MasterCard Championship

The first event of the Senior PGA Tour is rather like its PGA Tour in that its field is limited to recent winner. To be eligible, the player must have won on the Tour in the last two years or have won a major in the last five. After a couple of withdrawals that leaves only 32 players in this week's field. They will compete against each other on the five-year course that Jack built, the Hualalai Golf Club. If the winds blows, it can present a stiff challenge; if not, then expect low scoring.

The first of the outright plays this week on the course and tournament record holder, Gil Morgan. Along with John Jacobs and Hale Irwin, he shot 64 during the 1998 event and set a tournament record of 21-under-par for 54 holes that year. He finished 6th the following year and withdrew from the event before it started last year. He is showing little signs of ageing, he finished 4th in the money list last year after a light schedule and topped the scoring average and All-Around Ranking stats. Being sixth favorite with First Stake seems rather generous for one not too old to win this event.

The second pick is Allen Doyle who has five times on his two years on the Senior PGA Tour. He opened with a 66 to lie 2nd after the first round last year and though he fell away at the weekend, that start will be encouraging when he begins his 2001 campaign on the same course. With First Stake offering the place bet on the first four places, this would appear more likely than an outright win. Much more profitable at just a place finish would be the 3rd pick, Dana Quigley. He has improved each year with finishes of 11th, 4th and 2nd in the last three years. For someone who makes a habit of playing every round of every event on the Tour - has done for the last three seasons (113 events) hence the nickname "iron man" - it is understandable why he should start so fast at the 1st event of the year.

Outright plays:

Gil Morgan to win 10/1 e/w @ First Stake

Allen Doyle to win 20/1 e/w @ First Stake

Dana Quigley to win 50/1 e/w @ First Stake

Final update: 0-3 and -3.00 units

Disappointing blank. Morgan, Doyle and Quigley all had indifferent first two rounds and a much better final day. It was enough to life Quigley to 16th, Morgan to 12th and Doyle to 7th, three shots out of a place finish. Hoped for better on the opening week.