In-form snooker tipster Simon Crawford says Shaun Murphy is too big at 16/1 to win this week's Players Championship.
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By his own admission, Shaun Murphy had not enjoyed the best of seasons, even though he had managed to reach four ranking semi-finals - at the Indian Open, UK Championship, China Championship and Shoot Out.
Prior to last week's Gibraltar Open, it meant he had not lifted any silverware since beating Stuart Bingham 10-9 in the final of the World Grand Prix in Llandudno almost a year ago.
However, Nottingham-based Murphy ended what had to be considered a drought for a player of his calibre by winning on The Rock as he beat Judd Trump 4-2 in the final on Sunday night.
His victory was even more impressive when you consider the players he put out along the way - Sam Craigie, Allan Taylor, Barry Hawkins, Mark Williams and veteran Nigel Bond - while Trump has been one of the most consistent performers on the circuit this season.
“I had a few tough matches during the tournament and that prepared me for the final,” Murphy told the official World Snooker website. “There are a few of us who think that Judd is the best player in the world at the moment - he is strong in every department - so I knew I would have to play well to beat him.
"I've felt good things have been coming for a while now, but I have not been well in recent weeks. The standard is so high now, week on week, that any year you are in the winners' enclosure has to be counted as a success."
It is a return to the north Wales seaside resort of Llandudno this week for Murphy who is one of 16 players taking part in the Players Championship, an event for the players who are top of this season's one-year ranking list, and with that confidence-boosting win in Gibraltar behind him he is my pick.
The format is slightly longer than Gibraltar with the opening matches best of nine frames, the semis best of 11 and the final best of 19 and usually it is the better players who come through in the longer-scheduled matches.
Murphy starts against Ali Carter on Wednesday so will have plenty of time to return to the UK and get ready.
Of course it is a tough field with world number one Mark Selby, Ronnie O'Sullivan, Neil Robertson, John Higgins, Ding Junhui and Trump among those taking part.
But 34-year-old Murphy arrives with momentum and I feel he is the kind of player who is capable of taking that into the next tournament.
One of the most experienced players on the tour, Murphy has seven ranking titles to his name including the coveted Triple Crown of World and UK Championships, plus the Masters.
He possesses a fine all-round game and along with Robertson and Trump is arguably one of the best long potters in the business.
Trump aside, there will be few players in Llandudno who will be totally happy with their current form.
But Murphy is one of them and now happily over a recent bout of bronchitis, I feel his win in Gibraltar - plus the happy memories of his win at the 12 months ago at Venue Cymru - make the stand-out 16/1 being offered by Betfred and Coral very tempting.
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Posted at 1105 GMT on 06/03/17.
