Adding (1 unit):
Nick Price to beat Stuart Appleby -111 @ Boyle
Also siding with Price against Appleby who had shown good form this season until his trans-Pacific flights caught up with him. After finishing 2nd in the ANZ Championship two weeks ago, he missed the cut last week. With two missed cuts and a top-20 finish his three previous visits to Riviera it is not obvious that this week will be much better.
Bob Estes to beat Rory Sabbatini -118 @ Easybets
Estes hasn't missed this event since his first visit in 1991. He can count five top-20 finishes in twelve starts in that time and while he missed the cut in 2000 and 2001, he was again in the top-20 last year. With his very strong start to the season and his impressive greens in regulation stats, he should secure another top-20 this year. That should be enough to beat Sabbatini who has played well this season and did finish 2nd last year, but is a far from consistent player.
Stephen Ames to beat Mark O'Meara -115 @ Five Dimes
Will look to oppose O'Meara again who withdrew after nine holes last week citing back problems. He was forecast to miss his third cut in four starts last week and this week should be his fourth. Despite a record on seven top-20 finishes in seven starts on this course from 1985 to 1997, he did not play here again until 2000 when he missed the cut. Back injury or not, he is not the player he was and should struggle again. Siding with Ames who has made the cut in his two previous visits and in his two starts this year, including a top-10 finish in the Bob Hope Classic.
Fred Couples to beat Aaron Baddeley -137 @ Boyle
Only one opportunity to oppose Baddeley this week and will do so with a player whose record in this event is surpassed by few. In the 1990s, Couples won this event twice and finished runner-up on three occasions. That may seem a long time ago, but in the past three years here, he has managed two top-10 finishes. He is also in good form having made the cut in each of the last three weeks, improving his finishing position every week to finish 13th in the Buick Invitational last week. Another top-10 finish at Riviera is a distinct possibility. By contrast, Baddeley has never played this course and prevented a run of three consecutive missed cuts when he finished on the cut line last week. He eventually finished 72nd and will do well to beat that finish this week.
Too late to get the +100 on Couples ... nice call DTB
Nick Price to beat Stuart Appleby -111 @ Boyle
Also siding with Price against Appleby who had shown good form this season until his trans-Pacific flights caught up with him. After finishing 2nd in the ANZ Championship two weeks ago, he missed the cut last week. With two missed cuts and a top-20 finish his three previous visits to Riviera it is not obvious that this week will be much better.
Bob Estes to beat Rory Sabbatini -118 @ Easybets
Estes hasn't missed this event since his first visit in 1991. He can count five top-20 finishes in twelve starts in that time and while he missed the cut in 2000 and 2001, he was again in the top-20 last year. With his very strong start to the season and his impressive greens in regulation stats, he should secure another top-20 this year. That should be enough to beat Sabbatini who has played well this season and did finish 2nd last year, but is a far from consistent player.
Stephen Ames to beat Mark O'Meara -115 @ Five Dimes
Will look to oppose O'Meara again who withdrew after nine holes last week citing back problems. He was forecast to miss his third cut in four starts last week and this week should be his fourth. Despite a record on seven top-20 finishes in seven starts on this course from 1985 to 1997, he did not play here again until 2000 when he missed the cut. Back injury or not, he is not the player he was and should struggle again. Siding with Ames who has made the cut in his two previous visits and in his two starts this year, including a top-10 finish in the Bob Hope Classic.
Fred Couples to beat Aaron Baddeley -137 @ Boyle
Only one opportunity to oppose Baddeley this week and will do so with a player whose record in this event is surpassed by few. In the 1990s, Couples won this event twice and finished runner-up on three occasions. That may seem a long time ago, but in the past three years here, he has managed two top-10 finishes. He is also in good form having made the cut in each of the last three weeks, improving his finishing position every week to finish 13th in the Buick Invitational last week. Another top-10 finish at Riviera is a distinct possibility. By contrast, Baddeley has never played this course and prevented a run of three consecutive missed cuts when he finished on the cut line last week. He eventually finished 72nd and will do well to beat that finish this week.
Too late to get the +100 on Couples ... nice call DTB
