The Punter's In-Play Blog: Ben Crane the early in-running play in Canada

After what was a fantastic week's entertainment at Carnoustie, this week's golf has a bit of an 'after the Lord Major's show' feel about it and I must confess, I'm struggling to muster much enthusiasm for the Porsche European Open in particular.

The long, largely featureless Porsche Nord Course has little about it to get the juices flowing and having all my pre-event picks struggle doesn't help much either.

Bryson DeChambeau led after the opening round and he's been matched at low of 3.90already but I'm happy to sit on my hands for now. We have to go all the way back to the Qatar Masters in February to find the last first round leader to go on to win on the European Tour (Eddie Pepperell) and it's more than a year since a solo first round leader when on to win (Matt Wallace - 2017 Portugal Masters).

This isn't the first time Bryson's led on the European Tour. He was one clear after day one of the 2016 Abu Dhabi Championship but he finished 54th! Of course, he's a very different player now, and a two-time PGA Tour winner, but even so, I was happy to swerve him at around 3/1 and I'm happy to continue to sit on my hands.

US Masters champ, Patrick Reed, is on the move this morning, after a grumpy day yesterday that was saved by birdies at his last two holes. He didn't endear himself to anyone with his bad-tempered outburst below but it doesn't appear to have unduly affected him and he's now hit the front.

It looks a tough one to call with the cream rising to the top. Last year's runner-up, Alex Levy, is making a move this morning, Paul Casey is lurking at just three off the lead and Joe Dyer's each-way fancy, Scott Hend, who like DeChambeau and Casey, tees off this afternoon, is also on the premises. The value could be with the early starters today though. The wind looks like it might be getting up now and the afternoon starters on day one shot an average of almost a shot more than the early starters yesterday.

Over at the RBC Canadian Open, the first round is yet to be finished, thanks to a dangerous weather break yesterday afternoon, but it doesn't look like anyone will catch Robert Garrigus, who fired a nine-under-par 63 yesterday morning.

My two pre-event picks, Bubba Watson and Jhonattan Vegas have been disappointing and I'm largely happy to play the waiting game here for now too but I mentioned the link to Torrey Pines in the preview and I felt the 2010 Farmers Insurance Open winner there, Ben Crane, was big enough to chance modestly at an average of 110.00, after he began the tournament with a six-under-par 66 to sit tied for fourth.

Porsche European Open Pre-Event Selections:
Julien Guerrier @ 110.00
Richard McEvoy @ 170.00
Tapio Pulkkanen @ 250.00
Sebastian Heisele @ 250.00
Alexander Knappe @ 250.00
Pedro Oriol @ 300.00

RBC Canadian Open Pre-Event Selections:
Bubba Watson @ 27.00
Jhonattan Vegas @ 75.00

In-Play Pick:
Ben Crane @ 110.00