Outright plays (total stake per play: 1.5pts)
Stewart Cink to win 22/1 e.w. @ Victor Chandler and Boyle Sports
Cink has only played in this event once - he finished 12th in 1997 - but the chase for Ryder Cup points sees him enter again and if he continues the form that he showed earlier this month, he could once again be in the American team. He finished in the top-5 in both the Buick Championship and the Western Open earlier this month and while he missed the cut at Hoylake, that can only be an advantage this week. This event has been played the week after the British Open in each of the last two years and of the top-3 from the last two years, only Scott Verplank (2nd, 2005) had made the cut the previous week. Everyone else had either skipped the British Open or had missed the cut there.
Nick O'Hern to win 33/1 e.w. @ Ladbrokes and BlueSq
O'Hern is another who missed the cut last week, but had entered the event in very good form. He followed up a 6th place finish in the U.S. Open with a runners-up finish the following week which secured his PGA Tour Card for next year. Together with a game that is tailor-made for this course - he ranks highly in driving accuracy and greens in regulation in every tournament - he should make an impressive debut this week.
Heath Slocum to win 40/1 e.w. @ Expekt
Slocum is a similar type of player - he ranks 4th in driving accuracy and 10th in greens in regulation on Tour - and he displayed that in 2003 when finishing 2nd to Kenny Perry. In line with the 'British Open' angle, he didn't play there last week and in his last two events this month, he has finished 12th and 3rd. It was an impressive performance to finish 12th in the Western Open on a such a long course at Cogs Hill, but Deere Run is much more similar to this week's venue and a similar top-3 finish would not be too much of a surprise.
Stewart Cink to win 22/1 e.w. @ Victor Chandler and Boyle Sports
Cink has only played in this event once - he finished 12th in 1997 - but the chase for Ryder Cup points sees him enter again and if he continues the form that he showed earlier this month, he could once again be in the American team. He finished in the top-5 in both the Buick Championship and the Western Open earlier this month and while he missed the cut at Hoylake, that can only be an advantage this week. This event has been played the week after the British Open in each of the last two years and of the top-3 from the last two years, only Scott Verplank (2nd, 2005) had made the cut the previous week. Everyone else had either skipped the British Open or had missed the cut there.
Nick O'Hern to win 33/1 e.w. @ Ladbrokes and BlueSq
O'Hern is another who missed the cut last week, but had entered the event in very good form. He followed up a 6th place finish in the U.S. Open with a runners-up finish the following week which secured his PGA Tour Card for next year. Together with a game that is tailor-made for this course - he ranks highly in driving accuracy and greens in regulation in every tournament - he should make an impressive debut this week.
Heath Slocum to win 40/1 e.w. @ Expekt
Slocum is a similar type of player - he ranks 4th in driving accuracy and 10th in greens in regulation on Tour - and he displayed that in 2003 when finishing 2nd to Kenny Perry. In line with the 'British Open' angle, he didn't play there last week and in his last two events this month, he has finished 12th and 3rd. It was an impressive performance to finish 12th in the Western Open on a such a long course at Cogs Hill, but Deere Run is much more similar to this week's venue and a similar top-3 finish would not be too much of a surprise.
