Outright plays (1pt):
Sebastian Fernandez to win 25/1 e.w. @ SkyBet
Rather like the main European Tour in China, the first event starts in a new continent a long way from European weather and so, for the first week at least, the Europeans should struggle. Fernandez's victory in the first of the three TLA and Challenge Tour co-sanctioned events in 2003 is proof of this and he secured a further three top-5 finishes that season to earn full playing rights on the main Tour this season. He only just failed to hold onto his main Tour Card after making the cut in six of his last seven Tour events. He has won these types of events in the past and has been playing at a higher level than the Challenge Tour players arriving in Mexico; he should be one of the favourites this week.
Eduardo Herrera to win 33/1 e.w. @ SkyBet
Herrera has only played in two Tour de Las Americas event and the first was this event a year ago - he was never out of the top-two and won the title. In his second event, he finished in the top-10 despite opening with 81. He has spent the last two seasons comfortably retaining his card on the Nationwide Tour so, like Fernandez, he has been playing at a much higher level than either of these two Tours and has won this type of event in the past. On that basis, these odds look more than fair.
Wilfredo Morales to win 33/1 e.w. @ SkyBet
Morales finished 2nd on the 2004 TLA Money List despite playing in only three events, compared to the winner's eight. And with finishes of 6th, 1st and 2nd in those three events, he deserved to finish so high up the Money List. In his only other TLA event in 2002, he finished 7th. He returned to Puerta Rica after failing to convert a successful college golf career with Columbus State into a Tour Card, but this looks his best route into a full-time professional Tour. He has shown that he can dominate the Tour de Las Americas and this looks a very good opportunity to convert that into playing rights on the European Challenge Tour.
Sebastian Fernandez to win 25/1 e.w. @ SkyBet
Rather like the main European Tour in China, the first event starts in a new continent a long way from European weather and so, for the first week at least, the Europeans should struggle. Fernandez's victory in the first of the three TLA and Challenge Tour co-sanctioned events in 2003 is proof of this and he secured a further three top-5 finishes that season to earn full playing rights on the main Tour this season. He only just failed to hold onto his main Tour Card after making the cut in six of his last seven Tour events. He has won these types of events in the past and has been playing at a higher level than the Challenge Tour players arriving in Mexico; he should be one of the favourites this week.
Eduardo Herrera to win 33/1 e.w. @ SkyBet
Herrera has only played in two Tour de Las Americas event and the first was this event a year ago - he was never out of the top-two and won the title. In his second event, he finished in the top-10 despite opening with 81. He has spent the last two seasons comfortably retaining his card on the Nationwide Tour so, like Fernandez, he has been playing at a much higher level than either of these two Tours and has won this type of event in the past. On that basis, these odds look more than fair.
Wilfredo Morales to win 33/1 e.w. @ SkyBet
Morales finished 2nd on the 2004 TLA Money List despite playing in only three events, compared to the winner's eight. And with finishes of 6th, 1st and 2nd in those three events, he deserved to finish so high up the Money List. In his only other TLA event in 2002, he finished 7th. He returned to Puerta Rica after failing to convert a successful college golf career with Columbus State into a Tour Card, but this looks his best route into a full-time professional Tour. He has shown that he can dominate the Tour de Las Americas and this looks a very good opportunity to convert that into playing rights on the European Challenge Tour.
