Western Open

Outright plays (1 unit):

Vijay Singh to win 16/1 e.w. @ BlueSq
Going early on a number of players as there may be some adjustment in the odds tomorrow as it appears that Davis Love has withdrawn from the event. First up is Singh who will be looking to join the club of three-time winners in 2003 this week. He has already lifted the Phoenix Open and the Byron Nelson Championship this term and has finished inside the top-20 in 12 of 14 starts this year, including his last eight events. He is in great form, has an excellent course history and competes against a Tiger Woods who looks far from daunting at the moment.

Mike Weir to win 16/1 e.w. @ William Hill
Weir is one of those players who has won three times this year and had he played more times, he could have added to his total. He has played very little since winning the Masters - just three events in the last eleven weeks as he has been preparing specifically for the majors as well as being involved in a lot of off-course duties. This is his sole targeted event between the U.S. Open where he was 3rd and the British Open, so focus should not be an issue. He has also been working with his coach, Mike Wilson, in the last couple of weeks and he has clearly become a very focussed and very consistent player. He has finished in the top-3 twice in the last four years here and he should not be too far away this time. SIA also offer the same odds, but just a four-place option.

Justin Leonard to win 40/1 e.w. @ William Hill
Leonard has also become a much more consistent player since working with Butch Harmon on swing changes. He has only won once this year (Honda Classic), but was 2nd in the Colonial a month ago and has finished in the top-20 in each of his last four events, with two of them being in the top-10. He similarly has a good record in this event with successive top-10 finishes to 1998, top-20 finishes in his next two visits and then only last year did he fail to be in contention at the weekend. These look high odds for a player who has a good record of winning PGA Tour events each year. As with the Weir play, SIA also offer the same odds, but just a four-place option.

Matchup plays (1 unit unless stated):

Robert Gamez to beat Matt Kuchar -125 @ Sportingbet and Sporting Odds [2 units]
Last week, I wrote "They have played in 12 common events this year and Gamez has finished ahead of Kuchar on every occasion! In this form, this shouldn't be unlucky thirteen." Well, it was. But I will still play the same matchup at the same odds. This is the scene of Kuchar's 1997 victory in the U.S. Amateur Championship, but Gamez is still the better player and has been coming here for over a decade.

Tim Herron to beat Scott McCarron -137 @ Sportingbet and Sporting Odds
McCarron made his first cut in six events last week, but still finished behind Herron. Lumpy is in much better form and has a more impressive course history. Not such good odds, but a tempting matchup.

Justin Leonard to beat Peter Lonard -152 @ Easybets
And this is even more so! Leonard has yet to be beaten by Lonard in the past three months and while Lonard did finish 5th last year, he was in the middle of a rich vein of form that he has not reproduced this year. Will side with the outright selection again.

Mike Weir to beat Phil Mickelson -143 @ Easybets
Will also side with another of the outright selections in the matchup of the lefties. Weir has been winning this matchup with ease this year and should reinforce his position as #1 Lefty this week. Mickelson has played this course eight times with a best finish of 26th and has not had a top-10 finish in his last six starts. Quite a contrast in form to Weir who certainly justifies the price.

Adding (1 unit):

Chad Campbell to beat Steve Flesch -111 @ Ladbrokes
Big difference in consistency between these two. Campbell has made 15 of 17 cuts this year, whereas Flesch has made only 10 of 19 and only two of his last five since winning the HP Classic of New Orleans. Campbell also won the US Open qualifier at Kirtland last month and finished ahead of Flesch in three of their last four common events, so there is no concern over his current form and he looks set for another weekend of golf.

No 1st round plays.

2nd round plays (1 unit unless stated):

Vijay Singh +.5 to beat David Toms -150 @ WSEX [3 units]
Mike Weir to beat David Toms -133 @ Five Dimes
J.J. Henry to beat Cliff Kresge -112 @ Five Dimes

2nd round update: 0-3-0; -6.95 units

Singh/Toms LOST by 0.5
Weir/Toms LOST by 1
Henry/Kresge LOST by 5

Mid-point update:

Gamez/Kuchar LOST by 5
Herron/McCarron LOST by 8
Leonard/Lonard All Square
Weir/Mickelson Leads by 2
Campbell/Flesch Leads by 2

Singh 36th
Weir 6th
Leonard 22nd

Ugly event so far and lost a lot on Singh who only hit eight greens in regulation all day. Will need Weir to have a great weekend if this event is to be turned around.

3rd round plays (1 unit):

Bob Estes to beat Peter Lonard -110 @ Sirbet
Peter Lonard to beat Steve Flesch -122 @ Five Dimes
Vijay Singh to beat Phil Mickelson -125 @ Sirbet

3rd round update: 1-2-0; -1.35 units

Estes/Lonard LOST by 2
Lonard/Flesch WON by 1
Singh/Mickelson LOST by 2

4th round plays (1 unit):

Peter Lonard to beat Jerry Kelly -110 @ Five Dimes
Kirk Triplett to beat Fredrik Jacobson -123 @ Five Dimes
Tom Lehman to beat J.L. Lewis -125 @ Five Dimes

4th round update: 0-3-0; -3.58 units

Lonard/Kelly LOST by 8
Triplett/Jacobson LOST by 4
Lehman/Lewis LOST by 4

Final update:

Matchups: 2-3-0; -3.39 units

Leonard/Lonard LOST by 1
Weir/Mickelson WON by 9
Campbell/Flesch WON by 8

18-holes: 1-8-0; -11.88 units

Outrights: 1-2; -0.90 units

Singh 11th
Weir 3rd
Leonard 43rd

Poor tournament and especially on the 18-hole plays. After earning over 10 units in a month, they are now 1-14-1 in the last two weeks! Ouch!