Golf Events / Editor / 26 June 2007 /

The Buick Open has traditionally featured plenty of low scores and this year's version looks likely to be no exception when it gets underway in Michigan on Thursday.

The 7,127-yard par 72 course at Warwick Hills Country Club was ranked the ninth easiest on the PGA Tour in 2006 and a barrage of birdies is expected this year with mild temperatures and light winds forecast for the four days of the event.

Tiger Woods strolled to victory last season with a winning score of 24-under-par thanks to four successive rounds of 66 on the flat parkland lay-out which, after the perils of Oakmont earlier this month, features large and relatively flat greens made for holing putts.

Jim Furyk was his closest pursuer 12 months ago when he finished three shots behind and, in the absence of the world number one who is taking time out following the birth of his first child last week, will start a warm favourite to claim his first win of 2007.

Furyk, making his first appearance since coming joint-runner-up at the US Open, is trading at 6.4 to win, with 1988 Buick champion Scott Verplank next best in the market at 21 to triumph.

Sean O'Hair can be backed at a point longer to net his first victory for two years, with the resurgent Kenny Perry available at 29 to win, ahead of Robert Allenby (32), Trevor Immelman (32) and the quintet of Ryan Moore, Rod Pampling, Fred Funk, Bo Van Pelt and JJ Henry (all 44 to win).

Furyk, trading at 2.2 to come in the top five this week, certainly has the credentials to back up his position as the clear market leader.

The world number three won the Buick Open in 2003 and has twice finished runner-up in the tournament in 2001 and last year.

He has finished in the top ten for the last six years and seven out of the last eight and it would be a major surprise if he is not challenging for the major honours again at the weekend, where he can be backed at 1.67 to make it seven successive top-ten finishes.

Verplank also has a good record around the course having come second in 1998, ten years after winning the event, and comes into this week in good form.

Verplank proved that you don't have to be the longest hitter to be competitive with his joint-seventh finish at this month's US Open and, having finished tied-fourth here in 2006, is trading at 4.6 to repeat the feat this year.

He may also be a good bet at 2.42 to beat Furyk in the tournament match-betting this week, with the latter priced at 1.5.

O'Hair has managed two top-ten finishes so far in 2007 and finished alongside Verplank here last year but the hangover of his final day collapse at the Tournament Players' Championship last month, when he was leading, still seems to be affecting him and he could be best watched in-play.

However, Perry is very much a player on the up again after a dismal last 18 months and may be worth following at attractive odds of 6.6 to place in the first five and 3.85 to come in the top ten.

The American has rediscovered his swing in the last few weeks and arrives at Warwick Hills with happy memories, knowing that this was the venue that ended his winless run of 152 tournaments in 2001, and that could inspire him to great things again this week.
Funk also has an impressive record at the tournament, having managed six top-tens and 13 top-25 finishes in 16 appearances, and he is likely to have plenty of followers after coming fifth at the Travelers Championship last week.

The veteran appears well priced at 9.6 to come in the top five in Michigan, while Chris DiMarco, who has twice finished runner-up here, could also go well at odds of 50 to win and 11 to place in the first five.

Allenby is the slight market leader at around 4 to end the week as the top Australian while 1995 champion Woody Austin has already won this season and is trading at 55 to win again.

Austin is one of a number of past Buick champions in the field this week and a few of them appear to be trading at inviting odds.

1998 champion Billy Mayfair has not had the best of spells of late but made a welcome return to a top ten at the Travelers Championship.

Mayfair loves the Warwick Hills course having shot 61 here in 2001, which included a back nine of just 27, and can be backed at an attractive 85 to win and 16 to come in the top five.

Tom Pernice Jnr, winner the year after Mayfair, has enjoyed a solid 2007 season including a good showing at the US Open and, after coming joint-seventh here last year, may be worth following at odds of 70 to win and 6.4 to finish in the top ten.

Keep an eye out too for Harrison Frazar. Frazar, invitingly priced at 90 to win and 21 to place in the first five, may not have won on the PGA Tour yet, but he finished alongside Pernice Jnr here in 2006 after amassing 26 birdies over the week, which was second only to Woods.

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