Texas Open

FINAL UPDATE: 0-3; -4.50pts

Kelly mc
Taylor 39th
Purdy 48th

The slump on the PGA Tour continues. Purdy had been in very good shape heading into the weekend, but opened each round with a six. Says it all, really!

Jerry Kelly to win 26/1 e.w. @ IASbet (25/1 available generally)
It is not surprising that 1st round co-leader Shaun Micheel shot a 74 in the 2nd round last week, both of his 1st round playing partners had been forced to withdraw in poor health: Toms after nine holes because of heart problems and Kelly after the 1st round because of feeling unwell throughout and suffering from dehydration. As a result, Kelly's first round 79 can be ignored and that leaves him entering this event on the back of two top-5 finishes. Against this very weak field, that is impressive form, particularly as he also finished in the top-5 last year. Far from being a confident front runner, but there are very few in this field who are!

Vaughn Taylor to win 40/1 e.w. @ Ladbrokes
Maybe one such candidate is Taylor. He successfully defended his Reno-Tahoe Open title last month and did so in style: a wire-to-wire winner. To prove that was no fluke, he then finished 12th and 3rd in the next two weeks against much stronger fields. So having improved his score with every round last year on his course debut to finish 22nd, he is certainly worthy of being retained a selection for the second week in a row.

Ted Purdy to win 66/1 e.w. @ BetInternet
A top-5 finish last year does not tell full story for Purdy. He opened with a 61 to tie the course record and hold a three-shot lead after the first round, but was unlucky with his tee-time. He had one of the very last tee-times in the second round and so played in the worst of the intense afternoon heat. He lost his lead, but it was a good closing 65 to secure the top-5 finish. At the time he was winless on the PGA Tour, but he has corrected that with a win at the Byron Nelson Championship in May, which was also held in Texas. He has shown decent form of late, particularly in the PGA Championship and the Canadian Open, and should not be at such large odds.