Dunlop Phoenix Tournament

FINAL RESULT: 0-3; -3.00pts

Katayama 17th
Taniguchi 8th
Kase 44th

Another top-10 finish without a payout. Taniguchi closed with a 64 to finish two shots out of the places, but all three were struggling after a slow start to this event and the winner looked to be decided before the weekend.

Outright plays (1pt):

Shingo Katayama to win 25/1 e.w. @ GolfingGods
The most international field of the Japan Tour season, but this is still not an event dominated by the internationals: Japan Tour players have won in five of the last ten years and Tiger Woods could only manage 8th on his only previous visit in 2002. That means better value odds on the Japan Tour players and none moreso than on Katayama who won this event in 2000. He has finished inside the top-8 in ten of his last eleven Japan Tour starts and tops the Japan Tour stats in no less than 13 of the 29 different categories, including Money Ranking and Scoring Average. He is simply the best player in Japan and should not be at these odds in his home country.

Toru Taniguchi to win 33/1 e.w. @ Sportingbet and Sporting Odds
Taniguchi is not too far behind either. He ranks 2nd in the Tour Money List, won two events on Tour last month and has finished in the top-10 in each of his last four starts. With top-15 finishes in each of the last four years around this course as well, he is clearly a player who should feature at some stage this week.

Hideki Kase to win 66/1 e.w. @ BetInternet
The 44-year-old Kase is playing his best golf for years. Not only did he win the Suntory Open in September and has finished in the top-10 in the last three weeks, but he has finished in the top-10 in eight out of his last thirteen starts. He also finished in the top-10 last year despite a final round 74, but in this form he looks far more likely to continue challenging for the title and so warrants support at these odds.

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