LIV Golf Invitational Boston Tips: DJ's Boston tee party

Another week, another seven days of trauma for the game of golf.

Although it is, in essence, a simple business of stick and ball, the sport increasingly resembles the baffled and fearful child of warring parents busy tearing friendship groups, family memories and future happiness to pieces in a divorce that only stops being toxic when it becomes poisonous.

And so to The International Club in Boston for the fourth LIV Golf Invitational, a tournament that will witness the debuts of the latest half dozen players to join the rebel circuit.

The biggest name among them is that of the Open winner Cameron Smith, a fellow who considered it more disrespectful to be asked if he was taking this route after his win at the Home of Golf rather than actually taking it.

It doesn't really matter what he drinks from the Claret Jug during his reign, there will be folk who believe that what he has done is metaphorically relieve himself in it.

For now, however, he's favourite in his LIV bow and it's entirely possible that, freed from the rumours that have swirled around him ever since St Andrews, he'll fly to the 54th hole and victory on a wet sail.

Anything like the form that has seen him collect three high quality titles this year (the Tournament of Champions, THE PLAYERS Championship and the Open) will see him contend at the very least.

I'm happy to take him on, however. A niggling hip injury kept him off the course two weeks ago and he was T23rd (of 30) in the scoring last week.

Main Bet: 2pts win Dustin Johnson @ 13/2

The International's Oaks Course is a Tom Fazio original design notable for having five par-3s, but also two short par-4s on the front nine and three par-5s, none of which reach 570-yards in length.

Two of the back nine par-4s are also over 500-yards, all of which suggests to me that this course might be favourable for the big-hitters and one whose wedge game is high quality.

That introduces Dustin Johnson into the equation and his form has been getting better in recent times and he's even looked like he actually wants the win again.

He was eighth in the first LIV event in London, 24th after a bright start at the US Open, fourth in LIV's second outing in Portland, sixth in the Open, and then second last time out at Bedminster.

The astute among you will note that those five starts are all he has made in three months - that's the LIV deal, of course: lots of money, limited starts.

It's a potential problem, but I like that Johnson's second behind Henrik Stenson in the last event was on another Fazio layout (and he also has top 10s at Caves Valley and Congaree - two other Fazio tracks).

I also like that he's got a solid record in Boston with five top eight finishes at TPC Boston including victory in the 2020 The Northern Trust.

Next Best: Matthew Wolff 1pt each-way @ 28/1

Johnson wasn't alone in second at Bedminster - Matthew Wolff shared it with him and I like him again this week.

I also like that Joaquin Niemann tees it up in his debut off decent form which contrasts with so many of the top of the market being so lightly tested.

But having gone with Johnson at a short price I'm unwilling to add another and instead prefer Wolff to offer each way possibilities.

Before that runner-up effort in his second LIV start he was eighth in his first (at Portland) and he was also sixth in the Saudi International at the start of the year so he quite likes these PIF supermarket dashes.

He's another with power from the tee, but his use of it is not witless or one dimensional.

He was fourth in the 2020 PGA Championship, second in the same year's US Open (having led after 54 holes) and 15th in last year's US Open (third at halfway and sixth after three laps).

That shows quality and also the capacity to use his power wisely.

He's played in Boston just the once and played well in three of his four rounds, opening with 65-67 to lie top 10 at halfway in that 2020 The Northern Trust which Johnson won, adding a Saturday 77 before bouncing back with another 67.

He only needs three good rounds this week. Hopefully he can avoid the dodgy one.

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