Previous | Next

Betting Update; AT&T Classic Guide with the bookmakers making Cink their 11/1 favourite

Added: (Tue May 13 2008)

Victory at Sugarloaf should be sweet this week where the AT&T Classic gets under way on Thursday in Duluth, Georgia as the prize for the winner will be just under $1million. The successful golfer will also be remembered for winning the 40th anniversary edition. To mark the milestone the first ever winner of the title, Bob Charles, will hit a ceremonial tee shot prior to the afternoon pro-am round on Wednesday.

Another veteran taking part will be Greg Norman for whom it will be a homecoming of sorts. The TPC at Sugarloaf holds special memories for the legendary Aussie golfer as it was the first course he created in the US and he finished fifth there when it opened in 1997.

Apart from Charles and Norman there are several others in the field who have strong connections not only to the tournament but also to Georgia and Duluth in particular.

Heading that list is Stewart Cink, the top ranked player in the field, who should feel more at home than most of his rivals as he lives in a house bordering the course. However, although he has finished in the top-10 on six occasions from 12 starts, in the last three years he has only just managed to get inside the top-25 twice. He has filled the runner-up position once but that was back in 1999.

On the plus side, Cink has posted six top-10s so far this term, including two seconds, and his last-time-out 17th in the Players Championship was a fair effort in a tough tournament.

Bank on Baird

Of those who were educated in the Peach State, Briny Baird, Ryuji Imada, Matt Kuchar, Troy Matteson and Heath Slocum look the most interesting.

Baird has caught the eye a couple of times this season, particularly last time out at Sawgrass on Sunday where he was fourth behind Sergio Garcia and was one of the few golfers who managed to go under par on the front nine of that tough track on the final day. Although he dropped shots at the 15th and 17th the rest of the field were also having problems with the difficult windy conditions. He also seems to be getting the hang of Sugarloaf if his last two outings there are anything to go by as he posted a 10th two years ago and went one better in 2007.

Imada finished alongside Baird in 2006 and went close to winning the AT&T Classic last term when he forced a play-off with Zach Johnson only to lose out at the first hole. But he’s been in better form in 2008 than he was when competing in Duluth 12 months ago having twice occupied the runners-up position (PODS Championship and Buick Invitational) and looks in better shape to turn that second into a win.

It also appears to have taken Kuchar a while to figure out Sugarloaf as he has played there seven times but only really looked a threat when coming home in third spot in 2007. That should ensure that he has fond memories of the place and his recent tied for seventh in the Heritage signalled a return to form.

With only one cut made in six attempts this week’s event is not Slocum’s most favourite place to visit but he produce an encouraging effort a couple of weeks ago when fifth in the Wachovia Championship and that might be enough to see him make a better fist of things this time round.

Sharing third spot with Kuchar in this event last year was Matteson for whom that was something of an improvement to say the least as he missed the cut the previous season. He’s been in fair nick this term with his share of second place with Imada at the PODS Championship being the highlight.

Thompson’s time

Of the ‘home’ boys taking part, Charles Howell, Nicholas Thompson and D J Trahan look the ones to concentrate on. It’s been a steady if unspectacular year to date for Howell which started promisingly when he posted a tied for eighth in the season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship. However, he’s failed to make another top-10 but a 12th in the Heritage and a 13th in the Buick Invitational have been fair efforts.

After winning the Bob Hope Classic back in January, Trahan has not troubled the judge since, although his 17th at Hilton Head offered his followers some hope that he may have turned the corner.

Anthony Kim and Sergio Garcia have boosted the hopes of the Twentysomethings on the tour and now it could be the turn of Thompson to continue that trend.

Three top-10s, an eighth place in the total driving stats and 21st for all-round ranking suggests that Thompson could be on the verge of that all important first tour win. He won’t have to improve much to better his missed cut at Sugarloaf in 2006 and is definitely one for the short-list.

Of the previous champions taking part it could pay to keep an eye on Ben Crane who landed this title in 2003. He’s only played in the tournament three times and was tied for sixth the last time two years ago. This season he looked to be on good terms with his game when fourth in the FBR Open at the end of January and continued to play steadily subsequently without really threatening to post a top-10. However, that changed at the weekend when he was a highly promising sixth in the Players Championship moving up 14 places on the last day with a round of 72.

There were only two rounds in the 60s on Sunday and Dean Wilson (69, Chad Campbell went one better) was responsible for one of them. That helped him to climb 37 places to take 10th spot and showed that he was finding his form as that finish after a 12th the previous week in the Wachovia. Further improvement should see him figure.

Joy for Jeff?

Possibly the unluckiest player at Sawgrass on the final day was Jeff Quinney who had just made his third birdie at the 16th to join in a three-way tie for the lead only to find the rough at the 18th. The bogey he scored at that hole saw him drop to four-under for the event and just a shot off a play-off place.

Still that was Quinney’s second top three of the year and his tour stats are very encouraging. He currently lies second for putting average, 13th for birdie average and ninth for putts per round. So if he can get himself onto the greens this week he should be able to take advantage of any decent position.

Shane Bertsch has had to play on a Major Medical Extension this year but his five top-25s so far in 2008 and his seventh in this tournament a couple of years ago is enough evidence to suggest he could be a surprise package this week and is worth bearing in mind at around the 66-1/80-1 mark.


Classic Calls: Briny Baird & Ben Crane
Sugarloaf Stars: Jeff Quinney & Nicholas Thompson

• All prices correct at time of writing.

ABOUT EASYODDS.COM

easyodds.com is a comprehensive sport betting service that helps you find the BEST ODDS on offer from leading bookmakers, betting exchanges and spread betting firms and then helps you place your bet at the BestPrice.

FREE to register!
www.easyodds.com

Andrew Newton
Managing Editor
020 7691 0660