It's so long since the Italian Open was held at Is Molas in Sardinia - back in 1982, when Mark James won - that nobody can lay claim to any degree of local knowledge. However, the fact that it will be held on this course until 2006 means that anyone who does play there this week should have a slight edge next year.
Be that as it may, many of the tour's top players are keeping their powder dry until next week's Volvo Masters and have decided to bypass this tournament. Many, that is, apart from Order of Merit chasing Lee Westwood and Thomas Bjorn who are the class players in the field. Not surprisingly, Westwood has been installed as a 2 to 1 favourite with the Dane at 6 to 1.
Westwood is seeking his seventh tour win of the season and, even at those tight odds, looks to have what it takes to emerge as victor. For each-way value, however, you could do worse than to put a few bob on Steen Tinning who is enjoying a solid season and, at odds of 40 to 1, represents quite decent value on this occasion.
2-1 - Lee Westwood (Eng).
6-1 - Thomas Bjorn (Den).
20-1 - Pierre Fulke (Swe), Adam Scott (Aus).
33-1 - David Howell (Eng).
40-1 - Ian Woosnam (Wales), Dean Robertson (Scot), Steen Tinning (Den), Peter Baker (Eng), Roger Wessels (SA), Raymond Russell (Scot).
Selected other - 50-1 - Sam Torrance (Scot).
Prices supplied by Ladbrokes Ireland.
