Wales Challenge

FINAL RESULT: 0-2; -2.00pts

Higgins 7th
Bergman 47th

Just one shot too many for Higgins, which considering that he shot 77 in the opening round is quite an improvement over the last three rounds. Another top-10 finish, but no payout.

Outright plays (total stake per play: 1pt)

David Higgins to win 10/1 e.w. @ SkyBet
Stephen Dodd may be a sponsor's dream for this event, but there is always the question of motivation for players who drop down a Tour level for individual events. This is, he has admitted, just some competitive practice ahead of the British Masters as he was never going to play in Italy this week and that can only enhance the chances of the runaway leader in this year's Challenge Tour Rankings. Higgins finished 2004 in fine form with four top-5 finishes in five starts in October-November and has finished in the top-10 in his last four events in 2005, the first a playoff loss in Guatemala. He will be a player on the main Tour next year and should beat one of their own this week.

Oskar Bergman to win 50/1 e.w. @ SkyBet
Made his first appearance on the Challenge Tour last week after competing in three main Tour events in 2005 and finished in the top-20. Could be another who will play on the main Tour next year as he only narrowly missed out on a Tour Card for this year by finishing 18th on the 2004 Challenge Tour Rankings. He attained that by finishing in the top-3 in the last two events of 2004 (he also finished in the top-15 in this event last year), so is certainly capable of finishing high on the leaderboard this week as well.