BMW Russian Open

Outright plays (1.5 units):

Andrew Coltart to win 10/1 e.w. @ Ladbrokes
Clearly the class player in this field and the odds reflect it, though he is no higher than 7/1 elsewhere. Apart from golfing ability, Coltart will hold a distinct advantage over a lot of the field on Sunday because his Tour card will not depend on his performance. He is not on the 'bubble' on the Volvo Order of Merit or needing to finish in the top-15 on the Challenge Tour Money List and he has won on this Tour. He has been playing well - 3rd two weeks ago in the Scandinavian Masters and 13th last week in Denmark - so if the motivation is there, he is playing well enough to be in contention and in that position he should face less pressure than most players.

Stephen Scahill to win 40/1 e.w. @ William Hill
Scahill is another whose Tour card is safe for 2004. His form on the main Tour is very good by this field's standards and he did finish 3rd in the prestigious Benson & Hedges International Open in May. He has course experience - 42nd in 1996 and 23rd in 1999 - and is generally half these odds. The players from the main Tour dominated the leading places at the last co-sanctioned event, the Aa St. Omer Open, and for the Tour card reasons outlined above, it should be the same this week.

Damien McGrane to win 50/1 e.w. @ Stan James
McGrane is on the 'bubble' on the Volvo Order of Merit, but his best performance on Tour this season did come at the Aa St. Omer Open where he improved in every round and finished 4th. He has since made four of five cuts on the main Tour and is in the form that should propel him up the Order of Merit. He should also be very confident coming into this event as he has finished 7th and 4th on this course in the last two years.

Final update: 1-2; -3.19 units

Coltart 4th
Scahill mc
McGrane 14th

A share of 4th place from Coltart was the only return from this event. Scahill never featured, though McGrane did, but not when it mattered. Did expect more of a challenge from Coltart who had been 4th after 54 holes.