Who will conquer Valderrama?

The European Tour season is set to end on a high note once again as the best players of the past 12 months all convene in Valderrama for the Volvo Masters.

The top 54 on the Order of Merit are all in the field and there is the small matter of the Order of Merit title to be decided, with Paul Casey at the head of affairs and David Howell, Padraig Harrington and Robert Karlsson all in with a chance of taking the massive first prize of 660,000 euros on offer to the winner.

Casey is in pole position and looks likely to wrap up the title for the first time, not least because Howell, his closest challenger, is struggling with a shoulder injury that may even see him miss the event.

With the course playing long after recent rain, the longer drivers will have an advantage but conversely, long irons should hold on the receptive greens so it's anyone's to win. Anyone, that is, who can hit the tight fairways and find the right spots on the greens.

Without fail, this event brings the very best to the fore. Colin Montgomerie, Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer, Lee Westwood, Padraig Harrington, Darren Clarke and, last year, Paul McGinley. have all won it.

Garcia favourite
It's a real horses for courses place and the favourite this year is Sergio Garcia, who continues to play great golf from tee to green but is still struggling for consistency and confidence with his putter.

The Spaniard, is, however, in a rich vein of form, nevertheless, with seven top 10s on the European this year. All that is lacking is a win - he was also second last week - and Valderrama is clearly right up his street. Fifth on his debut in 1999, he was 13th in 2000 but since then has been seventh twice and runner-up in each of the past two years. I'd be amazed if he's not up there again, but at 7/1 (8.00) he is very tight.

Ian Poulter should have a good week. The Englishman has been in stunning form over the past couple of months and won at Valderrama in 2004, a win that showed he is not afraid to beat the world's best.

Casey, Luke Donald and Harrington all have chances on their form of late - forget Harrington's missed cut last week - he has the class to rebound and the wet weather should assist the likes of Casey, who bombs it off the tee.

Westwood will have his backers thanks to a superb record on the course - four top 10s on top of his victory in 1997 - and if he plays as he did in the Ryder Cup then he should be there or thereabouts.

But if there is not too much value among the market-leaders, you could do a lot worse than backing Colin Montgomerie, the two-time former champion, who loves Valderrama. His accuracy off the tee gives him a chance there every year and he has 10 top 10s, two wins and has never been worse than 29th there.

With all the attention on Casey, Harrington, Howell and Karlsson, wouldn't it be just like Montgomerie to sneak in and take the title for a third time.