Preview & outright plays:
This is Arnie's Senior event. He has served as the tournament host since the event arrived in Charlotte in 1980 and even designed the course. He tees it up this week, but it is 17 years since his best finish (2nd) in this event. Instead the main challenge comes from Bruce Fleisher who has won this event for the last two years. In truth, without Morgan, Irwin, Kite or Watson on view, he does not have too many challengers, though Larry Nelson is being priced as a joint favorite despite struggling last week.
It also means that there are rather too many short-priced players this week, especially at Surrey, and a place-only win will yield little profit. Nevertheless, there is still a familiar look to the week's selections: Allen Doyle, Jose Maria Canizares and Tom Jenkins. Doyle once again managed to accumulate without winning last week; he finished 3rd for yet another top-10. Needless to say, his course form is the same. He has finished 4th and 5th on his two appearances and has shot every round under par. With Nelson struggling and Fleisher carrying the weight of being double-champion, he should not have a better chance than this week.
Jose Maria Canizares finished 8th last week, but that was no failure. He led the event after day one with Hale Irwin and Irwin just wore him down with a great 2nd round. There is no Irwin this week and on his current form, he should be one of the favorites. He did finish 5th last year and will surely at least match that this time around.
The long-shot is Tom Jenkins. He did close well last week to finish 14th and recorded a top-10 finish on this course in 1999. He would have recorded another last year but for a final round 76. In a market with little value and where a place finish is more attainable than most weeks, the 66/1 on offer looks a decent shot and he completes the trio.
Outright plays:
Allen Doyle to win 14/1 e.w. @
BetSmart
Jose Maria Canizares to win 16/1 e.w. @
BetSmart or
Simon Bold
Tom Jenkins to win 66/1 e.w. @
BetSmart or
Simon Bold
The 54-hole matchups at Simon Bold have been extended to the correct day, but there are no more 54-hole plays. Instead there are two 1st round plays:
Gary McCord to beat Hubert Green -140 @
Five Dimes
Jim Thorpe to beat Lanny Wadkins -190 @
Five Dimes [2 units]