Allenby, like Villegas, has a particularly good record and the big, fast greens should also suit the Australian.
Geoff Ogilvy to beat Simon Dyson -125 @ Bet365 [also available @ SkyBet]
Continuing a theme here with Ogilvy as a selection ... very good record in Florida, Australian who likes fast greens, and in decent form with a top-10 finish in the HSBC Champions event. Dyson is arguably in the better form, but with just two top-15 finishes in 16 attempts in the Middle East, he would appear to be best-suited to courses other than in deserts.
Camilo Villegas to beat Alvaro Quiros +100 @ Stan James [tie loses]
Opposing Quiros despite his top-10 finish in the HSBC Champions event two weeks ago. It was his first top-10 since May, so it should be difficult to repeat that feat against this field and particularly here - he has yet to record a top-10 finish in six previous starts in the United Arab Emirates. And there's also a report from his father that his game is a "bit off at the moment", so I'll back Villegas in his current form and on a wide-open course with big, fast greens and particularly given that it's a Greg Norman-designed course ... he has a very impressive record at the Norman-designed Sugarloaf course.
Robert Allenby to beat Alvaro Quiros -105 @ Bet365
Backing another player in form against Quiros and another who should play well on a course more commonly found in Florida. That is a State in which Allenby, like Villegas, has a particularly good record and the big, fast greens should also suit the Australian.
Geoff Ogilvy to beat Simon Dyson -125 @ Bet365 [also available @ SkyBet]
Continuing a theme here with Ogilvy as a selection ... very good record in Florida, Australian who likes fast greens, and in decent form with a top-10 finish in the HSBC Champions event. Dyson is arguably in the better form, but with just two top-15 finishes in 16 attempts in the Middle East, he would appear to be best-suited to courses other than in deserts.
