Outright plays (total stake per play: 2pts)
Jay Haas to win 15/2 @ BetInternet
There has been something of an awakening in Haas and that is the reason for his impressive over the last three weeks. Four weeks ago he played in Greensboro on the PGA Tour and felt overwhelmed. He left that tournament (after missing the cut) resolved to turn his attentions fully to playing with people of his own age. No longer very short off the tee compared to the rest of the field, he has since gone on to finish 1st, 5th and 1st and on the occasion that he did not win, he did hold the lead heading into the weekend. No player can match him for form and he clearly has the ability to repeat Mark McNulty's feat last year and winning the last two events on the Champions Tour calendar.
Gil Morgan to win 20/1 e.w. @ Ladbrokes
By contrast, Morgan has yet to win this year, but such has been his consistency that he still ranks 6th on the Money List, the highest-ranked player without a win. His last Tour victory (2004 SBC Classic) did come in California. He comes into this event off a 6th place finish last week and three top-3 finishes in previous five starts. He has played well on this course in the two years here - 4th and 13th - and should go close to matching that top-4 finish again in his current form.
Tom Purtzer to win 33/1 e.w. @ Expekt and William Hill
Purtzer is much more erratic, but he did win the 3M Championship in Minnesota in August and that is the only one of his three Champions Tour wins that has not been in California. That bodes well for this week, but not as much as his performance last week in Texas. He closed with 63 to finish 2nd, two shots behind Haas. It could have been one better but for a triple-bogey seven in his first round.
Jay Haas to win 15/2 @ BetInternet
There has been something of an awakening in Haas and that is the reason for his impressive over the last three weeks. Four weeks ago he played in Greensboro on the PGA Tour and felt overwhelmed. He left that tournament (after missing the cut) resolved to turn his attentions fully to playing with people of his own age. No longer very short off the tee compared to the rest of the field, he has since gone on to finish 1st, 5th and 1st and on the occasion that he did not win, he did hold the lead heading into the weekend. No player can match him for form and he clearly has the ability to repeat Mark McNulty's feat last year and winning the last two events on the Champions Tour calendar.
Gil Morgan to win 20/1 e.w. @ Ladbrokes
By contrast, Morgan has yet to win this year, but such has been his consistency that he still ranks 6th on the Money List, the highest-ranked player without a win. His last Tour victory (2004 SBC Classic) did come in California. He comes into this event off a 6th place finish last week and three top-3 finishes in previous five starts. He has played well on this course in the two years here - 4th and 13th - and should go close to matching that top-4 finish again in his current form.
Tom Purtzer to win 33/1 e.w. @ Expekt and William Hill
Purtzer is much more erratic, but he did win the 3M Championship in Minnesota in August and that is the only one of his three Champions Tour wins that has not been in California. That bodes well for this week, but not as much as his performance last week in Texas. He closed with 63 to finish 2nd, two shots behind Haas. It could have been one better but for a triple-bogey seven in his first round.
