Spanish Open. Historically a favourites graveyard, the Spanish Open provides the up and coming players with a good opportunity to make the all important debut win. San Roque is a difficult course that rewards accuracy and good putting on the sloping greens. It was used on the main tour for the first time last year, but has played host to the European Qualifying School finals for the last couple of years, so some of the young guns will have more experience of the course in competitive play. Home players have a poor record in Spain and some of the big names (Jimenez, Montgomerie and Bjorn) are returning from China and may be a little jet lagged. Momtgomerie looks the best of the favourites as his accuracy will be ideal for the course, and his putting was much improved last week. However, baring in mind that outsiders do well, there are two players at bigger odds who make some appeal. 1 point e/w Mattias Eliasson @ 40/1 with Boylesports won 3.5 points Finished 4th in the Qualifying School here back in November and has got his season off to a great start with 4 top 10 finishes from his 6 starts in 2006. He hits the ball long and pretty straight and is a reasonable putter. There are few players coming here in better form and with good memories from his last appearance here, he could go close. 0.5 point e/w Tom Whitehouse @ 80/1 with Coral, VCbet, Centrebet. lost 1 point Won the Qualifying School here by 2 shots and also come here in good form having finished 7th and 12th in his last 2 European Tour events in Maderia and the Algarve. Seems to like playing on the Iberian Peninsular as he won the 2001 Spanish Amateur Open. He has been successful in the junior Pro ranks and is a confident young player who seems to have the temperament to move up to the next level. Adding: 5 points Jose Manuel Lara to beat Gonzalo Ferandez Castano @ evens with Boylesports won 5 points Ferandez Castano is the form player in the field (2nd and 1st in his last two events) but the fact that he has been in contention for the last 2 weeks in China could be a negative factor. In his post victory interview he played down his chances of success in his home event saying that he was exhausted. Lara clearly enjoys playing at home with 7 top 20 finishes from his last 11 events in Spain. Zurich Classic of New Orleans. 0.5 point e/w Mark Wilson @ 150/1 with Ladbrokes. lost 1 point Sticking with him despite him missing the cut last week. He was 4th here in 2003 and his stats still make quotes of 150/1 look to big. His stroke average here is 68.50 (2nd lowest in the field) and his all round stat ranking on tour is 14th. Adding: 7 points Tom Pernice to beat DiMarco @ 5/4 with Corals. won 8.75 points DiMarco may be the big name in this match up, but his form is very poor. He started the season well but suffered a rib injury skiing and has not figured very high on the leader boards ever since (last 4 events 35/mc/mc/52). His recent average is 72.42 and he looks worth opposing with the unspectacular but steady Pernice (last 4 events 5/8/27/21) who is averaging a massive 2.02 strokes per round lower. DiMarco will need to suddenly find his game to win this. |
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