Golf Events / Editor / 22 May 2007 / Leave a Comment

Vijay Singh will make a rare appearance on the European Tour this week as he bids to become the first player to win the PGA titles on both sides of the Atlantic.

While Singh has twice managed to win the US PGA Championship - the fourth major - during his career in 1998 and 2004, the European version has so far eluded his grasp.

But the Fijian knows the West Course at Wentworth well, having won the HSBC World Match Play title on this week's venue in 1998, and spent the formative years of his career on the European Tour and he will have high hopes of completing a unique double.

Singh has been in fine form in America this season, winning twice already to lie third in the FedExCup standings, and is trading at 14 to add the BMW PGA title to his long list of honours and 4 to come in the top five.

But in front of him lies one of the highest quality fields ever assembled for the event, with seven of the world's top ten in action this week and no fewer than 20 tournament winners in 2007.

World number five Ernie Els is the top-ranked player and will start the week as favourite at 9.6 to win his first PGA title and 3.2 to finish in the first five.

South African compatriot Retief Goosen is sure to have his followers and is available at 17.5 to claim his second victory of the season ahead of European Order of Merit leader Henrik Stenson, who is trading at half a point longer.

Luke Donald and Padraig Harrington, last week's Irish Open hero and chasing a €1 million euro bonus if he completes a quick double this week, are not far behind in the market and are available at 18.5 and 19 respectively.

English duo Paul Casey (27) and Justin Rose (29) are also likely to be popular selections to win while, for those who can't see outside the top six names in the market this week, the Big Six are available to back at 2.58 against the Field's odds of 1.58.

David Howell romped to a five-shot victory last year but has been denied the chance to defend his title by a long-term back injury and, with the forecast set fair for the first two days of the event, conditions are expected to be very different to 2006.

Due to heavy rain 12 months ago, many of the changes that Els had made to the 7,320-yard course to make it tougher were ruled obsolete but that is unlikely to be the case this week.

No one knows the West Course better than 'the Big Easy'. He lives on the estate and has won a record six World Match Play titles on the venue.
The PGA crown is a championship that has so far evaded him though - he has finished runner-up on three separate occasions - and he will be anxious to set the record straight and register his first win of 2007 in the process.

Els is trading at 1.87 to place in the top ten while he is favourite at 4 to end the week as the top player in the Rest of the World market, ahead of Singh (5.2) and Goosen (6).

Goosen, available at 5.1 to come in the first five, has never won at Wentworth but has been playing well all season while Stenson and Donald will also be keen to do well in the flagship event of the European Tour.

Stenson, half a point shorter than Goosen to finish in the top five, is arguably the most improved golfer in the world this year having risen to number seven in the rankings, and knows the importance of a good finish this week if he is to achieve his dream of winning a first Order of Merit title.

Like his Ryder Cup colleague, Donald has been playing primarily in America but two second places and five top-ten finishes show he is performing well and he should be included on anyone's shortlist.

Casey will be hoping that the memory of last September's victory in the World Match Play will inspire him to further glory while it will be interesting to see how Rose fares as he makes his first appearance since finishing joint-fifth at the US Masters because of back trouble. Both players are available at around 7 to place in the top five.

Irish eyes will certainly be smiling if Harrington can complete a quickfire double and add to his Irish Open victory last week.
Last year's Order of Merit winner has made no secret of his feelings for Wentworth and even refused to play the Surrey course at one stage because he didn't play well there, but finishing 11th and joint-sixth in the last two years has proved his early theory wrong.

Harrington is trading at 5 to finish in the top five and looks good value at 7.2 to be the top UK and Ireland player this week ahead of Donald (7.8), Casey (10.5), Rose (12) and Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood (both 15.5).

Angel Cabrera won the tournament in 2005 and, with two other runners-up finishes in the event, appears well priced at 40 to triumph again and 9 to come in the first five.

1994 champion Jose Maria Olazabal proved he is still a force to be reckoned with, following his third place at this month's Players Championship and is available at two points longer than Cabrera to win, while Swede Robert Karlsson may also go well at similar odds.

Three-time winner Colin Montgomerie loves Wentworth, having finished in the top ten 12 times out of 17 appearances and can be backed at 60 to win, the same price as last week's unlucky runner-up Bradley Dredge.

Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin, 50 to win and 4.5 to record his seventh top-ten finish of the season, looks attractively priced while it would be no surprise to see Australian Richard Green go well at odds of 65 to win and 10.5 to place in the first five after finishing joint fourth in Ireland last week.