Preview & outright plays:
The top-12 on the Ryder Cup points table may be in Akron, Ohio, but eight of the next eleven on the list are at Gleneagles this week in an effort to dislodge Phillip Price from 10th place in the table. There were dramatic movements in the last two weeks on the US Ryder Cup table, so there is every reason to expect the same in Europe. It gives the event a much-needed boost. Last year it also coincided with the WGC-NEC Invitational and the field was poor with the absence of Ryder Cup points on offer. The field is much better this year and a marked improvement on last week's "double badge" event.
They play the renamed 'PGA Centenary Course' at the Gleneagles Hotel, which was designed by Jack Nicklaus and opened in 1993. No surprise then that there are five par-fives and the fairways are generous! Mind you, last year's winner, Pierre Fulke, is a very short hitter, but the course was dry and this year it is not. Definitely one of the most scenic locations for a golf course, this contender for the 2009 Ryder Cup venue is exposed so the winner will be a good player of wind, a necessity for links golf.
The three selections for this event are Paul Lawrie, Stephen Leaney and Steve Webster. Lawrie will be disappointed to have missed out on vital Ryder Cup points with his missed cut last week, but he can overtake Price with a win at Gleneagles this week. If anything, not playing in the heat and humidity of Atlanta at the weekend should be a benefit for this week and hopefully he can regain his European Tour form which brought him a losing playoff spot for the Wales Open two weeks ago. A very player of links course and wind, if not too fatigued by the trip to Atlanta, he looks a good contender this week.
Leaney is another, like most of the Australian contingent, good player in wind. He won the 1998 and 2000 Dutch Opens around the links courses of Noordwijk and Hilversum and finished 9th in that event in his last outing. Compared to his tired European colleagues who are chasing Ryder Cup points, he should refreshed and looked a good prospect even before his 40/1 price became available.
Steve Webster is not a links specialist, though he did secure a top-20 finish at the Dutch Open last month. He is rather one to take advantage of the five par-fives as one of the longer hitters on Tour. He is also in great form and without the pressure of Ryder Cup qualification on his mind. He has finished in the top-10 in three of his last eight events, including 8th at his last event, the Wales Open, two weeks ago, and has finished outside the top-30 just once in that run. A long-hitter, no Ryder Cup pressure and fresh from a week's rest, he looks a decent contender for a top-5 spot.
Outright plays:
Paul Lawrie to win 16/1 e.w. available generally
Stephen Leaney to win 40/1 e.w. @
SportingOdds
Steve Webster to win 40/1 e.w. @
BetSmart