Outright plays (total stake per play: 1pt)
Ernie Els to win 12/1 e.w. @ Boyle Sports [6 places]
Couldn't really split Els and Scott, so will back them both having seen Boyle Sports' offer of 6 places and top-price on both of them. Els would have been the one I left out as he would have had very little opportunity to practice given the wintry weather in London over the past week, but he reports on his website that he left for California a day or two earlier than usual to work on his game over there because of the weather back home. He also reports that because of the school half-term holidays, he will also have his wife and children with him this week and these things are very helpful to a player like Els. In terms of the course, he is a former winner (1999) and it is one of his favourites courses and in terms of his game, it has looked excellent since winning the South African Open in December apart from a blip early in his final round at Dubai. That cost us a winner that week with Els, but this looks a very good opportunity for him to make amends.
Adam Scott to win 12/1 e.w. @ Boyle Sports [6 places]
What is there to say about Scott and Riviera? In the Tour-Tips tables, he ranks 1st in current form, 1st in course form, 1st in location (California) form and 2nd in 1-year scoring average (behind Furyk). He has finished 2nd in his previous PGA Tour start this season and 1st and 2nd on this course over the last two years so the stats certainly suggest that he should be a strong contender this week and 12/1 is enough to tempt me.
Bart Bryant to win 80/1 e.w. @ Sportingbet, Sporting Odds and Victor Chandler
Last year was a poor year for Bryant and it is easy to see why: putting. He has never been a good putter; he has always been a 'fairways and greens' player, ranking in the top-20 in driving accuracy and greens in regulation every year since 2002 (bar an injury-ravaged 2003). But 175th in putting average and 187th in putts per round were not going to help him repeat his double-win of 2005. However, Riviera is a test of players' all-round games and putting will be of much smaller importance this week. Besides, he has shown with finishes of 13th, 7th and 4th in three of his four starts this year, that his overall game, including putting, is at a much higher level this year than last. With a decent showing on this course previously, I'll back to Bryant to beat a field of this quality as he did twice in 2005 at the Memorial Tournament and the Tour Championship.
Jeff Quinney to finish in the top-five 20/1 @ BetFred
Just can't back Quinney to win given the chances that he has spurned already this season, but it was still extremely surprising to see 100/1 on offer. This is a player who has finished 4th, 7th and 3rd in his last three events and that is not the form of a 100/1 shot. A player that ranks 4th in Scoring Average and 3rd in All-Around Ranking should also warrant shorter odds than 100/1, even though he does have a history of blowing leads in events. So the safer option of a place-only wager is the one advised here. And while admittedly he does not have any course form, his last five Tour starts in California has resulted in finishes of 2nd, 3rd, 2nd, 4th and 7th. So surely 20/1 is good value and there is room for another Sunday wobble from Quinney.
Ernie Els to win 12/1 e.w. @ Boyle Sports [6 places]
Couldn't really split Els and Scott, so will back them both having seen Boyle Sports' offer of 6 places and top-price on both of them. Els would have been the one I left out as he would have had very little opportunity to practice given the wintry weather in London over the past week, but he reports on his website that he left for California a day or two earlier than usual to work on his game over there because of the weather back home. He also reports that because of the school half-term holidays, he will also have his wife and children with him this week and these things are very helpful to a player like Els. In terms of the course, he is a former winner (1999) and it is one of his favourites courses and in terms of his game, it has looked excellent since winning the South African Open in December apart from a blip early in his final round at Dubai. That cost us a winner that week with Els, but this looks a very good opportunity for him to make amends.
Adam Scott to win 12/1 e.w. @ Boyle Sports [6 places]
What is there to say about Scott and Riviera? In the Tour-Tips tables, he ranks 1st in current form, 1st in course form, 1st in location (California) form and 2nd in 1-year scoring average (behind Furyk). He has finished 2nd in his previous PGA Tour start this season and 1st and 2nd on this course over the last two years so the stats certainly suggest that he should be a strong contender this week and 12/1 is enough to tempt me.
Bart Bryant to win 80/1 e.w. @ Sportingbet, Sporting Odds and Victor Chandler
Last year was a poor year for Bryant and it is easy to see why: putting. He has never been a good putter; he has always been a 'fairways and greens' player, ranking in the top-20 in driving accuracy and greens in regulation every year since 2002 (bar an injury-ravaged 2003). But 175th in putting average and 187th in putts per round were not going to help him repeat his double-win of 2005. However, Riviera is a test of players' all-round games and putting will be of much smaller importance this week. Besides, he has shown with finishes of 13th, 7th and 4th in three of his four starts this year, that his overall game, including putting, is at a much higher level this year than last. With a decent showing on this course previously, I'll back to Bryant to beat a field of this quality as he did twice in 2005 at the Memorial Tournament and the Tour Championship.
Jeff Quinney to finish in the top-five 20/1 @ BetFred
Just can't back Quinney to win given the chances that he has spurned already this season, but it was still extremely surprising to see 100/1 on offer. This is a player who has finished 4th, 7th and 3rd in his last three events and that is not the form of a 100/1 shot. A player that ranks 4th in Scoring Average and 3rd in All-Around Ranking should also warrant shorter odds than 100/1, even though he does have a history of blowing leads in events. So the safer option of a place-only wager is the one advised here. And while admittedly he does not have any course form, his last five Tour starts in California has resulted in finishes of 2nd, 3rd, 2nd, 4th and 7th. So surely 20/1 is good value and there is room for another Sunday wobble from Quinney.
