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Oliver Farr 0.50 points e/way 125-1 (Skybet 1/5 1234) Aaron Rai 0.50 points each-way 150-1 (Ladbrokes 1/5 1234) A leaderboard that reads like a 'who's who?' of links golf is notice for any future event here, and when the wind blows around this exposed course, dominated by water, anything could happen over the weekend. Ideas were plucked from previous outings here from the Challenge Tour and whilst the circumstances involving that event were different (end of year, pressure on certain players to qualify for main cards etc), the top 20 is also full of those with that experience, with current leader Pavon demonstrating the worth of his 3rd place finish on his sole previous outing in 2016. It's a nice lead and he is playing well but at 5-2 is awfully short for a player yet to win in first class company and, despite the promise he has shown over the last twelve months, makes no appeal. Conditions will be hot and sticky for play over the weekend, and with the gusts expected to cause some issues during afternoon play, back a couple of future stars to prove their worth at three-figure prices. Oli Farr may be Welsh by passport but was brought up in the best company both at home and in the States and has a heap of winning to do in the future. Catching him right is tough at the moment but with definite links to previous winners via Foshan, Turkey, Kenya and the home nations his wins at both the first two named should have caught the eye ante-post (started around 300-1). As might be expected, Farr plays beautifully in windy conditions and has made only one serious error so far this week - double-bogey on the short 5th - whilst the rest of his game ranks highly from tee to green. Form figures here can be deceptive as he didn't really need to try and win in either the 2014 or 2017 runnings, but a best Euro Tour result of 27th at Wentworth reads well enough to think he has the game to at least compete in favourable conditions. Despite the names above him, they aren't prolific enough to put off any player with potential and at 100-1 he fits the bill. Aaron Rai is in enough notebooks for his play over the past few years and it is my belief he has a huge future. It didn't take 'two-gloves' long to make his mark in first-class company, winning his main card by July 2017 via three quick wins. That doesn't always translate into a top career but with top-10s at Joburg, Valderamma and Denmark at the highest level we know he can play tricky courses with aplomb, let alone indications from his win in Turkey and efforts in Sweden, Ireland, Scotland and top-15 here last year when not needing to perform at the top of his game. This week his play hasn't been as tidy as usual and the putter hasn't performed as hoped, but anyone viewing play from his various wins will know the Wolverhampton star has a short-game to die for, and that will be called upon over the weekend. Capable of running in a series of birdies, he goes off a couple of hours before the leaders tomorrow. That may just be enough to get him into the house on a score before those in front tackle the back-nine, where five of the hardest holes on the course are situated and where the final two holes are playing well over par.
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