US PGA Tour golf, FedEx St Jude Classic

US PGA Tour golf, FedEx St Jude Classic

Th May 27 - 4:00 pm EST (USA)/20:00 GMTFr May 28 - 4:00 pm EST (USA)/20:00 GMTSa May 29 - 3:00 pm EST (CBS)/19:00 GMTSu May 30 - 3:00 pm EST (CBS)/19:00 GMT

The 22nd event on this year’s Tour schedule has probably the weakest field to date. With the likes of Els and Singh teeing it up for this week’s prestigious Volvo PGA Championships - and with $2.6 million on offer to the winner who can blame them - finding a favourite for this tournament was not easy. Last season’s winner David Toms would have been the obvious candidate, if only he had shown more than just a glimmer of his old form since a winter wrist operation - last weeks 44th place was a better effort but not enough to suggest that a successful defence is on the cards. Instead a tentative vote goes to Georgian Stewart Cink, whose win in the Heritage Classic was a just reward for a solid first five months of the year. He is such an irregular winner, however, and not one to lump on at less than 20/1 this week, so a chance is taken on Notah Begay III gaining inspiration back on a course where he captured one of his four career wins back in 2000. He showed enough three outings ago when fifth in the Wachovia Championship to suggest that he still retains the ability to win, especially in such a weak event as this. For the same reason, a chance can be given to Brian Bateman to shine this week, after some ultra consistent form figures in much better contested events.

Nigel’s three off the tee … Cink @ 12/1, Bateman @ 40/1, Begay III @ 50/1.