Touchstone Tucson .....
- Thread starter Ian
- Start date
Haven't seen him or been to his course to inquire since fall.I'm slipping!However can't see where he has had any chance to sharpen up.He is quite similiar but not quite as bad as Bruce Leitzke bout not practicing.
My preview:
Three years ago David Duval won this event from Justin Leonard; it may be purely coincidence but in 1999 the Mercedes was moved to the Plantation course and Gabriel Hjertstedt won this event from Tommy Armour and last year Jim Carter won it from Chris DiMarco and Jean van de Velde. What a fall in the fortunes of an event and this year it hosts the Year 2000 Losers' event!
The field is weakened by the simultaneous hosting of the Mercedes Championship and by the Southern Hemisphere hosting of the World Matchplay last week, but it does offer the prospect of seeing some of last year's Buy.com hopefuls. Phil Mickelson and Lee Janzen both share the Tucson Open as their maiden Tour wins, maybe this will be the springboard for another star.
For the first time the event is split for the first two rounds between the Gold/Green course at the Omni Tucson Resort and The Gallery course, and what it is! The Resort course is a tight course with small Bermuda grass greens; the Gallery course is an open course with Bent grass greens. Very strange combination! The winner should therefore be a good putter.
Two of the three picks are indeed good putters, though maybe surprisingly all three were involved in Melbourne last week. Two of them were only involved for a short time and for the other it was a confidence-boosting week so with the time difference being beneficial, the Melbourne factor is not deemed to be too harmful this week and anyway, anyone with the credentials to play in a "World" event will look good in this field.
The three picks are Toru Taniguchi, Steve Flesch and Tim Herron. Taniguchi was a favorite pick last week and constantly delivered the goods. He is coming into this event having soundly defeated Ernie Els to finish 3rd and has been in a great run of form on the Japan Tour. This may be his first event on American soil, but his putting is as good as it gets and that should very important this week.
The other two have at least played this course. Flesch has finished 13th and 7th on his last two visits and boasts all-round stats that would be more appropriate at the Mercedes. In a weak field, he is an obvious favorite, but there are good odds on offer at this stage of the season. Tim Herron's stats would not point to him being particularly good in any field, but he is a local, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, and that may be a good reason why he has finished 4th and 20th in his last two visits. With the place bets paid on the first five places, I'm hopeful at least one of those will rise above the hopefuls this week.
Outright plays:
Toru Taniguchi to win e/w 50/1 @ Surrey
Steve Flesch to win e/w 20/1 @ Surrey
Tim Herron to win e/w 40/1 @ First Stake
Three years ago David Duval won this event from Justin Leonard; it may be purely coincidence but in 1999 the Mercedes was moved to the Plantation course and Gabriel Hjertstedt won this event from Tommy Armour and last year Jim Carter won it from Chris DiMarco and Jean van de Velde. What a fall in the fortunes of an event and this year it hosts the Year 2000 Losers' event!
The field is weakened by the simultaneous hosting of the Mercedes Championship and by the Southern Hemisphere hosting of the World Matchplay last week, but it does offer the prospect of seeing some of last year's Buy.com hopefuls. Phil Mickelson and Lee Janzen both share the Tucson Open as their maiden Tour wins, maybe this will be the springboard for another star.
For the first time the event is split for the first two rounds between the Gold/Green course at the Omni Tucson Resort and The Gallery course, and what it is! The Resort course is a tight course with small Bermuda grass greens; the Gallery course is an open course with Bent grass greens. Very strange combination! The winner should therefore be a good putter.
Two of the three picks are indeed good putters, though maybe surprisingly all three were involved in Melbourne last week. Two of them were only involved for a short time and for the other it was a confidence-boosting week so with the time difference being beneficial, the Melbourne factor is not deemed to be too harmful this week and anyway, anyone with the credentials to play in a "World" event will look good in this field.
The three picks are Toru Taniguchi, Steve Flesch and Tim Herron. Taniguchi was a favorite pick last week and constantly delivered the goods. He is coming into this event having soundly defeated Ernie Els to finish 3rd and has been in a great run of form on the Japan Tour. This may be his first event on American soil, but his putting is as good as it gets and that should very important this week.
