Leading contenders for the NEC Invitational

Another $1m jackpot is up for grabs as a star-studded field make their way to Ohio for the second of this season's World Championship events - the inaugural NEC Inviational.

A select 41-man field made up of the European Ryder Cup team, the last International President's Cup team and Americans who qualified for both events battle it out for a purse of $5m at the Firestone Country Club.

Low-key was perhaps the kindest way to describe the first World Championship event when we had the less than thrilling sight of Jeff Maggert and Andrew Magee contesting the final of the Andersen Consulting World Match Play title back in February.

But with the NEC using the traditional 72 hole strokeplay format then we're almost assured of seeing the world's best players right in contention on Sunday evening.

Punters will be delighted that they have a mountain of course form to go on as Firestone has played host to the NEC World Series for the last 23 years.

That South Course, a par 70 measuring 7,149 yards, is considered one of the most honest tests in golf and is most notable for its demanding lengthy par fours.

Given the make-up of the field this week will also provide a fascinating dress rehearsal for next month's Ryder Cup.

If the 12 Europeans can put on a good show this week then their confidence will be given a vital boost.

But as far as the bookies are concerned the Americans are the ones to watch.

In general Tiger Woods, David Duval, Phil Mickelson and Davis Love are all quoted at lower prices than any of the Europeans.

Can the Europeans prove them wrong?

Tiger Woods: After his mentally draining victory in the USPGA when he greeted victory with a relieved clenched fist rather than a pumping uppercut a worn-out Woods didn't make the second cut at the Sprint International last week. So although he has a fine record at this course - tied third in the 1997 World Series and tied fifth the following year - there's a chance that he may still be crying out for a break. If he is feeling fresh then he has his usual favourite's chance. It's perhaps best to see how he's going after the first round.

David Duval: Duval shook off the disappointment of another season without a Major by finishing second in the Sprint International last week. It wasn't a vintage Duval display, indeed he missed several short putts, but it suggests that he could yet go on a late-season binge and add to his four tournament wins in 1999. This could be the perfect place to do it as Duval captured the NEC World Series here last year by two shots with a fine front-running performance. Looks to have a big chance.

Phil Mickelson: This has been one of Lefty's favourite venues in the last few seasons and he's recorded the fantastic figures of tied fourth, first, second and second on his last four visits. Mickelson played his first regular Tour event as a father at the Sprint International last week and came a decent, if slightly rusty, tied 16th. If he can find top gear here then he would have a wonderful chance. And, as we've pointed out many times in recent weeks, he hasn't won yet this year and for such a prolific winner that's hard to believe.

Davis Love: Love got better and better in this tournament last year with rounds of 71-69-67-65 but despite his fast finish it was still only good enough for third. It continued the 1997 USPGA champion's good record here which has also seen him finish tied 12th in 1995, tied sixth in 1996 and tied ninth in 1997. Despite some great play in 1999 he's been unable to get his nose in front and in recent weeks he's developed a worrying trend of starting well but falling away as happened in last week's Sprint International. If he can shake that off then he has a leading chance.

Ernie Els: The South African has finished in the top six in his last two regular US Tour events but somehow his game doesn't look right. That was highlighted further by a missed cut in the USPGA in between and maybe the theories that he's been distracted on the course since becoming a father are correct. The case for Els isn't helped by his course form either. In the last three runnings he hasn't finished in the top 15 and remember in each case the field was a limited one. A class act but until his putting touch returns he's not my idea of a winner this week.

Colin Montgomerie: Monty has certainly stepped up another level this season but still he can't finish it off with a Major. In Europe he's become almost unbeatable and made mincemeat of another field in Germany last week to record his fifth win in Europe of the season. But in America, despite a string of high finishes (top 15s in all three US Majors this time), he still hasn't posted a single victory on the US Tour which is simply unbelievable for such a great player. He's in the form to do it but you could part with a lot of cash before he finally gets the job done. And having never won he hasn't played here in the past.

Lee Westwood: Westwood, following some promising play in the USPGA, didn't survive the second cut at the Sprint International last week but maybe that wasn't a surprise as it was his first visit to a course where club selection becomes very strange due to the rarified air. In contrast, he is familiar with Firestone having earned the right to play here in 1997 by winning at English Turn. Westwood played well that week and started the final day four off the lead in a tie for fifth before a final round 74 left him tied 12th. Westwood was in great form prior to arriving in America so he could go very well.

Sergio Garcia: The new darling of golf in America won more fans in the Sprint International last week after revealing that the bad shoulder that was affecting him was the result of playing air-hockey with his friends. Such boyish charm catapulted him into superstardom in the USPGA the previous week when he followed some amazing recovery shots with a series of hops, skips and jumps to find out the destination of his ball. Nothing is beyond this young Spaniard so although there is a temptation to think that he needs a week off to calm down a victory is certainly not out of the question.

