Round 1 plays (2pts unless stated):
Pat Perez to beat Paul Casey +105 @ Pinnacle [also available @ The Greek and Carib] [4pts]
All the standard angles point to a strong week from PP: he finished 2nd last year and has been 22nd or better in each of the last four years, plus he has finished in the top-30 in each of his three starts in 2015. Casey last played in this event 13 years ago, though he did finish 65th in the 2008 U.S. Open around the South Course and his record in 2015 is rather mixed: finishes of 30th and mc. It seems strange on this basis that Casey is the favourite in this matchup even before looking at a 'local player' angle.
Pat Perez to beat K.J. Choi -105 @ Bet365
This is priced more line with expectations - Choi has a decent record in this event (top-30 finishes in each of his last four visits) and his 2015 form is much better than Casey's - but I'm still expecting a very strong week from PP. In his own words, "I've been around this course a long time and I worked here, I played this course a million times and it's just good to be home". That's good enough for me.
K.J Choi to beat David Toms -120 @ The Greek [also available @ 5Dimes, Pinnacle and Carib]
However, I'll side with Choi in this matchup. Like Casey, Toms is not a regular here: he finished 60th in the 2008 U.S. Open and it has been over a decade since he played in this event. And like Casey, Toms' form has been indifferent this year. The odds on this matchup should be shorter, given those current and course histories and their respective h2h stats: since the start of 2013, Choi leads Toms 26-10-2 in rd1 and rd2.