South African Airways Open

FINAL RESULT: 1-2; +5.50pts

Clark 1st
Howell 8th
Frost 69th

Easy for Clark in the end as he finished up with a six-shot win after a very impressive performance throughout. Looked like being even more profitable when Howell was in 2nd place on the final nine, but he dropped three shots on the 15th and 16th to finish one shot out of a place win and two shots out of 2nd place.

Outright plays (1pt):

Tim Clark to win 12/1 e.w. available generally
With Darren Clarke having a very good reason to not be fully focussed on this event - he is returning from taking time off to be with his wife who was diagnosed with cancer - Clark looks the most likely candidate to win this event now that it has moved from Trevor Immelman's home town. He did, after all, accomplish that victory on this course in 2002 when he was a qualifier. So, having finished the 2004 with a number of high finishes on the PGA Tour and finishing very well in his last event, the Dunhill Championship, this represents a very good chance for the South African.

David Howell to win 16/1 e.w. @ BetInternet and Victor Chandler
With this event being the opening tournament of 2005 and being the only played in South Africa in this Southern Hemisphere leg, it should be important to side with home players. However, Howell does have the benefit of course experience which includes a top-10 finish on his last visit in 1998 and he has become extremely consistent. In his last five starts of 2004, he finished in the top-six on four occasions. Not a proven winner, but he could easily finish as the leading European this week.

David Frost to win 33/1 e.w. available generally
Frost in certainly a player in form. Not only did he finish 6th in the last co-sanctioned event, the Dunhill Championship last month, but he shot 65 to win the Open Championship qualifier at Atlantic Beach on Friday. While others may be a little rusty, Frost is certainly not and with finishes of 2nd and 6th in his last two tournaments at the Durban Country Club, he should be feeling rather confident about this week.