The other two have at least played this course. Flesch has finished 13th and 7th on his last two visits and boasts all-round stats that would be more appropriate at the Mercedes. In a weak field, he is an obvious favorite, but there are good odds on offer at this stage of the season. Tim Herron's stats would not point to him being particularly good in any field, but he is a local, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, and that may be a good reason why he has finished 4th and 20th in his last two visits. With the place bets paid on the first five places, I'm hopeful at least one of those will rise above the hopefuls this week.
Outright plays:
Toru Taniguchi to win e/w 50/1 @ Surrey
Steve Flesch to win e/w 20/1 @ Surrey
Tim Herron to win e/w 40/1 @ First Stake
Match bet
Flesch to beat May -120 Vic Chandler
The former has good course form and is at least consistent and I rate him a better player than May who missed the cut here last year
Having profited nicely from Taniguchi last week I was going to oppose him with Kenny Perry. As I really do not know how well he will play in the US, people often say that Japanese players do not travel well, but I have been impressed by him and have had a little e/w at 66's with Stanleybet,after all he owes me nothing
On the outrights have bet Langham at 100-1 with Stanley whilst I am not entirely sure he will play that well the price is 4X that which Ladbrokes offer and he did finish 7th here 2 years ago,the odds are simply too big
[This message has been edited by Ian (edited 01-10-2001).]
Flesch to beat May -120 Vic Chandler
The former has good course form and is at least consistent and I rate him a better player than May who missed the cut here last year
Having profited nicely from Taniguchi last week I was going to oppose him with Kenny Perry. As I really do not know how well he will play in the US, people often say that Japanese players do not travel well, but I have been impressed by him and have had a little e/w at 66's with Stanleybet,after all he owes me nothing
On the outrights have bet Langham at 100-1 with Stanley whilst I am not entirely sure he will play that well the price is 4X that which Ladbrokes offer and he did finish 7th here 2 years ago,the odds are simply too big
[This message has been edited by Ian (edited 01-10-2001).]
72 Holes @ 5Dimes
Calc -120 over K Perry
Unusual bad weather here and knowing that Kenny is not getting away from family over holidays would lead me to believe he will be out of form and still like bet if he was in form.
Calc -120 over K Perry
Unusual bad weather here and knowing that Kenny is not getting away from family over holidays would lead me to believe he will be out of form and still like bet if he was in form.
72-hole plays:
Stephen Allan to beat Bradley Hughes -118 @ Centrebet
Tipping the baby-faced Allen to win this battle of the Aussies. He was outstanding in the Tour Qualifying and comes here on the crest of a wave of confidence. He will be more enthusiastic coming into this event than the regular Tour struggler Hughes
Toru Taniguchi to beat Bernhard Langer -105 @ Easybets
Langer fell at the 1st hurdle to Taniguchi's fellow countryman, Tanaka, last week and as a surprising entry for this event, I can't see him challenging this week. Taniguchi has already been tipped for great things this week
Kenny Perry to beat Franklin Langham -111 @ Ladbrokes [2 units]
Like you said DTB, Kenny doesn't need to practise at this stage in his career. Works for Lietzke & Franco
Wouldn't oppose Calc with him, but with two good finishes in last two years here, it's a nice way to start the campaign and against someone whose record here is not as good and also had an early exit last week. Line on this matchup has dropped to -150 @ First Stake and that is not touchable
Stephen Allan to beat Bradley Hughes -118 @ Centrebet
Tipping the baby-faced Allen to win this battle of the Aussies. He was outstanding in the Tour Qualifying and comes here on the crest of a wave of confidence. He will be more enthusiastic coming into this event than the regular Tour struggler Hughes
Toru Taniguchi to beat Bernhard Langer -105 @ Easybets
Langer fell at the 1st hurdle to Taniguchi's fellow countryman, Tanaka, last week and as a surprising entry for this event, I can't see him challenging this week. Taniguchi has already been tipped for great things this week
Kenny Perry to beat Franklin Langham -111 @ Ladbrokes [2 units]
Like you said DTB, Kenny doesn't need to practise at this stage in his career. Works for Lietzke & Franco
As far as I can make out Langham has withdrawn
and Kenny Perry obviously does not need much practice as he birdied the first 2 holes
and Kenny Perry obviously does not need much practice as he birdied the first 2 holes
1st Round Update
Flesch leads May by 1 (after a poor start where he was 3 over after 5)
Taniguchi struggled a bit and is 2 over
Langham did not start
Flesch leads May by 1 (after a poor start where he was 3 over after 5)
Taniguchi struggled a bit and is 2 over
Langham did not start
No official 2nd round play but do have opinion on Langer in 3ball @ 1st Stake at 6/4
A good bad weather player.
