Outright plays (total stake per play: 1.5pts)
Woody Austin to win 25/1 e.w. @ Ladbrokes, BlueSq and BetFred
"I've been playing well for a long time", said Austin before last week's PGA Championship. He would finish 16th last week and that follows finished of 7th and 6th in his previous two starts as well as a 5th place finish in the Buick Championship last month. So when a normally self-critical player like Austin is talking up his chances, it is worthy of note. OK, so it is two years since his last victory, but against this company and on a course on which he has finished in the top-10 in two of his last three visits, he should have reason to still be confident on Sunday.
Harrison Frazar to win 28/1 e.w. @ BetDirect
Frazar has yet to win on Tour, but has featured at some stage in each of his last four events. He has only a best finishing position of 7th from those events, but he is putting well enough to get himself into contention once again this week. When he finished 7th at the Buick Open, he ranked 2nd in putts per GIR that week and last week, while finishing 20th in the PGA Championship, he topped the stats in putts per GIR. He is clearly hitting his irons close to the pins and putting well. Add in a good record on this course, including 5th in 2003, and an excellent record in Nevada - he has finished in the top-3 in each of the last two years in the Michelin Championship - and he could certainly be a strong contender this week.
Chris Riley to win 33/1 e.w. @ Victor Chandler, BlueSq and Tote
It has taken him a long time to recover from the fallout of the 2004 Ryder Cup and he certainly has a long way to go recover the form that earned him a place on that team, but if he is to win again, he should have no better chance than in his home State of Nevada and on the course on which he recorded his maiden Tour win in 2002. That was the last time that he played in this event, but having shown form in the U.S. Bank Championship and The International (he had the 12th best strokeplay score that week) and been the first round leader in last week's PGA Championship, his game may finally be returning to its former self.
Woody Austin to win 25/1 e.w. @ Ladbrokes, BlueSq and BetFred
"I've been playing well for a long time", said Austin before last week's PGA Championship. He would finish 16th last week and that follows finished of 7th and 6th in his previous two starts as well as a 5th place finish in the Buick Championship last month. So when a normally self-critical player like Austin is talking up his chances, it is worthy of note. OK, so it is two years since his last victory, but against this company and on a course on which he has finished in the top-10 in two of his last three visits, he should have reason to still be confident on Sunday.
Harrison Frazar to win 28/1 e.w. @ BetDirect
Frazar has yet to win on Tour, but has featured at some stage in each of his last four events. He has only a best finishing position of 7th from those events, but he is putting well enough to get himself into contention once again this week. When he finished 7th at the Buick Open, he ranked 2nd in putts per GIR that week and last week, while finishing 20th in the PGA Championship, he topped the stats in putts per GIR. He is clearly hitting his irons close to the pins and putting well. Add in a good record on this course, including 5th in 2003, and an excellent record in Nevada - he has finished in the top-3 in each of the last two years in the Michelin Championship - and he could certainly be a strong contender this week.
Chris Riley to win 33/1 e.w. @ Victor Chandler, BlueSq and Tote
It has taken him a long time to recover from the fallout of the 2004 Ryder Cup and he certainly has a long way to go recover the form that earned him a place on that team, but if he is to win again, he should have no better chance than in his home State of Nevada and on the course on which he recorded his maiden Tour win in 2002. That was the last time that he played in this event, but having shown form in the U.S. Bank Championship and The International (he had the 12th best strokeplay score that week) and been the first round leader in last week's PGA Championship, his game may finally be returning to its former self.
