Golf Tips: Best bets Arnold Palmer Invitational, Puerto Rico Open and Joburg Open

• Steve Rawlings banks on Bobby at Bay Hill at 79/180.00

• Dave says Lowry iron-play puts him in the frame at 35/136.00

• Van Tonder is man to back at Joburg say two tipsters

• Course info, players' form and outsiders to back at over 100/1101.00

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Arnold Palmer Invitiational tips and predictions

The Punter: Bank on Bobby at Bay Hill at 79/1

Steve Rawlings: "Robert MacIntyre missed the cut at Torrey Pines last time out but that doesn't put me off at all given a weekend off has inspired him in the past. He missed the cut at the Charles Schwab Challenge the week before he won in Canada, and he also missed the cut at the Rocket Mortgage Classic prior to his victory at the Renaissance Club in July.

"MacIntyre made his PGA Tour debut here back in 2021, when he finished tied for 36^th after a poor third round, so he'll have fond memories to draw upon and he's too big at 80.0 given the course really should suit him. MacIntyre finished sixth in his penultimate start in the Phoenix Open and a return to that level of form will see him contend again."

Each-way picks from 35/1 to 80/1

Dave Tindall: "I'm definitely leaning on strong iron play this week and Lowry ranks 23rd for Strokes Gained: Approach this season. Most recently he was fifth for Approach at last week's Cognizant Classic. With the rough a definite factor, it may also be smart to pick a player who finds plenty of fairways rather than just bombs it. Bomb and gouge works when you're wedging to the green but here it's more mid and long irons.

"Lowry ended last season with eight straight top 15s and he's already been a presence on our screens this year with a hole-in-one at the iconic 7th at Pebble Beach helping him to a second place behind McIlroy there. He started the Florida Swing with 11th at the Cognizant, looking sharp around the greens, and looks primed for a big week here.

"Bay Hill was a code the 2019 Open champion couldn't crack for a while as he missed his first four straight cuts at Arnie's place. But last year was a turning point. Lowry opened with a 66 and battled away to finish third."

First Rould Leader picks from 45/1 to 80/1

Dave Tindall:  "The clock will have flipped from a.m. to p.m just before Corey Conners tees off so the Canadian looks to be in a good slot.

"As mentioned, he's been a FRL here before in 2021 while another 66 lifted him from 50th to third at halfway in 2023 so he can post low rounds on this tough course.

"Conners has finishing positions here of 3-11-21-18 which very few can match and he's generally been starting well in 2025.

"An opening 66 at The Sentry put him fourth after 18 holes while he's been 11th (Phoenix) and 14th (Genesis) after day one in his latest two starts.

"Conners looks a good bet at 50/151.00 to set the pace again from his 12.05 tee-time."

Course and current form stats

Andy Swales: "Bay Hill is neither short of sand, nor lacking in water and is a course which tends to get tougher the closer a golfer gets to the green. Hitting fairways is generally not overcomplicated but finding putting surfaces is certainly more problematic. Large water hazards come into play on eight holes, while its putting surfaces were the fifth largest on the 2024 PGA Tour.

"World No 1 Scheffler is chasing a third victory from four visits having experienced a low-key start - by his own high standards - to 2025. But there were ominous signs for the rest of this week's field when he stood on the podium at his last outing three weeks ago at Torrey Pines, which seems to indicate that he's ready to fire on all cylinders once again."

Puerto Rico Open tips and predictions

The Punter's Preview: Is a star lurking?

Steve Rawlings: "Victor Hovland, in 2020, was the first winner under 50/151.00 so don't be afraid to take a chance or two. This is an event where an out-of-form outsider could pop up and cause a massive surprise.

"And finally, there might just be another real superstar in the field somewhere. In addition to Hovland and Finau winning here, Jason Day, Jordon Spieth, Daniel Berger and Bryson DeChambeau have all finished runner-up here. And the 2023 runner-up, Akshay Bhatia, looks to be going places too."

Course and current form stats

Andy Swales: "Heavily influenced by coastal breezes, which sweep in from the Atlantic Ocean, Grand Reserve is a low-lying layout where water comes into play on 13 holes. Fairways are reasonably generous, with areas of dense vegetation dotted around the course. Longer than the average PGA Tour layout, Grand Reserve certainly encourages players to launch into their tee shots.

"It is one of just a few Tour venues to have fairways and greens laid with Paspalum grass. Putting surfaces at Coco Beach are about average size for PGA Tour events...

"Vince Whaley 50/1 is one of the few players teeing-up in the Caribbean who has a solid course history in Puerto Rico. His three starts have all ended in T20 finishes and, at Palm Beach Gardens last week, he played well for three days before slipping down the leaderboard on Sunday"

Joburg Open tips and predictions

The Punter: Van Tonder chanced again at 39/1

Steve Rawlings: "The promising Jayden Schaper is the man to beat according to the market, but the 23-year-old is still yet to win on any Tour. Fellow South African, Daniel Van Tonder, who has won once on the DP World Tour and 12 times on the Sunshine Tour, makes much more appeal at almost twice the price.

"Van Tonder missed the cut when a selection in the South African Open last week, but anyone can have a bad day so I'm happy to overlook it. He followed Thursday's miserable four-over-par 76 with a bogey-free seven-under-par 65 to miss the cut by one so he can hardly be described as out of form given he'd finished inside the top 10 in each of his previous five starts, and that he's already won twice this year."

Each-way Tips: Back youngster at 90/1

Matt Cooper says: "The South African youngster Ryan Van Velzen was part of the plan in the Kenya Open a few weeks ago and he nearly rewarded us in finishing T11. He's only played 22 times in DP World Tour co-sanctioned events and enough of his good work has come on courses that suggest to me that he's under-rated yet again this week.

"That was a second T11 at Muthaiga, for example, and that course is tree-lined and at the same altitude as this week. He's also finished T11 at Glendower - tree-lined and in Johannesburg. He was also second in the 2023 South African Open at Blair Atholl on the high veldt. We can also add another second place in South Africa at Leopard Creek. He has also won a Sunshine Tour event at Euphora and Pretoria.

"He missed the cut last week in Durban but he can be forgiven that - this is much more like the sort of test he enjoys and he can improve on his T47 at Houghton in 2023 when he carded a first round 68 and third round 67."

Course and current form stats

Andy Swales: "The layout is dotted with ponds and dams, although Tour pros should only be troubled by water on seven holes. The course sits more than 5,000 feet above sea level and, for players who can keep out of trouble off the tee, there should be plenty of birdie opportunities up for grabs.

"Houghton returned to the DP World Tour schedule (Joburg Open) in November 2022, and was also the venue for this event 12 months later....

"Spaniard Ivan Cantero Gutierrez 55/1 has made a strong start to 2025, thanks to some solid performances in the Middle East, followed by a top-25 finish at last week's South African Open which was reduced to 54 holes. The 29-year-old is yet to win on the DP World Tour but, during the past 12 months, this fast-improving player has posted four top-six finishes including one on South African soil."

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