Kroger Senior Classic

Outright plays (2 units):

Des Smyth to win 16/1 e.w. @ SkyBet
This course was only opened in 2001 and has been used once on Tour, so Smyth's rookie status is not a major handicap this week and indeed, his younger years should be of benefit after a four-round event the previous week. He was not in the pressure situation of contention, but still finished only five shots behind Watson and extended his run of top-15 finishes to five. He has come close to winning on Tour this season and will do so before the end of the next one.

D.A. Weibring to win 33/1 e.w. @ William Hill
Weibring is another who looks as though he will pick up a seniors title sooner rather than later and after securing his fourth top-10 finish in his last five starts, this is a surprisingly large price. As with Smyth, the rookie handle should be less of a handicap this week and his younger years should help with his fitness and hunger after the last of the season's senior majors.

Wayne Levi to win 66/1 e.w. @ William Hill and Paddy Power
Levi is a player who has won this year and it was only a few weeks ago so it makes this price very hard to understand. He has followed his win with two top-20 finishes and finished in the top-20 last year so there is not even the excuse of lack of course experience. The 12/1 for a top-5 place at Paddy Power is tempting, but if he can win the 3M Championship against a similar strength field, then he can certainly do the same this week.

Matchup plays (2 units):

Isao Aoki to beat Bruce Summerhays -135 @ Five Dimes
Summerhays finished 5th last week which was 6 shots better than Aoki but it was the only time in the past year that he has finished ahead of Aoki on the Champions Tour. Having finished 61st here last year (Aoki was 18th), he does not look like repeating that rare feat.

Des Smyth to beat Don Pooley -145 @ Five Dimes
It took a very impressive final round 64 to deny the matchup win with Purtzer over Pooley last week, but still opposing him this week and again with one of the outright selections. Smyth has been very consistent with top-15 finishes in his last five starts and certainly looks capable of winning this title.

Gil Morgan to beat Bob Gilder -111 @ BetandWin
Between them, they have the runners-up position in four of the last five weeks, so there should be little concern about form, but Morgan is the far more consistent player. Beyond those two 2nd place finishes, Gilder's best other finish in the last four months have been only 10th. No surprise that he trails Morgan 2-6-0 h2h over the past three months. Having the added pressure of being defending champion from an inaugural event should not help either.

1st round plays (2 units):

Des Smyth to beat Don Pooley -130 @ Five Dimes
Wayne Levi to beat Ray Floyd -135 @ Five Dimes
Isao Aoki to beat Bruce Summerhays -122 @ Five Dimes

1st round update: 1-2-0; -3.04 units

Smyth/Pooley LOST by 1
Levi/Floyd WON by 3
Aoki/Summerhays LOST by 3

3rd round plays (2 units unless stated):

Isao Aoki to beat Bruce Summerhays -135 @ Five Dimes
D.A. Weibring to beat Don Pooley -123 @ Five Dimes
Tom Jenkins to beat Ed Dougherty -102 @ Five Dimes [4 units]

3rd round update: 2-0-1; +6.00 units

Aoki/Summerhays WON by 6
Weibring/Pooley TIED (Push)
Jenkins/Dougherty WON by 2

Final update:

Matchups: 2-1-0; +1.10 units

Aoki/Summerhays WON by 6
Smyth/Pooley LOST by 2
Morgan/Gilder WON by 14

18-holes: 3-2-1; +2.96 units

Outrights: 0-3; -6.00 units

Smyth 11th
Weibring 6th
Levi 13th

Small loss on the event with the blank on the outrights. All finished close to a place position, but had never really threatened to do so until the final round. Still puzzled by the continued failings in this market.