Cleveland Open

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The Web.com Tour finds itself in Ohio this week, as the PGA developmental tour uses Lakewood Country Club for a new event, the Cleveland Open. Lakewood Country Club was designed by A.W. Tillinghast and opened for play in 1921. Lakewood hosted the Cleveland Open on the PGA Tour in 1966 and 1968. Arnold Palmer won the Cleveland Open in 1963 at Beechmont Country Club. The Cleveland area hosted 15 Web.com Tour events from 1990-2001 and 2005-07. The 2007 tournament was won by current PGA Tour player Jason Day. Being a new tournament there is little course form nor course information to pick up on so my picks are based on form and experience this week.

Andrew Putnam - 1pt e/w @ 28/1 - It is hard not to side with a player who has been as consistent as Putnam has been this year. He has only missed one cut in 2014 on the Web.com and can boast four top tens in only ten appearances, including a win. He comes here on the back of his worst finish (after making the cut) of 54th and this has led his odds to drift slightly this week, an opportunity that should be grasped. 

Harold Varner III - 1pt e/w @ 40/1 - We have backed Varner in the past and he has come very close for us but this week I really fancy him in his home state of Ohio and have high hopes of him having played the course before. There is certainly no doubt that he will have an advantage over most of the field being local and this could prove the difference at a new event and new course. He comes here on the back of a second at the Rex Hospital Open last time out and if he can find his putting game this week will be sure to challenge. 

Ben Kohles - 0.25pts e/w @ 275/1 - This is admittedly a rather wild punt but the truth is that Kohles is a quality player going through a few problems. Last year he was a multiple winner on the Web.com and although he has missed 6 out of 8 cuts on the tour this year, his last two appearances have yielded finishes so he is back on the right track. Although it might be a little early to suggest that he has his game back with average results, I want to be on side when he does make it all click again and there is no better place than Ohio, the scene of one of his wins in 2013 - The Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational.

Total Staked - 4.5pts