Round 1 plays (1pt):
Bo Van Pelt to beat Charles Howell -110 @ Five Dimes [also available @ Bet365]
Ted Purdy to beat Charles Howell +125 @ William Hill [tie loses]
Opposing Howell whose best finish in his last five starts is 38th and that was in a 2nd tier event - the Mayakoba Golf Classic - and is making his debut in this event. I really can't see his motivation being particularly high playing alongside the WGC events. It is a different story with Van Pelt who finished 2nd here last year and over those last twelve months he has shot a higher score than Howell in just 5 of 22 common 1st rounds. And I'd also back Purdy to beat Howell as he has done in each of their last four common events. He has had two top-15 finishes in his last three events and was a top-10 finisher on this course last year.
Jeff Overton to beat Bart Bryant -110 @ Five Dimes
Similar story here. Overton was a top-10 finisher last year and is coming off a top-10 finish in the Honda Classic; Bryant is making his course debut and finished 14 shots behind his opponent last week.
Nicholas Thompson to beat Troy Matteson -105 @ Five Dimes
And again. Thompson had been in the top-10 all week last year until the final round, while Matteson didn't play last year and finished nine shots behind Thompson last week after just two rounds.
Jay Williamson to beat Jesper Parnevik -105 @ Unibet
Another matchup in which I'm backing the player with course experience over one without. I've seen nothing from Parnevik this year to suggest that he will regain his Tour Card that he lost last year, so I'm surprised that Unibet make him the favourite in this matchup.
Bo Van Pelt to beat Charles Howell -110 @ Five Dimes [also available @ Bet365]
Ted Purdy to beat Charles Howell +125 @ William Hill [tie loses]
Opposing Howell whose best finish in his last five starts is 38th and that was in a 2nd tier event - the Mayakoba Golf Classic - and is making his debut in this event. I really can't see his motivation being particularly high playing alongside the WGC events. It is a different story with Van Pelt who finished 2nd here last year and over those last twelve months he has shot a higher score than Howell in just 5 of 22 common 1st rounds. And I'd also back Purdy to beat Howell as he has done in each of their last four common events. He has had two top-15 finishes in his last three events and was a top-10 finisher on this course last year.
Jeff Overton to beat Bart Bryant -110 @ Five Dimes
Similar story here. Overton was a top-10 finisher last year and is coming off a top-10 finish in the Honda Classic; Bryant is making his course debut and finished 14 shots behind his opponent last week.
Nicholas Thompson to beat Troy Matteson -105 @ Five Dimes
And again. Thompson had been in the top-10 all week last year until the final round, while Matteson didn't play last year and finished nine shots behind Thompson last week after just two rounds.
Jay Williamson to beat Jesper Parnevik -105 @ Unibet
Another matchup in which I'm backing the player with course experience over one without. I've seen nothing from Parnevik this year to suggest that he will regain his Tour Card that he lost last year, so I'm surprised that Unibet make him the favourite in this matchup.
