Tom Pernice Jr - can go one better.

By Dave Tindall

Betting Box Tipping Guide

BETTING BOX
FIXED ODDS
	1pt e.w. Ryan Palmer at 66/1 (General 1/4 1,2,3,4,5).	43-under for his eight rounds here so can add to his previous win and third.
	1pt e.w. Tom Pernice Jr at 66/1 (Stan James 1/4 1,2,3,4,5).	Unlucky runner-up last year and having most successful season on Tour. T7 last week.
	1pt e.w. Daniel Chopra at 50/1 (General 1/4 1,2,3,4,5).	Second in Vegas last week and should flourish again in similar format.
	1pt e.w. Carl Pettersson at 66/1 (General 1/4 1,2,3,4,5).	Superb record in Florida and was halfway leader here last year. Has won twice since.

In last week's Frys.com preview, Ryan Palmer was flagged up as the headline tip due to his superb record on the US Tour in October.

Disappointingly he failed to live up his billing and rounds of 69-72 meant he missed the cut by one.

But every cloud has a silver lining and that MC means he's 66/1 for this week's event - the tournament where he made his name.

Palmer posted his one and only US Tour win at the FUNAI Classic and, last year, made a superb defence of the title to finish third.

Although he didn't make the weekend in Vegas, the start before that he was tied fifth at Greensboro so there's no reason why he can't flourish again in his Florida birdie-fest.

Palmer, as highlighted last week, has a proven pedigree for scoring low on resort courses and in two starts here he's an amazing 43-under-par.

In a week where Arnold Palmer called quits on his competitive career, a win for namesake Ryan would be very fitting.

Second pick is a player who was incredibly unlucky to not make a play-off at least last year.

Tom Pernice Jr finished one back from Lucas Glover if you look in the record books but they don't tell you that Glover holed a 34ft bunker shot at the final hole to claim his win!

Pernice Jr had a chance to tie but his 15ft birdie putt on 18 didn't drop.

However, there is plenty to like about his chances again in 2006.

By finishing seventh in Las Vegas last week, Pernice Jr set a new career high for top tens in a season (now six).

And even before pocketing his cheque for $129,000, Pernice Jr had already made more money this year than at any other time in his 15 years on the PGA Tour.

With over $2m in the bank, he's just about secured his place in the top 30 for the season-ending Tour Championship although what he really wants is the win that will get him into the Mercedes Championship - "one of my favourite tournaments" - at the start of 2007.

As well as his runners-up finish last year, Pernice Jr has carded four finishes of 21st or better in his last seven tries here.

And that forms part of an excellent record in the state of Florida which seems to be getting better and better. Starting with the second place here 12 months ago it reads 2-3-20-5-8-27.

Pernice Jr said in Canada last month that he was really happy with both his swing and short game and, looking at all the evidence, everything points to a big week here.

He's the headline tip at 66/1.

Jesper Parnevik used to be the Swede everyone looked to in pro-am events as he had both the game and temperament for the task ahead.

But it's compatriots Daniel Chopra and Carl Pettersson who take the eye this week.

Chopra gave us a profit in Las Vegas last week by finishing second to Troy Matteson and had his birdie at 18 dropped he would have made a play-off.

But there should be more to come from him here.

For starters, he's a Florida resident and plays well in his home state. Last year he finished a solid tied 21st here and bettered that in his next three Florida starts.

Secondly, he's in excellent form. His runners-up finish last week followed on from a sixth in Greensboro and a 16th in the Southern Farm and three starts earlier he was fourth in Reno.

He was second in Putting Average last week and that kept him clear at the top of the yearly stats while he jumped to fourth from fifth in the Birdie Average category.

The agony was etched all over his face as his birdie putt stayed out at the 72nd hole in Vegas but if Chopra can put it behind him he has to be fancied heavily here.

In which case, a quote he made earlier this year bodes well: "I'm one of the quickest rebounders out here because of the fact that I might feel bad for a day but then I'm as keen and love it and ready to go the next day."

This tournament has been good for first-time winners so take Chopra at 50s to become the latest to break his duck.

The second Swede, Pettersson, isn't in the same sort of nick as his compratiot but always has to be respected in Florida.

In his last 10 starts in the State, Pettersson has recorded a win and five other top 15s and two of those came at this venue.

In 2004 he carded 68-64 on the weekend while last year he shot a stunning second round 61.

That gave him the halfway lead and although he faltered over the weekend he's since won twice on the US Tour and knows how to convert promising positions into victories.

Pettersson was second in Putting Average when 17th at The Grove earlier this month so there is a bit of current form in the mix as well.

Make him your final each-way pick at 66/1.