Mahan - can land 80/1 punt.

By Dave Tindall

Sky Bet's Odds Compare All Prices

BETTING BOX
FIXED ODDS
	1pt e.w. Hunter Mahan at 80/1 (Boylesports, Paddy Power 1/4 1,2,3,4,5,6).	Only other win came on a Pete Dye layout and has game for Sawgrass. T12 last week.
	1pt e.w. Robert Allenby at 66/1 (Paddy Power 1/4 1,2,3,4,5,6).	Second in G.I.R stats which will stand him in good stead and top four last week.
	2pts e.w. Jim Furyk at 20/1 (Boylesports, Paddy Power 1/4 1,2,3,4,5,6).	Local resident, strong course record and starting to hit top form again.
	2pts e.w. Stewart Cink at 28/1 (Paddy Power 1/4 1,2,3,4,5,6).	Third last year, in outstanding form so every reason to expect a big challenge.

Picking the winner of the Players Championship in Florida is always an extremely difficult task, with players as diverse as Adam Scott, Fred Funk, Stephen Ames and Phil Mickelson taking the title in the last four years.

Young, old, short, long - all those contrasting attributes seem to be represented in that quartet of players.

But if we were to find a common denominator, it's the fact that all four are renowned as fine ball strikers and excellent iron players.

The greens in regulation stat is perhaps as relevant at Sawgrass as it is anywhere on Tour as nine of the last 24 winners at the Pete Dye-designed par 72 were ranked top of that category in the week they won, including Scott, Funk and Ames.

Looking at the current leaders in the US Tour's G.I.R stats seems a decent way to begin our search.

Surprise, surprise Tiger Woods sits top of the pile but a knee injury stops him competing this week so that leaves Robert Allenby as the man with the best record for hitting greens in the right number.

And, digging deeper, the Aussie looks a deserving candidate for an each-way punt.

Allenby goes into the event on the back of a fourth place finish at Wachovia where he was fourth for greens in regulation and ninth in dirving accuracy - ideal stats for anyone trying to negotiate a path around Sawgrass.

The four-time US Tour winner was 14th at Hilton Head before that so his form is progressive and in the three Florida events earlier this season he was fourth at the Honda, 14th in the PODS and 20th at Doral.

"I'm hitting the ball fantastic," said Allenby at Wachovia last week and his final round 66 was the perfect send-off for Sawgrass.

His putting is a slight concern, as is his lack of a recent win on the US Tour, but, in his current form, he has strong claims of matching or bettering his fourth place finish in this event five years ago.

Go each-way at 66/1.

Hunter Mahan is one of the best ball strikers around and really seems to have his irons dialled in right now after finishing second in greens in regulation at Wachovia last week and first at the Byron Nelson seven days earlier.

Mahan shot all four rounds under par at Wachovia when tied 12th and looks to be coming right into form again.

Sixth at Doral gives him the added benefit of recent Florida form and it's not lost on us that his breakthrough win last year came at River Highlands - also a Pete Dye-designed layout where strategy and accuracy are key.

This is just Mahan's third start at Sawgrass and a record of 40th and MC on his previous two efforts doesn't seem to offer much encouragement.

But, on his debut in 2005 he opened with a 68 and added a 70 on Saturday so if he can keep it going for all four rounds he can definitely be a factor on this course.

Digging out a quote always helps and Mahan said back in 2005: "I really like the golf course. It's a really great track. This golf course I think suits me pretty well."

One other important detail is that the course is set to play firm and fast this week and that should definitely suit Mahan.

He was sixth in the Open at Carnoustie last year on a fast running track and, of course, along with his 13th at the US Open, 18th at the USPGA and fifth at the Tour Championship it shows an ability to flourish in the very best fields.

Take the 80/1.

From the front end of the betting, the one I like best is Jim Furyk at 20s.

Furyk lives in Ponte Vedra so knows Sawgrass like the back of his hand.

He put his local knowledge to good use when third two years ago while he was also fourth in 2003 and has conditions which will suit him this year.

Furyk is one of the most reliable performers around when going into an event with both course and current form and he most certainly has the latter too after a seventh at Wachovia last week and a fourth at Hilton Head - another Pete Dye layout - on his previous start.

Add in a second place at Doral on his last appearance in Florida and his credentials grow even stronger.

When Furyk gets the bit between his teeth he's one of the toughest customers around and you need such qualities to handle Sawgrass' famous 17th and 18th holes which are more a test of nerve than they are of skill.

Okay, 25s would have been nice but 20s is enough for us to get involved.

This is very much Furyk's time of the year and hopefully this is his week.

Finally, despite toying with outsiders such as Pat Perez, Rod Pampling and Matt Goggin, I just can't get away from Stewart Cink at 28s.

So many roads lead to Cink, the most obvious his hot current form - six top eight finishes in his last nine starts - and his third place here last year.

He loves Pete Dye layouts and has also made the top three in two of his last four starts in Florida.

Cink was five over during his first round at Wachovia last week but, after giving himself a good talking to, made an amazing recovery to actually start the final round in a tie for fourth before finally finishing eighth after three late bogeys.

He's won a WGC event so can beat the best fields and, despite his great recent run, the hunger is still in his belly as he still hasn't put a victory on the board.

Finally, note that Boylesports and Paddy Power are paying 1/4 the odds on the first six home this week - somewhat handy given that all four tips are best or joint best priced with the latter.