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Read Steve's World Wide Technology Championship preview here
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Read Steve's Abu Dhabi Championship preview here
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Dave has two plays at triple figure prices
The World Wide Technology Championship is a well-established PGA Tour event but this is only the second edition to be held at the Tiger Woods-designed El Cardonal at the Mexican resort of Los Cabos. Erik van Rooyen lifted the trophy at 80.079/1 last year and continued the good record for outsiders in this event.
At the previous venue, El Camaleón, winners Brendon Todd (2019) at 110.0109/1 and Pat Perez (2016) at 150.0149/1 both went off at three-figure prices on the exchange.
Van Rooyen was 125th and bang on the bubble in the FedEx Cup standings going into this event last year and Vince Whaley, currently sat precariously at 120th, faces a similar fight to save his card.
Just six starts ago, Whaley went close to a first PGA Tour win of his career when finishing runner-up at the Barracuda Championship in July so hopefully that experience will help him if he gets into a similar position again.
Putting was key to success at this venue last year so it bodes well that Whaley ranked 1st for SG: Putting at the Shriners last time and was fifth for SGP at the Sanderson Farms two starts earlier.
He finished tied 16th in both those events while he has some decent form on paspalum grass too: 23rd at the Corales Puntacana and 18th in Puerto Rico this year while he's been a runner-up on that surface at the Korn Ferry's Great Abaco Classic in the Bahamas.
Place order to lay 8 Us @ 10.0 & 12 Us @ 2.0
This week's DP World Tour event, the Abu Dhabi Championship, also features a newish layout. After 16 editions at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, the tournament moved to the Kyle Philips-designed Yas Links in 2022 - a venue often winning awards for best in class in the region.
Victor Perez was backed down from 55.054/1 last year while 2022 champion Thomas Pieters also traded at 50.049/1. As with the WWT, outsiders popped up quite frequently at the previous venue. Pablo Larrazabal, Jamie Donaldson and Robert Rock were all matched at triple-figures and, more surprisingly, so were Lee Westwood (2020) and Shane Lowry (2019).
Antoine Rozner is always on the radar when the DP World Tour visits the Middle East. And rightfully so given that the first two of his three wins were the Golf in Dubai Championship and Qatar Masters.
And he comes further into the crosshairs this week after fourth place at the Genesis Championship last time. That was four starts on from a seventh in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth so something good is brewing.
On first glance his course form at Yas Links of MC-50 looks offputting but it's worth noting that he opened 69-68-68 last year and was seventh with 18 holes to go. Yes, he can score on this golf course.
The Frenchman was 2nd for SG: Tee To Green at the Genesis in Korea while he's ranked 5th and 9th for Putting Average in his last two starts. There's plenty of encouragement there to think he can get in the mix.
Back Antoine Rozner (2Us)