Outright plays (total stake per play: 1pt)
Trevor Immelman to win 20/1 e.w. @ Ladbrokes
I'm expecting big things of Immelman this year. He certainly showed that he had moved up a level from May onwards with nine top-10 finishes in his last 16 events of 2006 and he opened this year in similar vein with 3rd in the Mercedes-Benz Championship and threatening another top-10 finish in the Sony Open until a poor final round. He has the ability to move up and join Els and Goosen as multiple winners on this Tour and he already has one win under his belt, the 2006 Western Open. So, having made his debut on this course last year and shot every round under 70, he really should be contending for Tour title #2 this week.
K.J. Choi to win 50/1 e.w. @ BetFred
Choi last played in this event two years ago having missed the cut in each of the previous three years, but on this occasion he had a good chance to win severely dented by being paired with home favourite Phil Mickelson in the final pairing in the last round. With such a famously loud crowd in support of Lefty, it was no surprise that Choi fell back to finish 11th. But in his current form, he could certainly present himself with another chance for victory. He won the Chrysler Championship in October to enable him, like Immelman, to play the two events in Hawaii and rest until this event and he has shown even better form than the South African. Despite a 2nd round 77 after holding the overnight lead, Choi bounced back to finish 8th in the Mercedes-Benz Championship and then finished 4th in the Sony Open. With that form and his impressive last outing at Scottsdale, he should warrants shorter odds than this.
Nick Watney to win 80/1 available generally
Watney is another player in excellent form, finishing 13th and 9th in the last two weeks. In fact, in his last ten PGA Tour starts, dating back to the Reno-Tahoe Open in the last week of August, he has finished in the top-ten five times. With such a promising progression in his career, his two previous performances on this course can be overlooked and while these results may suggest that a place-only bet may be more appropriate, this is similar to his maiden win on the Nationwide Tour - the 2004 Tour Championship. On that occasion, he had become steadily more competitive in his rookie season until finishing 4th and 2nd in two of three events before that win and this may be a repetition for Watney in 2007. As the number one-ranked collegiate player in 2002, this is certainly more than purple patch of form.
Trevor Immelman to win 20/1 e.w. @ Ladbrokes
I'm expecting big things of Immelman this year. He certainly showed that he had moved up a level from May onwards with nine top-10 finishes in his last 16 events of 2006 and he opened this year in similar vein with 3rd in the Mercedes-Benz Championship and threatening another top-10 finish in the Sony Open until a poor final round. He has the ability to move up and join Els and Goosen as multiple winners on this Tour and he already has one win under his belt, the 2006 Western Open. So, having made his debut on this course last year and shot every round under 70, he really should be contending for Tour title #2 this week.
K.J. Choi to win 50/1 e.w. @ BetFred
Choi last played in this event two years ago having missed the cut in each of the previous three years, but on this occasion he had a good chance to win severely dented by being paired with home favourite Phil Mickelson in the final pairing in the last round. With such a famously loud crowd in support of Lefty, it was no surprise that Choi fell back to finish 11th. But in his current form, he could certainly present himself with another chance for victory. He won the Chrysler Championship in October to enable him, like Immelman, to play the two events in Hawaii and rest until this event and he has shown even better form than the South African. Despite a 2nd round 77 after holding the overnight lead, Choi bounced back to finish 8th in the Mercedes-Benz Championship and then finished 4th in the Sony Open. With that form and his impressive last outing at Scottsdale, he should warrants shorter odds than this.
Nick Watney to win 80/1 available generally
Watney is another player in excellent form, finishing 13th and 9th in the last two weeks. In fact, in his last ten PGA Tour starts, dating back to the Reno-Tahoe Open in the last week of August, he has finished in the top-ten five times. With such a promising progression in his career, his two previous performances on this course can be overlooked and while these results may suggest that a place-only bet may be more appropriate, this is similar to his maiden win on the Nationwide Tour - the 2004 Tour Championship. On that occasion, he had become steadily more competitive in his rookie season until finishing 4th and 2nd in two of three events before that win and this may be a repetition for Watney in 2007. As the number one-ranked collegiate player in 2002, this is certainly more than purple patch of form.
