CJ Cup Each-Way Tips: Hatton can hoist the trophy

• Tyrell Hatton was T2 when this course hosted the 2021 Palmetto
• 66/1 Brian Harman has shown sustained good form
• Christiaan Bezuidenhout looks value at 80s

Main Bet: Tyrrell Hatton each-way @ 41.040/1

Although it's nice to think the PGA Tour would name a tournament after an actor from a 70s UK sitcom, the CJ Cup gets its title from the CJ Group, a South Korean conglomerate holding company.

That explains why the first three editions of this limited-field Autumn/Fall event were held in South Korea.

Justin Thomas won two of those at Nine Bridges on Jeju Island with Brooks Koepka, the latest LIV winner (so my mate told me), the other.

Jason Kokrak made it a fourth straight American winner when, due to the pandemic, the event moved to Shadow Creek in Las Vegas in 2020.

The CJ Cup stayed in Las Vegas last year and this time Rory McIlroy broke the American monopoly by edging out Collin Morikawa at The Summit.

This year we're on the move again as the tourament pitches up at Congaree Golf Club in South Carolina.

Two early thoughts. First, yes that venue does ring a bell as it staged the Palmetto Championship in June 2021, a one-off event that helped flesh out that year's Covid-hit schedule.

Second, is it a smart move to avoid those who played in Japan last week due to time change and jet-lag?

Last year the CJ Cup was played the week before the ZOZO so that doesn't tell us anything. However, we do have some east-west jet-lag help due to that summer's Olympics being held in Tokyo. It seemed reasonable at the time to think that those who had battled it out in Tokyo might not be at their best for the following week's St Jude Championship in Tennessee.

That certainly wasn't the case though as four of the top seven finishers at St Jude had flown in fresh from Japan and that included two of the three who contested the play-off: Abraham Ancer, the eventual winner, and Hideki Matsuyama.

Which is a slightly long-winded way of saying I like Tyrrell Hatton at 40/1 this week.

Hatton was one of the six runners-up when Congaree staged the Palmetto 16 months ago when he shot 10-under to finish one back from surprise winner Garrick Higgo.

His stats that week were quite something. Hatton gained a mighty 14.55 strokes Tee-to-Green (1st) but putted like a clown (the sort of phrase he himself would surely use).

He ranked 64th out of 68 in SG: Putting for those who made the cut, losing over three strokes to the field.

Talking at the time, it seemed there were ongoing problems with the flatstick.

"I actually feel like I've not really putted that well for a while now, certainly not really holed a great deal. That's a huge part of it. It helps you gain momentum, and you kind of feel a few inches taller walking to the next tee. Yeah, I just don't feel like I've had that for a while."

That doesn't seem to be the case right now. Hatton ranked 9th and 13th respectively for SG: Putting when posting recent top 10s at the Italian Open and Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

Strokes Gained numbers weren't recorded in Japan last week but his performance on the greens was decent again so surely he putts these Congaree greens better this time.

Hatton wasn't exactly at his best at the ZOZO when tied 45th but rounds of 70-70-70-68 were hardly too bad and I'm happy to think a better pointer to his likely success this week is course form along with a third place a year earlier at Hilton Head - a venue less than an hour's drive from Congaree GC.

Finally, I like his reputation as a course horse. He went win, win, second in three straight starts at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship while his PGA Tour win at Bay Hill followed on from a top four at the same course a few years earlier. He also finished runner-up at Arnie's event back in March.

That all must bode well for Hatton as he comes back to a course where he nearly won on his previous visit.

Next Best: Brian Harman each-way @ 67.066/1

An in-form left-hander, Garrick Higgo, won last year so I'm going to try a repeat and back Brian Harman at 66s.

The American southpaw has made eight starts since late June and played some excellent golf, racking up three top 10s and a further two top 20s.

The highlights include a top six in the Open Championship, third at the St Jude Championship and eighth at the Travelers.

The most recent sighting of Harman came at the Shriners in Las Vegas two weeks ago where he signed off with a 64 to suggest the underlying good form is still there after a little rust may have gathered following some time off after the Tour Championship.

The American has been a solid performer at nearby Hilton Head with a couple of top 10s and a run of 28-13-25 in the last three editions.

Talking there this year, he said: "I played when I was 16. Been coming over here since I was in high school to watch. Brad Faxon threw me a ball when I was probably 11.

"It's an awesome golf course. It's a great venue, and it's a really special tournament."

Harman hails from neighbouring Georgia and went to college there so presumably he'll know Congaree or at least be au fait with courses of its type.

His solid approach play and tee-to-green numbers bode well so hopefully that extra local knowledge will show up on the greens where he's been inconsistent in recent times.

Take him at 66/1.

Final Bet: Christiaan Bezuidenhout each-way @ 81.080/1

There's an impressive front end to the betting and it's hard to put off anyone keen on backing either of 8/1 Rory McIlroy, 10/1 Jon Rahm, 14/1 Justin Thomas or 14/1 Scottie Scheffler.

Perhaps Scheffler's golden streak is more silver and bronze at the moment but he'll surely win again soon.

One of the memories I have from that Palmetto Championship held here in June 2021 was how unusual it seemed for two South Africans with no PGA Tour experience to be in the top four at halfway.

Garrick Higgo went on to win while Wilco Nienaber sat fourth after 36 holes. Nienaber had admitted pre-tournament that he was so new to all this that he didn't know what to do or where to go when registering for the tournament!

Is there something that reminded them of home? Or, think back to Ernie Els and Retief Goosen who were frequent winners on Bermuda greens which are on show here. That's perhaps a leap but that angle just adds something to my liking for their compatriot Christiaan Bezuidenhout.

A reminder that this is a limited field of 78 so getting 80/1 on the South African looks good even though the each-way terms are adjusted to 1/5 Odds, 6 places.

Bezuidenhout is finding a comfort level in the United States now and has already posted a tied second place in July's John Deere Classic.

He's not missed a cut since and ended his campaign with a tied 12th in the BMW Championship.

The three-time DP World Tour winner has opened the new campaign in decent fashion by going 39-20-29 in three October events, the Sanderson Farms, Shriners and ZOZO where he fired 66-68 on the weekend before boarding the jet from Japan back to the US.

As for his SG: Tee-To-Green numbers, he ranked 16th at the Sanderson Farms and 9th in the Shriners. In the traditional stats, he's been 12th for Greens In Regultion at both the Shriners and the ZOZO.

His greenside chipping/scrambling remains an obvious strength and three of the runners-up in the Palmetto played here last year ranked in the top 10 for SG: Around The Green so it's a skill that should get rewarded on a course which has plenty of tricky run-off areas around its elevated greens.

Bezuidenhout's putting is of the enigmatic nature but it has a big upside. He was 1st for SG: Putting at August's BMW Championship and 9th at the Wyndham two starts earlier.

A return to those numbers with the putter and Bezuidenhout has it in him to cause a surprise.

Finally, please take note that this is Safer Gambling Week.

Before you place your golf bets, take a look at this article from Mark Milligan which stresses how we should all keep betting fun.

Even if you don't think it applies to you, perhaps you know someone who could benefit so have a read.