Golf Betting Update; Crowne Plaza Invitational with the bookmakers making Mickelson their 10/1 favou

Added: (Tue May 20 2008)

Pressbox (Press Release) - Anyone within earshot of Kentucky golfer Kenny Perry at this week's Crowne Plaza Invitational tournament might hear him humming the tune to the Boomtown Rats hit from the 1970s 'I don't like Mondays'.

But instead of Monday he will be thinking Sunday as twice in the last month he has got himself into the final group in the last round of two competitions and on both occasions he has failed to capitalise on the opportunities.

Last week at Sugarloaf he played a near mistake-free round of golf and forced a play-off with Ryuji Imada. But when it came to the first extra hole everything looked fine after a nice tee shot but his five-wood approach flew past the green hit a tree at the back and rebounded onto the putting surface and then kept going until it found the lake.

Perry pointer

Hopefully Perry will have better luck this week at the Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas. It's certainly a course and tournament that he has fond memories about as he has landed the title twice in the past, most recently in 2005 which was the last time he won on the tour.

The local connection worked last week with Imada, who was educated in Georgia, as it did in this tournament 12 months when Forth Worth resident Rory Sabbatini captured the first prize.

However, the South African was in better form leading up to this event in 2007 than he has been this time round. Things have not really gone his way since he contracted the flu the week following his third in the Buick Invitational. There were better signs for Sabbatini in the Players Championship a couple of weeks ago where his tie for 27th was his best since Torrey Pines. But his putting stroke remains a worry.

Crane to fly high

The Crowne Plaza has not proved a happy hunting ground for born-and-bred Texans with the last to land the first prize being Ben Crenshaw in 1990. But it could be the turn of another Ben (Crane) to give the locals something to cheer about. Siding with Crane is a risky business at the moment as his back problem reared its ugly head in Georgia last week and he had to withdraw. However, prior to that he had looked in pretty good nick with a sixth in the Players Championship catching the eye and suggesting that he could be about to hit winning form.

The other golfer from the Lone Star State who could be one for the short-list is Chad Campbell, who lives nearby in Colleyville and went close to winning the event when second four years ago. Like Crane he has been showing signs that a return to winning form could be just around the corner with a second in another Texas tournament, the Houston Open, and a 10th in the Players.

Count on Kim

It's been a good year so far on the USPGA tour for the Twentysomethings and for first time winners with Ryuji Imada breaking his duck last week and Anthony Kim opening his account at the Wachovia and the latter could be one to consider again this week. He started the Players Championship in bright fashion with two opening rounds of 70 to lie in fifth place at the halfway mark. Unfortunately, that run of form did not last over the weekend but it did demonstrate that his game remains in good shape and he's worth another chance to prove what a talented golfer he is.

Jim Furyk has won a tournament in each of the last three years and if he is to continue that run than the Crowne Plaza Invitational offers him as good a chance as any. Last year he joined Sabbatini and Bernhard Langer in the tournament's first ever three-man play-off before losing out at the first extra hole. He obviously likes playing Colonial as prior to that he had posted two other top-10 finishes there and when tying for 17th place in 2006 he was top for greens in regulation (GIR).

Ames on target

Just behind Furyk in that stats category was Stephen Ames, who also came out best for driving accuracy on his way to tying for fourth, although that looked an unlikely prospect following 77 in the third round. However, he recovered to post a 63 on the final day to give him his second top seven finish, the other being a third two years earlier. Now that Ames seems to be finding some kind of form, as his fifth in the Players indicates, it could be the right time to place some hard-earned cash on him.

The best scoring average for the tournament is held by Australian Nathan Green at 67.5, although that's based on just two starts. But he has finished fourth and fifth and a third at the Honda Classic earlier this year could be enough evidence for another first-time winner of a tour event in 2008.

Finally, a player taking part who could be one to remember for the future is Jamie Lovemark who was rated the world's top amateur golfer in 2007. He may not be experienced enough to make much of an impression in the tournament but he is highly rated by some shrewd judges.

Crowne Kings: Anthony Kim and Kenny Perry
Colonial Naps: Stephen Ames and Chad Campbell

• All prices correct at time of writing.

ABOUT EASYODDS.COM

easyodds.com is a comprehensive sport betting service that helps you find the BEST ODDS on offer from leading bookmakers, betting exchanges and spread betting firms and then helps you place your bet at the BestPrice.

FREE to register!
www.easyodds.com

Andrew Newton
Managing Editor
020 7691 0660