Preview & outright plays:
Rather like the Senior PGA Championship, this is a major with a 'major' feel to it. Both are played on courses that are prepared for maximum toughness separate the great players from the money-accumulators. Uneven lies on fairways that are lined by trees, this is a typical Donald Ross course that has consistently featured in the top-100 of both the 'America's Greatest Courses' and 'America's Best Classical Courses'. It is also listed as one of the first 100 clubs established in the United States.
A traditional course and a traditional US Open setup greet the players this week. Not that last year's event was any indication that this was a tough event. Hale Irwin set or equaled five different records last year at Saucon Valley. In the six years that he has entered this event, he has won it twice and never finished out of the top-5. Very impressive, but at the odds given, he is not a viable choice. Instead, the three outright picks this week are Gil Morgan, Allen Doyle and Dana Quigley.
Morgan has been a selection on several occasions this year but his two victories this year have not fallen on those occasions. Time to make amends. One of those victories was only two weeks ago in the Instinet Classic when he managed to keep that week's selection, Tom Jenkins, at distance. Since his victory in the ACE Group Classic at the start of the year he has finished in the top-5 in eight of eleven events and comes into the event in strong enough form to improve on his previous best of 3rd in this event (1997, 1999).
The introduction of Ladbrokes into the market with their 5 places option is good news for the Allen Doyle pick. Incredible consistency sees him top the top-10 stats and be 2nd behind Irwin in the All-Round stats, but he has finished 5th in three of his last six events! He has finished 13th and 8th in the last two years and was 4th at the Senior PGA this year. He has the accurate game needed for this event and maybe he might convert his chances this week and secure his first win of the year.
The 5th place option on Dana Quigley would have been welcome last week as that was where he finished alongside Doyle. With top-10 finishes in five of his last eight events/weeks, Quigley has rediscovered the form that pushed Morgan so close at the ACE Group Classic earlier this year. He has not finished in the top-10 in four attempts at this event, but he has always been on the fringes of contention and featured strongly in the Senior PGA Championship earlier this year until a poor weekend. Available at twice the ods of Doug Tewell, he shades the 3rd spot.
Outright plays:
Gil Morgan to win 12/1 e.w. @
Ladbrokes
Allen Doyle to win 20/1 e.w. @
Ladbrokes
Dana Quigley to win 66/1 e.w. @
Ladbrokes
All e.w. bets are with the 5 places option.
