Open Long Odds Value Shots After Fabrizio Zanotti won the BMW International Open for us at odds of 80/1, whos to say we cant bag a long odds glory win at Hoylake! Here are five players to consider in that bracket 1. Brendon Todd 80/1 The big American makes his Open Championship debut at Hoylake but in the form he is in this season, hes a danger anywhere. Todd has done something very rare on the PGA Tour this year and thats to keep his form line hot after a big win. That came at the HP Byron Nelson from where the former Georgia grad went on T5 at Colonial, T8 at Muirfield Village, T17 at Pinehurst (US Open), then T5 at Congressional. Sits 33rd in drving accuracy on the PGA Tour stats. The Open Championship always throws up a surprise, but I wont be shocked in the least to see Todd contend. 2. Hideki Matsuyama 50/1 The bookies are still applying burn cream to their fingers after Hidekis T6 at Muirfield at astronomical odds last year but hes no longer a surprise package. I have to admit that even as a fan Im finding hard to track Hideki around the world but he did recently have his first outing since the US Open at the 2014 Nagashima Shigeo INVITATIONAL SEGA SAMMY Cup on the Japan Golf Tour where he finished 17th. I was surprised a little that he let a good position slip with a pair of 74s at the weekend to tie 35th at Pinehurst, but the US Open is a lottery of sorts and Im looking more towards Hidekis win at The Memorial for this tip. A very good course strategist, I expect him to have a great Open Championship. 3. Jamie Donaldson 80/1 Ever since Jamie won the 2012 Irish Open at Royal Portrush he went into a recess of my brain marked watch out for on links courses. Now in the upper echelon with golfs elite Jamie is slowly but surely coming to terms with a new schedule. I was mightily impressed by his performance at the brutally tough and newly renovated TPC Blue Monster at Doral where he finished T2 alongside Bubba and behind Patrick Reed. Returned to form after missing the cut in Pinehurst with a T5 at the BMW International in Cologne and repeated the finish in Paris. Struggled with his irons in Aberdeen but I’m expecting that will be ironed out this week. 4. Thomas Bjorn 50/1 Darren Clarke at St Georges, Ernie Els at Royal Lytham, Tommy Bjorn at Hoylake? If there really is a golfing God, surely Bjorn deserves his Open. Lets not dwell too much on 2003, but instead note that that was one of two T2 finishes at the Open for the Dane who also finished fourth when his mate Darren won in 2011. Ive been impressed with Tommy this season especially his T8 at Augusta, T3 at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth and returning after missing the Irish Open through injury with a T8 in Cologne. Hes very close to a W, the big question is will it come this week? 5. Miguel Angel Jimenez 80/1 Perennially in the last few tee times the Sunday of the Open Championship, Miguel always gives value for money. His warm up routine on the practice ground might now be the stuff of legend, but on the course The Mechanic is no joke. Recorded his best ever finish at Augusta with a solo fourth and went on to win an emotional victory on home soil at the Open de Espana. With five consecutive top 30 finishes in the last five stagings, a top 10 (at odds of 7/1) or better is a realistic prospect for Miguel.
Posted on: Tue, 15 Jul 2014 19:00:00 +0000