Outright plays (total stake per play: 2pts)
Mark McNulty to win 20/1 e.w. @ Tote
The first major of the year and the first venture of the year into this Tour for a number of bookies and this is where there are value prices. The course did host the 2001 Pennsylvania Classic on the PGA Tour which a small number of this week's player did enter, in particular Jay Haas who finished 11th, but the main approach here is to back players in form with so little course form. So siding with three of the top-4 in the Tour's Scoring Average stats should be a rewarding policy at these odds. McNulty ranks 2nd in this category despite being winless in 2005, but he has finished 2nd twice and in the top-10 six times in nine starts this year. He won three times on this Tour last year and is certainly capable of winning this event.
Wayne Levi to win 33/1 e.w. @ Tote
The top-ranked player in terms of Scoring Average and in terms of All-Around Ranking and Ball-Striking on the Tour. Levi was available at single figures for last week's event and on that basis alone, this is good value. All these selections have won on this Tour and all are playing extremely well. Surely, only the weather can prevent at least one of them earning a top-5 spot this week.
Morris Hatalsky to win 40/1 e.w. @ Ladbrokes
Hatalsky ranks 4th in Scoring Average and shares a common characteristic with McNulty: neither has won this year, but they have both finished 2nd twice in 2005, while Levi has done so once. For Hatalsky those runners-up have both occurred in his last seven events during which time he has finished outside the top-10 only once. That level of consistency would normally result in odds at half this level.
Mark McNulty to win 20/1 e.w. @ Tote
The first major of the year and the first venture of the year into this Tour for a number of bookies and this is where there are value prices. The course did host the 2001 Pennsylvania Classic on the PGA Tour which a small number of this week's player did enter, in particular Jay Haas who finished 11th, but the main approach here is to back players in form with so little course form. So siding with three of the top-4 in the Tour's Scoring Average stats should be a rewarding policy at these odds. McNulty ranks 2nd in this category despite being winless in 2005, but he has finished 2nd twice and in the top-10 six times in nine starts this year. He won three times on this Tour last year and is certainly capable of winning this event.
Wayne Levi to win 33/1 e.w. @ Tote
The top-ranked player in terms of Scoring Average and in terms of All-Around Ranking and Ball-Striking on the Tour. Levi was available at single figures for last week's event and on that basis alone, this is good value. All these selections have won on this Tour and all are playing extremely well. Surely, only the weather can prevent at least one of them earning a top-5 spot this week.
Morris Hatalsky to win 40/1 e.w. @ Ladbrokes
Hatalsky ranks 4th in Scoring Average and shares a common characteristic with McNulty: neither has won this year, but they have both finished 2nd twice in 2005, while Levi has done so once. For Hatalsky those runners-up have both occurred in his last seven events during which time he has finished outside the top-10 only once. That level of consistency would normally result in odds at half this level.
