Italian Open Golf - VCBet suggest laying Mark Calcavecchia

Bookmakers VC Bet have singled out Mark Calcavecchia as a player to fill their satchels at this week's Telecom Italia Open on the outskirts of Milan. The firm's top industry quote of 16/1 has unsurprisingly raked in support for the 1989 Open Champion but VC's golf compiler Glen Hyslop remains unperturbed. "The moment I saw his name entered for this event I thought that he must be taking the missus shopping to Milan," said Hyslop. "I'm surprised he's as short as he is with some firms but I suppose he has the poor quality of this week's field to thank for that." Those comments are sure to incite faithful supporters of player who is capable of reaching world class standards on his day. Calc currently lies 4th in the PGA Tour's all-round ranking stats. But Hyslop continued: "You have to question how much his heart will be in it, especially if he slips in a couple of early bogeys and loses touch with the leaders." Nuneaton-born Steve Webster is VC Bet's heaviest liability after the firm's opening show of 50/1 proved highly popular. "I've cut him to 33s after the early traffic but you still have to wonder where his first win is going to come from. He usually finds a way of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory when he gets in contention." Hyslop reckons Simon Khan will go well at the parkland par 72, 7225-yard Castello di Tolcinasco course that saw Graeme McDowell claim a rain-shortened three round win last year. "I've deliberately gone an industry-low price about Khan because he showed a liking for this course last year and he's a far better value punt at some of the prices around than the guys above him in the betting. "McDowell is 8/1 with us and we've hardly laid a penny. He's 6/1 with a firm but that seems too short to me," he added.