Indeed, Jim Furyk shook off a draining week at Carnoustie last year to win this very event for the second year running.

However, all the market leaders this week went four rounds at Birkdale and I prefer to play the bigger prices on players who avoided 72 gruelling holes on the Lancashire links.

One of those who didn't line up in The Open was Fred Couples but he must have taken heart from the amazing performance of fellow veteran Greg Norman.

Couples has played pretty good himself in 2008 with a fourth in Houston, top eights at Torrey Pines and Wachovia and a 15th in the Players Championship at Sawgrass.

Because of his world ranking, Couples didn't play in either the US or British Opens but he'll be fresher because of that and this could be a great chance to cash in with the top players all feeling it after their Birkdale battering.

Couples hasn't played this event since 1995 but he does have previous good form at Glen Abbey.

He was runner-up in 1993, tied third in 1991 and top 10 in 1989 and 1992. In short, it's a venue he really enjoys so take the 66/1.

Steve Lowery is another in the golden oldie camp but rolled back the years to win at Pebble Beach earlier this year.

The 47-year-old hasn't really cashed in on that victory but was tied sixth at Memorial at the start of June and also shot an opening 64 in the Travelers Championship three starts ago before closing with a pair of 69s.

Lowery also shot a 69 at Congresssional in his last competitive round although a Thursday 75 meant he missed the cut.

Having the weekend off and also not playing last week means Lowery is rested and he believes that's when he plays his best golf.

And so he might just be a factor in Canada this week.

The American has finished 20th and 14th in his last two appearances at Glen Abbey and also showed his liking for Canada when fifth in this tournament at Hamilton two years ago.

Roll the dice and back Lowery at 175/1.

Ryan Palmer has been hinting at some good form again this year after losing his card in 2007.

The former Walt Disney winner was back-to-back 10th and 15th at Sugarloaf and Colonial and finished 11th in the U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee last week.

Palmer was 11th in putting and that could be significant. Earlier this year when asked how important the flatstick was, he replied: "It's unbelievable how huge it is for me. When I get that putter feeling good in my hands, it makes my iron play that much easier, my short game that much easier.

"When I know I'm hitting my irons good it frees up my driver which I've struggled with a lot. Normally when I get that putter on I'm making 10-, 12-footers a lot, it makes it that much easier to hit greens and attack more pins and just kind of freewheel it from the fairway."

With conditions set to play soft this week, Palmer's errant drives should stick on, rather than roll off, the fairways and with lots of birdies predicted it will also play into the hands of a player who shows up strongly when scoring is low.

Although he hasn't played at Glen Abbey, Palmer flourished in this event last year when finishing third - by far his best performance of 2008.

That should give him plenty of positive memories to call upon and the 150/1 looks a big each-way price.

If conditions are really soft on the 7,222 yard, par 71, monster-hitting Bubba Watson should come to the table.

He's been shooting the lights out of late, carding 13-under to finish sixth at the Travelers Championship and 18-under when just one short of forcing a play-off in the Buick Open.

Last time out a third round 65 took him into 12th place with a round to go at the John Deere Classic before he faded on Sunday.

Bubba has been working extremely hard on his putting recently after a chat with Tiger Woods made him focus on making a "pure" stroke and it's paying off.

He's close to putting everything together and Watson, 14th in this event two years ago after an opening 65, is worth a punt at 50/1.

Cliff Kresge was tied second going into the final round when this event was last held at Glen Abbey in 2004.

He folded on that occasion, finishing tied 14th, but is much more experienced these days and is enjoying an excellent 2008.

Kresge has already banked three top fives (fifth Mayakoba, third Bay Hill, fifth Hilton Head) and added a further top 10 at Memorial at the beginning of last month.

That impressive runs shows no signs of abating and he's carded a 65 and two 66s in finishing 18th (AT&T National) and 28th (U.S. Bank Championship) in his last two starts.

He also made the top 15 in last year's Canadian Open so everything points to another good finish. Have some 80/1.

As for the Furyk hat-trick?

Although he won the first two on different tracks, Glen Abbey might just be the Canadian venue he doesn't get on with. He's never even managed a top 20 in four starts at Glen Abbey.