Tipster: Stanley

Bay Hill Invitational

Outright plays (1.5pts):

Davis Love to win 14/1 e.w. @ Victor Chandler
In the top-three in two of his last three visits to Bay Hill, in the top-six in each of his last five starts in Florida, including one win, and in the top-10 in four of five starts this year. Love is simply playing at or very close to the level that earned him last year's Player's Championship and made him an early season contender for Player of the Year. Shouldn't be ignored in this form.

Retief Goosen to win 22/1 e.w. @ Stan James
Goosen's stats are almost as impressive. He has finished in the top-10 in four of five strokeplay events this year, including 3rd in his only start in Florida this year, and he won the Chrysler Championship in Florida in November last year. His course form is nowhere near as good, but in all his previous four visits he has finished higher up the leaderboard than the last time. If can continue to learn how to tame this course, he can certainly beat Tiger Woods.

Scott Verplank to finish in the top-five 10/1 @ SkyBet
Verplank is another who can boast both good recent form and good form in Florida. In his last three starts in this State, he has finished 8th, 2nd and 2nd, while he has finished in the top-10 in five of his last six strokeplay events and was 20th in the other one. That is impressive consistency and while he is hardly a prolific winner on Tour, it does suggest that he may be value in the place-only market.

One outright play by Shaker (1.5 pts)

Lee Westwood to be top European 20/1 e.w @ Coral / Eurobet
Each way terms are 1/4 1,2,3, you can get four places with Stan James and Victor Chandler but they only go 16/1 and 12/1 respectively. I think this bet is cracking value; his long game was in fine shape two weeks ago in Dubai and were it not for some silly short putts being missed, the 12th place would've been easily bettered. Yet to shoot over 72 in Europe this season, plus giving Mickelson a fright in the Matchplay and shooting 3 of 6 US rounds under 70 (on two difficult courses), his improvement is there for all to see and it is shown in the all-important GIR stats; this year's figures are currently blowing those from the last four years clean away. Before he lost his game he had 3 top 25 finishes here in 4 years ('98 - '01 incl.) so is very comfortable on the course and he has much more experience here than most of the other Europeans.

Final update: 1-0; +0.75pts

Westwood 3rd (tied with Jacobson)

Final update: 1-2; +12.00pts

Love 31st
Goosen mc
Verplank 3rd

One of the toughest finishes on the PGA Tour and Verplank was 3-under-par for the stretch to complete a very impressive steal of a top-5 place. The other two were disappointing, but a welcome good return on this Tour.