Volmania
01-03-2008, 03:55 PM
With Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Adam Scott and Padraig Harrington all not taking up their spots and three-time winner Stuart Appleby not qualified, the US Tour's season-opening 30-man Mercedes-Benz Championship looks a wide-open affair.
However, with its changing winds, huge greens and severely sloping fairways, the par 73 Plantation course is one of the more unique tests of golf the US Tour stars get to sample and experience counts for plenty.
And that's why the 6/1 about 2007 champion Vijay Singh defending his title should not be sniffed at.
Singh, in confident mood due to new swing changes, has a fantastic record here - 1-2-5-2-4-3-8-4 counting back from last year - and, but for Appleby, would have been a multiple winner at this venue.
"I know the golf course, I know where to hit it," Singh said last year and also offered an interesting explanation as to why the non-Americans do so well - Appleby (2004, 2005 and 2006), Ernie Els (2003) and Sergio Garcia (2002) were the champions before Singh.
"Bermudagreens play an important role," said Singh. "A lot of guys play bentgreens but guys that are living in the warm climates do play on bermudagreens.
"I've been playing on bermudagreens for a while (TPC Sawgrass in Florida, Singh's home course, has them) and that's a great advantage to come out here and get used to the greens."
The top three last year - Singh, Australian Adam Scott and South African Trevor Immelman - had all been active on bermuda in or out of tournament play in the build-up to the 2007 Mercedes so, as well as backing the Fijian to follow in the footsteps off Appleby and make a successful defence, I'll also plump for another international in KJ Choi.
The South Korean, who won twice on Tour in 2007, shot a majestic 11-under 62 here when runner-up to Els in 2003 and, after sharing the first-round lead last year (he eventually finished eighth), he explained that the wind and Bermuda greens were very familiar as he encounters those at his home course - The Woodlands in Houston.
Like Singh, Choi is a hard worker who comes here prepared and you can't say that about plenty of the field, who admit to rust and using the trip as something of a pre-season holiday.
Choi's last competitive start produced a second-placed finish in the Hong Kong Open where he also fired a 62 on Bermuda greens so he's laid down plenty of positive markers. Have some 16/1.
Jonathan Byrd is 33-under par in his two trips to the Mercedes so could prove the best value of the Americans at 50s.
Jim Furyk, joint favourite with Singh in several books, is the most likely home winner and that term is valid as he actually owns a property by the course.
However, despite being a former winner (2001), he can't match Singh's consistency at this venue and the prevailing wet and windy conditions are likely to suit the Fijian more.
As a final pick, Stephen Ames looks to be a player who ticks an awful lot of boxes.
Ames appeared to slip off the rader a little after his 2006 Players Championship win but that was due in part to a bad back which forced him to remodel his swing.
The hard work started to pay off in the latter half of 2007 when he started the final round of the USPGA in the last group alongside Tiger Woods.
Although Ames wilted on that occasion, he reminded us that he knew how to win by capturing the final official event of the year at Disney World.
November also brought him a win in the LG Skins Game so he starts 2008 in excellent heart.
Known for being a fine player in wet and windy weather and strong on Bermuda greens, Ames has conditions to suit and there's every chance he can improve upon his 11th place in 2006.
Snap up what could prove a generous 33/1
However, with its changing winds, huge greens and severely sloping fairways, the par 73 Plantation course is one of the more unique tests of golf the US Tour stars get to sample and experience counts for plenty.
And that's why the 6/1 about 2007 champion Vijay Singh defending his title should not be sniffed at.
Singh, in confident mood due to new swing changes, has a fantastic record here - 1-2-5-2-4-3-8-4 counting back from last year - and, but for Appleby, would have been a multiple winner at this venue.
"I know the golf course, I know where to hit it," Singh said last year and also offered an interesting explanation as to why the non-Americans do so well - Appleby (2004, 2005 and 2006), Ernie Els (2003) and Sergio Garcia (2002) were the champions before Singh.
"Bermudagreens play an important role," said Singh. "A lot of guys play bentgreens but guys that are living in the warm climates do play on bermudagreens.
"I've been playing on bermudagreens for a while (TPC Sawgrass in Florida, Singh's home course, has them) and that's a great advantage to come out here and get used to the greens."
The top three last year - Singh, Australian Adam Scott and South African Trevor Immelman - had all been active on bermuda in or out of tournament play in the build-up to the 2007 Mercedes so, as well as backing the Fijian to follow in the footsteps off Appleby and make a successful defence, I'll also plump for another international in KJ Choi.
The South Korean, who won twice on Tour in 2007, shot a majestic 11-under 62 here when runner-up to Els in 2003 and, after sharing the first-round lead last year (he eventually finished eighth), he explained that the wind and Bermuda greens were very familiar as he encounters those at his home course - The Woodlands in Houston.
Like Singh, Choi is a hard worker who comes here prepared and you can't say that about plenty of the field, who admit to rust and using the trip as something of a pre-season holiday.
Choi's last competitive start produced a second-placed finish in the Hong Kong Open where he also fired a 62 on Bermuda greens so he's laid down plenty of positive markers. Have some 16/1.
Jonathan Byrd is 33-under par in his two trips to the Mercedes so could prove the best value of the Americans at 50s.
Jim Furyk, joint favourite with Singh in several books, is the most likely home winner and that term is valid as he actually owns a property by the course.
However, despite being a former winner (2001), he can't match Singh's consistency at this venue and the prevailing wet and windy conditions are likely to suit the Fijian more.
As a final pick, Stephen Ames looks to be a player who ticks an awful lot of boxes.
Ames appeared to slip off the rader a little after his 2006 Players Championship win but that was due in part to a bad back which forced him to remodel his swing.
The hard work started to pay off in the latter half of 2007 when he started the final round of the USPGA in the last group alongside Tiger Woods.
Although Ames wilted on that occasion, he reminded us that he knew how to win by capturing the final official event of the year at Disney World.
November also brought him a win in the LG Skins Game so he starts 2008 in excellent heart.
Known for being a fine player in wet and windy weather and strong on Bermuda greens, Ames has conditions to suit and there's every chance he can improve upon his 11th place in 2006.
Snap up what could prove a generous 33/1