Bob Hope Chrysler Classic

Outright plays (1.5 units):

Jerry Kelly to win 25/1 e.w. @ Stan James
Dropping top-ranked Goosen from the list this week as he has never played in a pro-am format until this week and instead opting for two players who are regulars in this event. Kelly has played in this event every year since 1996 and while he has made the cut on every occasion, he has improved to finishes of 5th and 12th in the last two years. He admitted to being very comfortable with his game last week and it resulted in a top-5 finish. There is a very good chance that he will repeat the feat this week.

Chris DiMarco to win 25/1 e.w. @ Sportingbet, Sporting Odds, BetInternet and Victor Chandler
DiMarco does not have Kelly's extravert personality to make him an ideal candidate for these pro-ams, but there can be doubting his form in this event - 6th and 3rd in the last two years. This will be his first start of the year having failed to win an event in a season for the first time since 1999, but with five rounds to play this week, there will be plenty of time to dust the cobwebs off his game. Should be shorter odds given his record in this event.

Fredrik Jacobson to win 66/1 e.w. available generally
Speculative punt on a player who should do well on these types of courses ... they have wide fairways! Driving accuracy aside, Jacobson is predicted to have a very good year on the PGA Tour. Anyone who can finish 5th in the 2003 U.S. Open and then 36th, 3rd and 8th in PGA Tour events in the next three weeks is bound to pick up a lot of top-10 finishes once they devote themselves more fully to this Tour. He has a good draw with Maury Povich as one of his amateur players (Randy Johnson might be a more intimidating though) and has played in this format in the Dunhill Links Championship, finishing in the top-20 in each of the last two years. He is a three-time winner on the European Tour last year and looks to be one of Europe' best prospects for a win on the PGA Tour this year.

Final update: 0-3; -4.50 units

Kelly 30th
DiMarco mc
Jacobson 50th

Kelly was among the leaders after the first round, but that was as good as it got. Not very encouraging, so quite a relief that the matchups showed some profit.