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Els can end rotten run in high-stakes Boston battle

Ernie Els has two tournaments to his name this year © Getty Images

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The stakes could not be higher as the PGA Tour stops at TPC Boston for the Deutsche Bank Championship, which tees off on Friday.

With US Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin announcing his wildcard picks in the aftermath, it represents the last opportunity for American hopefuls to catch his eye.

The tournament is also the second of the four FedEx play-offs, with the last man standing at the end of the series being rewarded with a substantial prize of $10 million. After his win at The Barclays over the weekend, Matt Kuchar is currently in pole position to scoop the sizeable pot.

Kuchar, who threatened to win the US PGA Championship last month before fading badly over the last two days, is guaranteed a position on the US Ryder Cup team. One man hoping to join him at Celtic Manor in October is Sean O'Hair, who we think looks an enticing prospect at 40/1.

The world No. 22 is one of the leading contenders in the battle for a wildcard, and his fierce determination to secure a Ryder Cup spot is likely to spur him on at TPC Boston. He enters the tournament with a swell of momentum behind him - two top-tens in his last five starts - and he has challenged for the Deutsche Bank title on two occasions in the past.

Ernie Els is another with previous at this tournament, having snatched third place in the 2008 iteration. The South African looked on course for a memorable year when he sealed back-to-back wins on the PGA Tour in March, but his form has faltered in recent months. Nonetheless, he is an experienced campaigner who knows what it takes to sever a bad run - for that reason, 40/1 would appear a little too generous to pass up.

Steve Stricker's odds of 12/1 aren't quite so attractive, but his FedEx experience certainly is - he has more top tens (eight) and rounds in the 60s (33) in the four-year history of the play-offs than anyone else. Furthermore, he's the defending champion and has two tournament triumphs to his name in 2010.

Steve Stricker has a peerless FedEx record

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If you feel luck is knocking at your door, Justin Leonard's (70/1) resurgence may be of appeal. The veteran emerged from the wilderness to fire three rounds of 66 or lower at the Wyndham Championship earlier this month, while a final-round 69 at The Barclays hinted that he is ready to fight until the last in the battle for the Ryder Cup picks. He is a Major winner, indicating a mental resilience when the pressure is at its most acute, plus he can boast a top-ten finish to his name at the Deutsche Bank. Don't write him off.

Miguel Angel Jimenez (18/1), who appears at this week's European Masters at Crans-sur-Sierre in Switzerland, will be relieved that his personal Ryder Cup skirmish has reached a conclusion. The Spanish veteran held off Simon Dyson's challenge at the Johnnie Walker Championship last weekend to cement his place on the European team with a typically stubborn display.

Dyson could have jumped above Jimenez in the European Points list - stealing his spot at Celtic Manor in the process - but he was unable to achieve that unlikely feat. Jimenez used all his experience to fend off Dyson, and we're backing him to profit from his accumulated know-how at the European Masters.

This is his 22nd consecutive appearance at the tournament and, although he's never won it, he has completed in the top five on his last two visits. With confidence coursing through his veins, and the freedom to take a risk or two now that the Ryder Cup burden has been lifted from his shoulders, he looks set to surpass his third place at the Johnnie Walker.

Brett Rumford is in great form © Getty Images

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Brett Rumford (33/1) wound up in second place at Gleneagles after seeing Edoardo Molinari's final-day heroics wrest the title from his grasp. The Italian birdied each of his final three holes to seize the trophy, but Rumford should not be unduly affected by that late disappointment - he is playing as well as anyone at the moment, with three top-tens in his last four starts, and he won at Crans-sur-Sierre in 2007.

The victor in 2006 was Bradley Dredge (20/1), who was desperately unfortunate not to win the tournament 12 months ago after finishing at a laudable 18-under, and he has all the attributes required to mount a sustained challenge again. The stakes aren't so high at the European Tour event but, with so many contenders, the competition promises to be no less fierce than it will be in America.

All odds, correct at time of going to press, courtesy of Stan James. Click here to open an account and receive a £25 free bet

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