Buick Open

Final Result: -6.25pts.   DiMarco continues to be a very frustrating player to back.

Update after round 3:

DiMarco looks odds-on to make the top 5, which would mean a profit on the week. Winning seems a stretch too far, although I do feel that as a decidedly dodgy front runner his best chance of a win will be to shoot in a low round from well off the pace. If only it weren't a rock like Vijay up ahead! I'll put up some hedging lays just incase he does somehow catch Singh.

Lay Chris DiMarco 5pts @3 at Betfair - unmatched

Lay Chris DiMarco 10pts @2 at Betfair - unmatched

Lay Chris DiMarco 20pts @1.5 at Betfair - unmatched

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Adding:

Back Tom Pernice 0.75pts @180 at Betfair

Back Tom Pernice to finish in the top five 1.5pts @25/1 at BetFred, Centrebet

In the last 8 years he has played this event every season, won it once, finshed in the places a further time, and been outside the top 25 only twice. This is clearly a course on which he performs well year in year out. His last event was The Open at St.Andrews, where he missed the cut by a long way, but that was the first time in his career he'd made the trip across the water and the poor performance can probably be put down to the unfamiliar style of course and surroundings. His last outing before that saw him finish 11th at the Barclays Classic, and he has been very consistent on the PGA tour recently, not missing a cut since April. With a rest last week and playing at a course where he has fond memories, I don't think his Open experience will be anywhere near the forefront of his mind, and a good week is hopefully in store.

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This is an event where course form can be argued to be of much more importance than usual.

Back Scott Verplank 2pts e/w @33/1 at Ladbrokes

Back Chris DiMarco 2pts e/w @33/1 at Ladbrokes

Two standout prices which have been held so far, but I can't see lasting until Thursday, and I also can't see being bettered anywhere else including Betfair.

Verplank hasn't finished outside the top 25 in each of the last 5 years here. He is also in good form after his second place last week. In fact, aside from a blip at the US Open he hasn't had a bad performance since the middle of March.

Di Marco also has great course form, not outside the top 25 the past four years, including two second places. His form in the recent majors hasn't been great, but he's got two top 15's in a row in his last two regular tour events, and this season he has produced place returns from 4 out of 15 starts.

Both DiMarco and Verplank clearly have not won enough considering their undoubted ability. This is a concern which will almost certainly see me recomending hedging out to guarantee profit at low odds should the opportunity arise, but as straight e/w bets these both look excellent value.