The Countrywide Tradition

This week it's the Senior's turn to compete for a Major and they do so at the Jack Nicklaus designed Cochise course at Desert Mountain, Scottsdale, which has staged the event since 1989. Jack has won this event four times and he showed with last year's 9th place finish after hip-replacement surgery that his knowledge of the course could make him a contender this week. He was encouraging at times last week, but this course is a far cry from the wide open fairways of Augusta. This is a typical desert course in which the desert often comes into play alongside fairways and around greens, which are elevated, medium-sized and surrounded by sand bunkers. A stern test for most and while most Majors tend to be dominated by the 'name' players, these selections this week come from the 2nd drawer who the value is to be found this week.

First off, and yet again, is Jose Maria Canizares. The enforced two-week break from competitive strokeplay golf should be a blessing for Canizares who had played the previous eight consecutive weeks. But in that spell he had finished in the top-10 in all but two events, winning the Toshiba Senior Classic. He has not featured in this event in his previous three appearances, but has finished in the top-25 in each and on the basis of his current form should set a career-high finish this week.

Mike McCullough is the second pick and comes into the event off a win two weeks ago at the Emerald Coast Classic, having already won the Mexico Senior Classic a month earlier. With finishes of 17th, 6th, 14th and 9th in his previous four appearances here, he obviously has a liking for this course and like Canizares, is in such good form that he could easily improve on that record this week.

The third pick is Jim Colbert who is another to have won this season, the SBC Senior Classic, and finished just one shot behind McCullough in Mexico. He can also claim another victory on the Senior PGA Tour this year as well as he partnered Andy North to a successful defense of their Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf title two weeks ago. In that form, age doesn't matter too much and he could again feature prominently in this event; he has three top-4 finishes in nine appearances here and is also the course record holder (64, 1995).

Outright plays:

Jose Maria Canizares to win 25/1 e.w. @ Surrey

Mike McCullough to win 33/1 e.w. @ Surrey

Jim Colbert to win 66/1 e.w. @ Surrey  

Update:

All three picks have a chance of a payout. McCullough has held the lead at times during the tournament, but currently lies in 2nd place, two shots behind Doug Tewell. Colbert and Canizares are in touch with the leading groups, Colbert is four shots out of a place win and Canizares two shots further back.

4th round plays:

John Bland to beat Allen Doyle +105 @ Five Dimes [2 units]

Jose Maria Canizares to beat Bob Gilder -115 @ Five Dimes

Final update: 2-0-0 and +3.10 units

Nice way to end the week with Five Dimes' offerings. Bland had the lead for most of the match and ended a one-shot winner over Doyle, while Canizares was a very comfortable four-shot winner over Gilder.

Update on outright plays: 1-2 and +1.63 units

When McCullough opened up four-over-par after five holes, it was a battle to regain and place finish and he did that in style. He was seven-under-par for the next thirteen holes and finished 2nd, a distant nine shots behind Tewell. It was always too much for Canizares and Colbert to secure a top-four place and they finished 12th and 29th respectively