Russian Challenge

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Only a handful of tournaments to go before the big finale, in which the top fourty-five players compete for their European Tour card. Some players are already talking about nerves and they are the first ones crossed off the list from now on, and it is expected that the more experienced and hardy types will start to come to the fore.

Daniel Vancsik - 1 point each-way @ 28-1 (Bet365)

I originally had Vancsik as favourite, closer to Skybet's 20-1, and he has crystal clear claims. For a player with three Challenge wins and two on the main Tour, he finds winning quite hard but will be glad to see the back of the brilliant Kris Broberg and can make a challenge on a course on which he finished 16th last year. As seems usual he makes mistakes at crucial points over a weekend and did so again when finishing 3rd in the Rolex. Nevertheless, he will enjoy the fact that he needs to push on from his current ranking of 15th and looks a good thing to be on the first page of the board. Plenty of form this year to indicate he can shoot low, as does that first round 65 here last season. Let's hope he builds on that good performance two weeks ago, after which he said that he was very happy with his game as he 'played my best and that's all you can do'.

Alistair Forsyth - 0.75 points each-way @ 40-1 (Skybet)

Another dispute between the oddsmakers with 365 making the Scot only 20-1. Forsyth is well known to main Tour punters and can boast some excellent form all season with latest top-30 in the SCottish Open and 15th in Austria. Both efforts are better class than this and he should do far better than last years 28th.

John Parry - 0.75 points each-way @ 55-1 (Bet365)

No apology for going with Parry once again, despite no course form. Experienced and a winner in top company, he must now start playing consistently as he lies some way of the top twenty but this is his time of year. As pointed out last time, both Parry's wins have been late in the season and recent form of 16/11 suggest he is not that far off his best.

Callum Macauley - 0.25 points each-way 175-1 (Bet365)

The Scot was my one to watch for the year but he has been very disappointing with missed-cuts aplenty and only a top-10 to  show for his efforts. The mind coach doesn't seem to have earned his corn but although this is one out of the sky he may be inspired by last seasons 6th place finish here and is far too good a player to let him go at monsterous odds.