3M Championship

A new sponsor and a new home for the former Coldwell Banker Burnet Classic. The sponsors were involved in the planning of the Arnold Palmer and Tom Lehman-designed course and like any TPC course, it was built specifically for this event. The course only opened last year, so apart from last August's 18-hole, made-for-TV exhibition featuring the 1999 winners of the four majors on the Senior PGA Tour, there is no course form to use. However this is certainly the strongest field since the Ford Senior Players Championship, the last major of the year. Rarely have so many players been available at single-figure odds! With such a strong field and no course form, selecting players currently in-form seems the best strategy, though being cautious on such a week is just as important.

The three selections are Allen Doyle, Jim Thorpe and Dana Quigley. Doyle was a winner four weeks ago and again two weeks ago, both times as a selection, so it is a surprise to see him at relatively long odds. To add to those two victories in July, he was denied only by a birdie on the last hole by Bobby Wadkins last week, so there can be few doubts that he is the hottest player on Tour at the moment. It is just a nice bonus that it was Doyle who won the Senior Slam by three shots on this course last year.

Jim Thorpe also had his chances to win last week, but a failure to break par on his final round saw him slip from 3rd overnight to 7th. Having finished 3rd the week before at the State Farm Senior Classic, his form is solid enough and he retains his position as an outright selection.

Quigley is another of last week's selections retained this week. He had a poor week finishing in 43rd position despite a promising 1st round. But for a player who plays every single, the ability to play without the pressure of the leaderboard at the weekend should only be of benefit this week. He has been in a great run of form for the last three months, having won once and finished in the top-5 of four of his last twelve events. The available odds look rather large for the Iron Man.

For all the selections, the odds quoted are generally available, though Stan James's 5 places is extremely useful. It is a pity that BetInternet, who have quoted 5 places, are so erratic in putting up lines for Seniors golf.

Outright plays:

Allen Doyle to win 12/1 e.w. @ Stan James [5 places option]

Jim Thorpe to win 25/1 e.w. @ Stan James [5 places option]

Dana Quigley to win 50/1 e.w. @ Stan James [5 places option]

54-hole plays:

Gil Morgan to beat Bobby Wadkins -105 @ Five Dimes [3 units]
This is what I wrote last week about this matchup: "I can't see Wadkins being competitive this week. Will take Morgan in this matchup for many a year!" Okay, having taken the egg off my face, I admit that I did not take into account the fact that he had grown up on Meadowbrook Country Club. But he had never won before in 712 starts on the PGA Tour and in 65 on the BUY.COM Tour. He was suitably embarrassed to put in a list of debut winners on the Senior Tour, a list that includes Arnold Palmer. Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, and a letdown is expected this week. After 28 years of being winless, how could it be otherwise! Lanny won his debut Senior Tour event and finished 40th the next week, he should follow in his brother's footsteps again. I will still take Morgan in this matchup for many a year!

Jim Thorpe to beat Bruce Lietzke +102 @ Five Dimes
Lietzke hasn't even challenged for the lead in his two Senior Tour events, so the price is clearly a reaction to Bobby Wadkins' win last week. Lietzke will probably have two good rounds, but can't see him being as competitive as Thorpe this week or any week

Final update: 1-1-0 and +2.00 units

Split the plays, though most importantly I might have to re-evaluate my thoughts about the Tour's latest debutants   Lietzke won the event and beat Thorpe by eleven shots and Wadkins led Morgan, albeit by no more than 2 shots at any time, for almost the whole tournament. But a two-shot swing at the death and Morgan secured a one shot win in the 3-unit play

Update on outright plays: 0-3 and -3.00 units

Unusual blank on Senior Tour outrights and not even close to getting a place finish. Quigley was best-placed in 14th place, just three shots out of a place finish, while Doyle and Thorpe were very poor. They finished 47th and 39th respectively.