Golf Events / Editor / 17 April 2007 /

David Toms is the big name and indeed the big fancy as a modest field lines up in the 2007 Zurich Classic in New Orleans.

The tournament is devoid of some of the prominent names of the game as the revamped TPC Louisiana course welcomes the tournament back to its 7,400-yard par 72 layout after Hurricane Katrina destroyed 2,000 trees and left the course unplayable in 2006.

Toms is currently the favourite to land the spoils here, trading at 14.5 to repeat his 2001 success in this tournament where he edged out Phil Mickelson by two shots with a 266 total.

The highest-ranked player in the field at number 19 in the world, Toms has been consistent if unspectacular on the tour this season. He's yet to seal victory but in the nine tournaments he's played Toms has made the cut in every one and has claimed four top-10 finishes along the way. It comes as no surprise to see the 2001 USPGA champion available at 2.52 to make it a fifth here.

Having turned 40 this year, Toms will be hoping for a new lease of life and a return to form after reaching the age milestone. He would certainly be a popular winner of the tournament and someone guaranteed to receive the support of the home gallery as he lives close by and attended Louisiana State University.
Furthermore, he created the David Toms Foundation in 2003, a charity that assisted those displaced by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, raising more than $1 million.

Last year Chris Crouch was the surprise winner as he claimed the honours when the event was staged at English Turn.
Crouch closed with a seven-under 65 to triumph by just a shot from Charles Howell III, who is not in action this year, and veteran American Fred Funk (46).
Couch, who finished at 19-under for a 269 total and earned $1.08 million, is trading at 160 to repeat his success this time around.

Leaping back towards the front of the market Sean O'Hair, at 26 to win, offers plenty of appeal. He finished 14th in both the Arnold Palmer Invitational and Houston Open and improved on that when a credible seventh in the Verizon Heritage last week.

Three-time Ryder Cup player Chris DiMarco might also be one to consider. Currently ranked 35 in the world he has failed to find his best form this season, disappointingly missing the cut at the US Masters earlier this month, but he has made cut in six of the eight tournaments he's competed in this term.

Elsewhere, Boo Weekley will certainly be oozing confidence after his heroics in seeing off Ernie Els to claim victory in the weather-hit Heritage Classic last week.
The 'Big Easy' had looked on course for the honours in South Carolina but Weekley had other ideas as he miraculously chipped in from 40ft and then 36ft on the last two holes to conjure up an unlikely one-stroke triumph over Els with a 14-under-par 270 total.

Weekley may not be consistent enough to record back-to-back successes but might now have enough belief in his ability to keep him high on the leaderboard, and will be under consideration by some for a top-10 finish here.

Australian Stephen Leaney will also be a contender if he can hold his nerve.
Leaney was the early pacesetter at the Heritage Classic last weekend but a double bogey at the par-four 16th in a final round 68 saw him finish two behind Weekley.

The 38-year-old is likely to be prominent in the 'Top Australian' market along with Peter Lonard and Nathan Green as the market develops.

On a course, which at 7,400 yards is lengthy, then step forward big-hitting Bubba Watson (60). He has certainly shown glimpses of form during the season, producing a tied second place in the Houston Open after a fourth-placed finish in the Buick Invitational.

Several veterans of the game tee up, including the likes of Mark Calcavecchia, Paul Azinger and Bob Tway, together with past winners Steve Flesch (2003) and Brad Faxon (1997).

But this is an event which could again produce a new name. There are 29 players making their New Orleans debuts this week - 27 who haven't yet won on the PGA Tour.
That's significant because seven of the last 11 Zurich Classic winners - and 15 overall - previously had not won Tour titles, including four of the last five.

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