FINAL RESULT: 0-3; -3.00pts

Poulter 9th
Dredge 50th
Hanson 43rd

A poor effort to round off a poor year tipping this Tour.

Outright plays (total stake per play: 1pt)

Ian Poulter to win 18/1 e.w. @ BetInternet
Easy to side with Poulter this week. He has shown great form recently, particularly in the PGA Championship and Bridgestone Invitational in August, winning the Open de Madrid last month and finishing 2nd in the American Express Championship earlier this month. Ally that to his course form - three consecutive top-10 finishes including a win in 2004, which means he has won two of his last three starts in Spain - and he certainly warrants short odds around this course.

Bradley Dredge to win 33/1 e.w. @ Victor Chandler and Ladbrokes
Dredge was an initial selection last week, but withdrew before the event, though I have still not been able to find out why. So this is really a leap of faith with the Welshman. If he is fit and well, the reasons for backing him are similar to those of Poulter: simply exceptional current form allied to good course form. He has finished 1st and 2nd in his last two starts and has finished in the top-15 in three of the last four years, including 3rd in 2002 when he held a one-shot lead heading into the final round, but couldn't hold off Monty and Langer as he sought his maiden Tour win at the time. He is a more accomplished player four years on and would be more likely to hold off any challengers this time.

Peter Hanson to win 80/1 e.w. available generally
This has been a difficult season for Hanson, but it still hasn't stopped him ranking 7th in greens in regulation on the European Tour this season and there is no more important statistical category around Valderrama. That was one reason why he finished 4th on his debut in 2004. And as far as this season is concerned, there is clear evidence that his form is returning with finishes of 6th in the Dunhill Links Championship three weeks ago and 13th last week in Mallorca, having been 4th with one round to play. In those two events he ranked 3rd and 4th in greens in regulation on the week respectively. And there is his wire-to-wire victory in last year's Open de Espana to consider, which certainly makes 80/1 an attractive price.