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Outright Picks - European Challenge Tour

Tipster: Jumbo

Odds: Outright

 
 
Credit Suisse Challenge
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With the head of the market looking very obvious it is hard to come up with value selections this week, but I simply cannot back Lockerbie and Wakefield at under 20-1, so three against the field are

 

RAYMOND RUSSELL - 1.00 POINTS @ 40-1 (SKYBET AND 365)

 

Russell is no more a journeyman than most of the main European Tour and only serious injury over the last couple of years has kept him away from the big bucks. This is all changing this year as the man who won on Tour on his debut and finished 3rd in The Open a couple of years later, has been showing progressive form and is genuinely deserving of a full-time card at the end of this year.

Russell's form shows real improvement, playing well at four of the seasons events so far, and an all-the-way victory in Italy should be the spur for more success. The oddsmakers confuse me as he was 14th here in 2010 when nowhere near fit and is double the price of some perrenial losers. 40-1 is way overpriced.

 

WIL BESSELING - 0.50 POINTS EACH-WAY @ 40-1 (BET365)

Surely soon to be inspired by compatriot and friend Joost Luiten, Besseling comes here in good form with two top-tens from his last three starts and looks to add to his sole win in 2008, when winning the Columbia Masters by seven shots. 10th here in 2010, only a poor final round last season prevented a similar position and if he can just tidy up the play with the flat-stick (as indeed has his Dutch amateur team-mate), he can definately challenge here.

 

FLORIS DE VRIES - 0.35 POINTS EACH-WAY @ 80-1 (SKYBET AND 365)

Another who recently recovered from injury, the Dutchman was backed at far shorter prices earlier this season and whilst he hasn't justified that support, has missed only two cuts this season (from nine starts) and has compiled two top-10s and two further top-20 finishes. A winner from none other than Thorbjorn Olesen in 2010, he is showing enough form to win this season and it might as well be now. Last years missed-cut came via a poor second round 74 (had shot 69 in his opener), and he can be expected to leave that well behind. Just that set of formlines plus a cut-making effort in Dubai on the main Tour suggests that 80-1 is wrong.