Jim Furyk: Mr Consistency has saved his best golf for the Majors this season and finished tied 17th, tied 10th and tied ninth in the final three. He also squeezed in a top ten finish between the Open and the USPGA so, after a slow start to the year when he was adjusting to new clubs, he's back to what he does best - knocking out top tens but failing to actually win. Furyk's record here isn't anything to write home about with just one top 15 but who would be surprised if he managed to sneak into the top four or five and land the each-way money?

Vijay Singh: The superb run of form that almost gave Singh victory at the US Open, but had deserted him since he missed the cut at Carnoustie, showed signs of returning at last week's Sprint International. Singh, as defending champion, made a decent defence to finish in the top 20 and will look to continue the upward momentum here. He should be confident of doing so as he's finished in the top six three times in the last six years. But whether his game is quite sharp enough to add to that fine record is somewhat questionable.

THE BEST OF THE REST

In such a high-class field it's hard to rule out anybody but on course and current form there are several players that good or strong cases can be made.

Few have a better record at Firestone than Greg Norman, who won this tournament in both 1995 and 1997 and finished fifth in 1998. He also managed an encouraging tied 13th in last week's Sprint.

Nick Price was runner-up at this venue in 1995 and threatened to capture a third USPGA crown a couple of weeks ago. This is normally the time of year when he flourishes so he could be a big danger.

Jose Maria Olazabal will never forget Firestone having won the NEC World Series by a staggering 12 shots in 1990 when he smashed records galore. To prove it was no fluke he also won here in 1994 so although his current form is poor he could come alive.

Two years ago many of us were left wondering who on earth this Carlos Franco chap was as he finished in a surprise tied seventh. Two US Tour wins later and now the Paraguayan is much more than a cult figure. He could be the best outsider.

SUMMARY

Although the first World Championship event saw the big stars eclipsed by the US Tour's lesser lights, expect the top names to shine this week.

And leading the way in my opinion will be world number two David Duval.

Last week's second place was a top effort considering he had had to suffer the disappointment of another Major passing him by at the USPGA the week before and although he didn't play at his best he did enough to suggest another win was round the corner.

Duval's victory at this course last year will give him even more confidence and he knows that he needs some big tournaments over the remaining few weeks to win his US Money List battle with Tiger Woods.

With Woods perhaps still feeling it after his exhausting recent schedule this could be a great time for Duval to make his move.

Odds of 8-1 won't get the pulse racing but they're justified given last week's good show and his victory last year.

If Duval can't get his nose in front then the man most likely to step in and bag the $1m first prize is course-specialist Phil Mickelson.

Never outside the top four in the last four years, the left-hander has a golden chance of adding to his three-shot victory here in 1996.

Mickelson will have his wife and baby with him again this week which will put him in a relaxed frame of mind and having shaken off the rust at the Sprint International last week he should be fully pumped up for a major assault on the title. Take the 20-1 with Multisports.

Like Mickelson, Davis Love is without a win in 1999 and he wins the third place in our staking plan.

The lengthy par fours of Firestone are clearly up Love's street and he's averaged under 70 per round over the last three years here.

Although that hasn't been enough for victory he's gone close several times and this could be the year when he finally takes his place on the top of the podium.

Love is a 25-1 shot to achieve that and if he can put some recent inconsistency behind him that's a good price.

Our fourth pick is Greg Norman, whose reminded us that he's not done yet at various points this season.

Third in the Masters and sixth in the Open, the Aussie legend is clearly at his best when the stakes are highest and last week's tied 13th at the Sprint International could be the perfect warm-up.

Norman has probably suffered from playing such a light schedule so having seen action for the last two weeks his game could be sharp enough here.

The other huge factor in favour of Norman is his fantastic course record.

Wins here in 1995 and 1997 marks Firestone down as a venue where his game is built to flourish and he can keep that two-year sequence going with victory in 1999. Take some 40-1.

For those fancying an outsider then look no further than Paraguayan phenomenon Carlos Franco.

Franco is making his first appearance since the USPGA and that should send warning signs out to the rest of the field.

That's because twice this year he has won his first tournament after a Major. The first came after his excellent sixth place at the Masters when he gained his first US Tour win at the Compaq Classic and he repeated the trick by winning the Greater Milwaukee Open following a tied 34th in the US Open on his previous outing.

So what chance of Franco making it a clean sweep of wins on the back of American Majors?

On all the evidence his hopes must be good. Not only did he play well to finish tied 26th in the USPGA but he finished tied seventh at Firestone as a virtual unknown two years ago.

Still dismissed by the bookies as something of a novelty Coral make him a hefty 50-1 this week which looks a cracking price.