Golf Events / Tareq Quiroz / 15 April 2009 /

Tareq Quioz is still coming down from the Masters high but the Verizon Heritage has got his dander up.

I still haven't recovered from last week's events at Augusta National and I am sure the image of Angel Cabrera punching the air in delight as he wins the Masters will live long in the memory of all that witnessed it. I have rarely enjoyed a major as much as that, and if that is a sign for the year ahead then bring it on. There is no rest for the world's top players and this week a decent selection of them head over to South Carolina for the Verizon Heritage tournament.

The Course
The Harbour Town Golf Links course in Hilton Head is one of the tour's best. It is a true test of a golfer's game and anyone participating should expect a thorough examination. As the title of the course suggests it is links in style and can be very heavily affected by the wind. It is a well balanced track that never really allows the players to relax and attack the pins. It is very short at less than 7,000 yards but who needs long holes when you have such beautifully constructed holes as this? Rest assured it will play tough and like many a decent course expect the 18th on the final day to play well over par.

The Favourite
It is going to be a tight call for the right to be market leader this week but I feel that honour will just fall to Jim Furyk. He comes here after an excellent Masters showing and with more than decent course form. A couple of runners-up spots in the last few years show Furyk's liking for Harbour Town and he will certainly get plenty of support this week. He won't be carrying any of my money, however. He played well last week but ultimately faded away and I feel that will be the pattern of things for the rest of his career. Rather a big statement maybe, but I think Furyk is a fading force and whilst he may scrape the odd win here or there the days are gone when he wins anything decent. At odds of [16.5] he is one to be avoided this week for sure.

The Next Best Bets
There is a cracking field assembled and that is testimony to the quality of this event just a week after an exhausting major. My idea of the winner is someone who played well last week but never really had the pressure of being in contention. That man has to be Colombian Camilo Villegas. Tied 13th and just a couple of shots behind Tiger, he never really got himself in the mix whilst still playing some good stuff. I couldn't actually think of many courses on the PGA Tour that suit Villegas as much as this one and he has to be the punt of the week at current odds of [17.5].

The Massive Outsider
He has been a feature in this section for me a couple of time already this season but once again I am drawn to Michael Letzig. He is a tour winner in the making and hopefully it will be a week when I have backed him at huge odds. He is available at a mighty [210.0] this week and that has to be considered value for a player who came seventh here last year.
Whilst Letzig is my main outsider fancy there must also be a mention for a decent priced Trevor Immelman. His year as the Masters champion and all that it entails is finally behind him and I am positive you will see a better player this year than you did last. This course is perfect for him and at odds of [85.0] he is most definitely worth a saver.

Interesting Info
Despite what the odds say, Paul Casey is the man who leads the rankings coming into this event, including a lofty seventh in the world. Rather surprisingly when you look at the field there are only four 2009 PGA Tour tournament winners taking part and two of those were weakened event winners. Once again Casey is your stand out man. Whilst Casey is one of a four strong contingent from England they are heavily outnumbered by an amazing 16 Australians taking part this week. With two Aussie winners in the last four years they are more than just making up the numbers at this event and must be respected.

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