The JELD-WEN Tradition

Outright plays (2 units):

Bruce Lietzke to win 14/1 e.w. @ William Hill
Do fancy Watson's chances to win this week, but not much value at a best-price of 8/1, particularly against 14/1 on Lietzke who edged out Watson in the U.S. Senior Open. He showed his return to form/motivation last week when being in contention throughout and finally finishing 2nd and with the same motivation, it is hard to see him out of the frame this week.

Jim Thorpe to win 33/1 e.w. @ Stan James
Don't like to side with defending champions in outright markets, but this event does have a history of back-to-back winners - since the tournament began in 1990, Jack Nicklaus has won in 1990-91 and 1995-96, while Gil Morgan won in 1997-98. Thorpe is also a player who plays very well late in the season and this year is no exception. He finished 2nd in the last Senior major, the Ford Senior Players Championship, last month and has finished 1st and 2nd in the last two weeks. That sort of form does not normally warrant 33/1!

Tom Purtzer to win 50/1 e.w. @ Centrebet
Huge price for a player who was a selection at 25/1 last week and extended his run of top-10 finishes to four and he should have won the 3M Championship in that spell. This is a long course measuring over 7,200 yards and he ranks #1 in driving distance on Tour, while any major should be a test of ball-striking and he ranks #1 in greens in regulation. This price will not last though Stan James do offer 40/1 and five places.

Matchup plays (2 units unless stated):

Jose Maria Canizares to beat John Jacobs -105 @ Five Dimes [4 units]
David Eger to beat Ben Crenshaw -120 @ Five Dimes
Tom Watson to beat Bruce Lietzke -111 @ Stan James [4 units]
(Also available at Centrebet and Five Dimes)
Tom Purtzer to beat Don Pooley -125 @ Five Dimes [4 units]
Jim Thorpe to beat Don Pooley -111 @ Stan James [4 units]

1st round plays (4 units):

Tom Watson to beat Bruce Lietzke -130 @ Five Dimes
Tom Purtzer to beat Don Pooley -125 @ Five Dimes
Jose Maria Canizares to beat John Jacobs -110 @ Five Dimes

1st round update: 3-0-0; +12.00 units

Watson/Lietzke WON by 3
Purtzer/Pooley WON by 2
Canizares/Jacobs WON by 3

2nd round plays (2 units):

Morris Hatalsky to beat Fuzzy Zoeller -103 @ Five Dimes
Tom Watson to beat Hale Irwin -140 @ Five Dimes
Tom Purtzer to beat Larry Nelson -108 @ Five Dimes

2nd round update: 2-1-0; +1.84 units

Hatalsky/Zoeller WON by 2
Watson/Irwin WON by 5
Purtzer/Nelson LOST by 2

Mid-point update:

Canizares/Jacobs Leads by 2
Eger/Crenshaw Leads by 4
Watson/Lietzke Leads by 10
Purtzer/Pooley All Square
Thorpe/Pooley Leads by 7

Lietzke 21st
Thorpe 7th
Purtzer 46th

Very good position at the half-way stage. Pity I didn't follow through my liking of Watson this week with some money, but just need Thorpe to remain in contention for a good return in all three markets.

3rd round plays (2 units):

Jim Thorpe to beat Fuzzy Zoeller -127 @ Five Dimes
Gil Morgan to beat Bob Gilder -123 @ Five Dimes
Bruce Lietzke to beat Craig Stadler -125 @ Five Dimes

3rd round update: 2-1-0; +1.50 units

Thorpe/Zoeller WON by 6
Morgan/Gilder WON by 3
Lietzke/Stadler LOST by 4

4th round plays (2 units unless stated):

Tom Watson to beat Craig Stadler -125 @ Five Dimes [4 units]
Graham Marsh to beat Jim Ahern -133 @ Five Dimes

4th round update: 0-2-0; -7.66 units

Watson/Stadler LOST by 3
Marsh/Ahern LOST by 3

Final update:

Matchups: 3-2-0; +4.60 units

Canizares/Jacobs WON by 2
Eger/Crenshaw LOST by 2
Watson/Lietzke WON by 13
Purtzer/Pooley LOST by 1
Thorpe/Pooley WON by 2

18-holes: 7-4-0; +7.68 units

Outrights: 0-3; -6.00 units

Lietzke 46th
Thorpe 7th
Purtzer 16th

Profit on the event - the only one of the week - but a bad Sunday. All five matchups had been ahead with one round to play and Thorpe had been only three shots off the lead, so had hoped for much better.