There is only one PGA Tour stop in the state of Michigan. How fitting that it should be sponsored by Buick.
The Buick Open (one of three Buick-sponsored events on the season) tees off this Thursday at Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club in Grand Blanc, about an hour?s drive south of Detroit. Naturally, when you think of Buick, you think of Tiger Woods ? thanks to those ubiquitous ads with Woods at the wheel. He?s only won this event once before, in 2002, but he?s at the top of the list to do it again at +300.
Woods is back on the golfing front page after his dramatic win at the British Open. That victory, his 11th career major, vaulted Tiger to the top of the 2006 PGA earnings list. The man he leapfrogged: Jim Furyk, who is also second on the Buick Open odds list at +900. Furyk won this event in 2003; handicappers looking for value will immediately bypass Woods and start their homework with Furyk at three times the potential payoff. Both Woods and Furyk have placed in the Top 10 five times in their last six appearances at Warwick Hills.
Or you could consider the man who won the past two Buick Opens, plus the 1997 event. Vijay Singh (+1000) hasn?t had the same success in 2006 that he has enjoyed in the past few years, winning just one tournament thus far (the Barclays Classic, which also used to be sponsored by Buick). But Singh was rounding nicely into form before missing the cut at the British Open, and there is something about Warwick Hills that suggests he?ll get right back on track.
That something could be the wide, inviting fairways just waiting for a big bopper like Singh to crank out one of his patented 300-yard drives. There are two par-4 holes on this course that can be driven by the ?grip it and rip it? set, for which Singh definitely qualifies. If you?re not quite feeling Singh yet, you might prefer him in his head-to-head matchup with 1988 Buick Open winner Scott Verplank, who isn?t nearly as mighty with the stick at 276 yards. Singh is the favorite in that tandem at ?160.
The ?real? value starts with Geoff Ogilvy at +2000. The 2006 U.S. Open champion has the kind of all-around game that should be able to dominate this relatively easy golf course ? and the Aussie native can also air it out somewhat at 293 yards per drive. This is a breakout star on the rise who will not be available at longer odds like this in the near future.
If you?re in the market for more of a long shot, there are plenty to choose from, but buyer beware. The Buick Open is sandwiched perfectly in between the British Open and the PGA Championship; most of the bigger names are in attendance to use Warwick Hills as a tune-up for next week?s festivities at Medinah Country Club in Illinois. The presence of Woods and company makes competent golfers like Kenny Perry, the 2001 Buick Open titleholder, relatively good value at +3300. However, Perry doesn?t seem able to make the leap these days from competence to champion ? he hasn?t won anything yet this year. I would normally prefer David Toms at the same odds. He?s ranked 12th on the Tour and won the Sony Open in Hawaii, but back problems have thrown the brakes on his money train.
The Buick Open might be one of the few events on the Tour where it?s worth taking the field (+350). The course is so easy that anyone can come in and, provided he doesn?t get the yips, challenge for top spot. Before Woods, Singh and Furyk started racking up wins at Warwick, lesser names like Rocco Mediate in 2000 and Tom Pernice Jr. in 1999 (yes, that Tom Pernice Jr.) were stealing the show. John Daly isn?t exactly a lesser name, but his results over the past decade haven?t been stellar. He?s in the field and ready to pounce on the unsuspecting. So are Dicky Pride and Bob May, which might sound like an off-color joke just waiting to happen, but each man has cracked the Top 10 on the Tour this year.
And do I dare mention Carlos Franco?s name again? Maybe I?m just a sucker for a feel-good story, but the Paraguay native has used up almost all the goodwill I have toward him by posting some lousy results of late. Maybe the glasses he started wearing at last week?s U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee will do the trick this time around. Note that Franco placed third at this event just last year. He?s also in the field at +350.
--Perry
BetWWTS.com
The Buick Open (one of three Buick-sponsored events on the season) tees off this Thursday at Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club in Grand Blanc, about an hour?s drive south of Detroit. Naturally, when you think of Buick, you think of Tiger Woods ? thanks to those ubiquitous ads with Woods at the wheel. He?s only won this event once before, in 2002, but he?s at the top of the list to do it again at +300.
Woods is back on the golfing front page after his dramatic win at the British Open. That victory, his 11th career major, vaulted Tiger to the top of the 2006 PGA earnings list. The man he leapfrogged: Jim Furyk, who is also second on the Buick Open odds list at +900. Furyk won this event in 2003; handicappers looking for value will immediately bypass Woods and start their homework with Furyk at three times the potential payoff. Both Woods and Furyk have placed in the Top 10 five times in their last six appearances at Warwick Hills.
Or you could consider the man who won the past two Buick Opens, plus the 1997 event. Vijay Singh (+1000) hasn?t had the same success in 2006 that he has enjoyed in the past few years, winning just one tournament thus far (the Barclays Classic, which also used to be sponsored by Buick). But Singh was rounding nicely into form before missing the cut at the British Open, and there is something about Warwick Hills that suggests he?ll get right back on track.
That something could be the wide, inviting fairways just waiting for a big bopper like Singh to crank out one of his patented 300-yard drives. There are two par-4 holes on this course that can be driven by the ?grip it and rip it? set, for which Singh definitely qualifies. If you?re not quite feeling Singh yet, you might prefer him in his head-to-head matchup with 1988 Buick Open winner Scott Verplank, who isn?t nearly as mighty with the stick at 276 yards. Singh is the favorite in that tandem at ?160.
The ?real? value starts with Geoff Ogilvy at +2000. The 2006 U.S. Open champion has the kind of all-around game that should be able to dominate this relatively easy golf course ? and the Aussie native can also air it out somewhat at 293 yards per drive. This is a breakout star on the rise who will not be available at longer odds like this in the near future.
If you?re in the market for more of a long shot, there are plenty to choose from, but buyer beware. The Buick Open is sandwiched perfectly in between the British Open and the PGA Championship; most of the bigger names are in attendance to use Warwick Hills as a tune-up for next week?s festivities at Medinah Country Club in Illinois. The presence of Woods and company makes competent golfers like Kenny Perry, the 2001 Buick Open titleholder, relatively good value at +3300. However, Perry doesn?t seem able to make the leap these days from competence to champion ? he hasn?t won anything yet this year. I would normally prefer David Toms at the same odds. He?s ranked 12th on the Tour and won the Sony Open in Hawaii, but back problems have thrown the brakes on his money train.
The Buick Open might be one of the few events on the Tour where it?s worth taking the field (+350). The course is so easy that anyone can come in and, provided he doesn?t get the yips, challenge for top spot. Before Woods, Singh and Furyk started racking up wins at Warwick, lesser names like Rocco Mediate in 2000 and Tom Pernice Jr. in 1999 (yes, that Tom Pernice Jr.) were stealing the show. John Daly isn?t exactly a lesser name, but his results over the past decade haven?t been stellar. He?s in the field and ready to pounce on the unsuspecting. So are Dicky Pride and Bob May, which might sound like an off-color joke just waiting to happen, but each man has cracked the Top 10 on the Tour this year.
And do I dare mention Carlos Franco?s name again? Maybe I?m just a sucker for a feel-good story, but the Paraguay native has used up almost all the goodwill I have toward him by posting some lousy results of late. Maybe the glasses he started wearing at last week?s U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee will do the trick this time around. Note that Franco placed third at this event just last year. He?s also in the field at +350.
--Perry
BetWWTS.com