A good bad weather player.
There was a 1 shot differernce between courses and Herron seems well placed considering his good start on the harder course, his course form on the normal course (which he will play for next 3 rounds) plus his good record in poor weather the 12-1 at Hills seems more than fair
I'll just be happy if he comes in @ the original 40/1
Need to get this season kick-started!
DTB, are you still keeping a record of weather conditions? Lumpy is known as a bad weather player, but some proper evidence will be a great asset in a few months time. Same for the Mercedes. Very surprised at Toms shooting low. I thought he would have problems as he hits the ball higher than most and so should struggle in the wind. He didn't yesterday
So much for preconceptions!
DTB, are you still keeping a record of weather conditions? Lumpy is known as a bad weather player, but some proper evidence will be a great asset in a few months time. Same for the Mercedes. Very surprised at Toms shooting low. I thought he would have problems as he hits the ball higher than most and so should struggle in the wind. He didn't yesterday
Stan Charting wind and temp and any precipitation on all pga events.The accuracy of reports is questionable but since I watch most events I can gage them somewhat.
I don't have an account there but DAS are offering what I would consider to be very good bet in todays 18 hole second round matchups
Ames to beat Sindelar -142
Ames is one of the best bad weather players I have ever seen and if the forecast is correct he should be in his element. Neither player would have played here before and (new course)and Ames fired 6 shots better than Sindelar in round 1.
Ames to beat Sindelar -142
Ames is one of the best bad weather players I have ever seen and if the forecast is correct he should be in his element. Neither player would have played here before and (new course)and Ames fired 6 shots better than Sindelar in round 1.
Drat Wish they would have finished.Ultimate bad weather challenge to chart. 39 degrees and rain.
DTB
I just read a report that said postponed due to freezing rain and snow is that true?
Whats wrong can't they cope with normal Scottish playing conditions?
I just read a report that said postponed due to freezing rain and snow is that true?
Whats wrong can't they cope with normal Scottish playing conditions?
Ian It was getting close to it.Announcer was doing interview outside bout an hour after suspension and facing the blowing precipitation.I can only quess there might have a little ice mixed in considering he was blinking like a frog in a hail storm
PS Does anyone else think Rocco with those glasses looks just like Rocky the flying squirrel on Bullwinkle episodes of years gone by.
[This message has been edited by DOGS THAT BARK (edited 01-12-2001).]
PS Does anyone else think Rocco with those glasses looks just like Rocky the flying squirrel on Bullwinkle episodes of years gone by.
[This message has been edited by DOGS THAT BARK (edited 01-12-2001).]
Update:
A tournament as bizarre as the weather
As for the 72-hole plays, two of them were concluded at the cut and they were split. An extremely disappointing Taniguchi missed the cut and trailed Langer by thirteen shots, while Stephen Allan made it to the weekend and was eight shots clear of Bradley Hughes at the time. In the remaining play, Kaye trails Kelly by one.
Not too promising with the outrights, Taniguchi missed the cut, Flesch lies in 32nd place and Herron is back in 55th place having been joint 1st round leader
3rd round play:
Mark Calcavecchia to beat Grant Waite -125 @ Carib
A tournament as bizarre as the weather
Not too promising with the outrights, Taniguchi missed the cut, Flesch lies in 32nd place and Herron is back in 55th place having been joint 1st round leader
3rd round play:
Mark Calcavecchia to beat Grant Waite -125 @ Carib
Update
Flesch beats May as the latter misses the cut
My interest in this tournament is finished as Taniguchi missed the cut, and looking at the leaderboard I doubt I will be making any more bets
Flesch beats May as the latter misses the cut
My interest in this tournament is finished as Taniguchi missed the cut, and looking at the leaderboard I doubt I will be making any more bets
