Golf Events / Editor / 10 April 2007 / Leave a Comment

After the highs of claiming his first Major title, Zach Johnson will resume regular PGA Tour action this week when he joins the field that contests the 2007 Verizon Heritage.

Johnson's surge through the pack during the final nine of holes of last weekend's US Masters to beat off the challenges of world number one, Tiger Woods, Retief Goosen, Justin Rose and Rory Sabbatini at Augusta will live long in the memory.

Just what state of mind the 31-year-old American Ryder Cup star turns up in to the Verizon Heritage after his life-changing experience a few days ago remains to be seen.

But Johnson will be determined to put up a good account of himself in his first appearance as a US Masters champion after a massive leap up the rankings from 56th to 15th in the world.

Johnson can be backed at 42 to record back-to-back victories and claim the third PGA Tour title of his career, while he is available at 10 to finish in the top five.

Jim Furyk is favourite to win at 11.5 with Ernie Els trading at five points longer ahead of US Open champion, Geoff Ogilvy (18), multiple winner, Davis Love III (27), Justin Rose (28), two-time Heritage champion Stuart Cink (32) and Trevor Immelman (34) - with defending champion, Aaron Baddeley, available to back at 40.

Last week's events at Augusta left many of the world's best players battered, bruised and nursing their wounded pride and they will be keen for normal service to resume as soon as possible.

Furyk, Els, and Ogilvy, the three members of the world's top 10 taking part this week, can all be included in that category and will be hoping for better things in the coming week at an event that they have good past records in.

Furyk, who fared best out of the trio at the Masters to finish just outside the top 10, came close to winning the Verizon Heritage 12 months ago and led halfway through the final round, only to be beaten at the death by Baddeley by one stroke.

The world number two has had a quiet start to 2007 but is now showing signs of warming to the task with his putting having improved in recent weeks and could be a good bet this week. He is 3.65 to come in the first five.

Ogilvy, 11th at this event in 2006, also experienced his fair share of nightmares last week - especially at the par-five 15th hole - but this week's course will not play nearly as tough.

The Australian has been playing well for the last month, he was in contention at Augusta until a nine ruined his chances on the third day and, at 5.1 to finish in the top five and 2.96 to emerge as the top Australian, will have plenty of supporters this week.

The most disappointed of the trio will have been Els after he failed to survive the halfway cut, but the South African could not have chosen a much better venue to try to erase last week's memory.

Els, trading at 4.2 to finish in the first five, has finished in the top 10 at the Heritage six times in eight attempts and was in contention last year before eventually tying for seventh place.

Despite his low finish down the field at the US Masters, Baddeley will arrive at Harbour Town in optimistic mood that he can follow up last year's success with another victory. He is 9.2 to place in the first five and 5 to finish as top Australian.

Baddeley's triumph over Furyk was his first on the PGA Tour and he has made great strides since then, winning this year's FBR Open and managing two other top 10 finishes on his way up to number 28 in the world.

The Australian was probably not helped by being paired with Woods for the first two rounds last week and a better showing is expected from him this week on a course he likes.

Rose should also be in confident mood after finishing joint-fifth at the Masters, but the important thing for the Englishman will be to concentrate on the positives and not what might have been had he not double-bogeyed his penultimate hole.

Tiredness, both mental and physical, could also be a hindrance, but if he overcomes both he should not be too far away. He can be backed at 7.4 to place in the first five.

Jerry Kelly is in the form of his life after producing his best finish ever in a Major at Augusta to finish alongside Rose and could be an interesting selection.

The American, joint fifth here last year, is available to back at 55 to win and may do well, as could Vaughn Taylor - 36 to win - who was in contention for large parts last week and came third in this event in 2006.

Cink and Davis Love III are both multiple winners of the tournament - Love has won it four times - and demand respect while veteran Mark Calcavecchia (trading at 70 to win and 13 to come in the top five) and Daniel Chopra (available to back at 100 to win) appear interesting outsiders after good starts to the 2007 season.