Golf Tips: Best bets for American Express and Abu Dhabi events
It's the first PGA and European Tour double event week of the year with the American Express 2021 and the Abu Dhabi Championship. Get our golf experts' best bets...
Matt Cooper: ""Of the 11 men who have won the Abu Dhabi Championship in its 15 year history, nine of them have a to three finish on the linksland in their logbooks."
The American Express: The Punter's Preview
We're off to California for this week's PGA Tour event, a tournament played over two courses at PGA West, La Quinta (Stadium Course and Nicklaus Tournament Course) and Steve 'The Punter' Rawlings believes this is a wide open renewal now that John Rahm has withdrawn from the even.
Patrick Cantlay, Scottie Scheffler and Patrick Reed head the market on the Exchange, all available to back at 16.015/1 and upwards, but Steve isn't keen on any of the fancied players and is changing tactics for this event.
He says, "Given how well outsiders do here, I've had a change of plan this week and decided to begin the tournament by laying almost all those trading at a double-figure price."
The American Express: Each-Way Tips
Dave Tindall makes three each-way selections for The American Express in California with eight places paid on the Betfair Sportsbook.
He says: "NeSmith is 10th in Par 4 Scoring this season and 3rd in Ball-Striking. That suggests he has the skills to jump up from last year's promising debut T17."
Matthew NeSmith each-way @ 125/1
The American Express: Form guide
Andy Swales supplies course and form stats for this week's event and wonders who will enjoy playing in hot and arid Palm Springs.
He says: "It will be interesting to see whether organisers, in the absence of amateurs, will decide to toughen up the two courses which traditionally have less rough and easier putting surfaces than other PGA Tour events."
Find Me a 100 Winner: Former winners worth chancing
If you're looking for an outsider to back then Steve's guide to the 99/1 and over shots who could be in contention at both events this week is essential reading.
He says: "If we make the rash assumption that Kizzire will improve for the absence of 'celebrities' and the far faster pace of play, everything else looks in order. With recent form figures reading 24-11-10-32-7, the two-time PGA Tour winner is in fine fettle and few players are putting better."
Back Patton Kizzire 1 ½ u @ 100.099/1Place order to lay 10u @ 8.07/1 & 10u @ 2.01/1
The Punter's Preview: Abu Dhabi Championship
After a six-week break the European Tour returns with its first event of the new season, so read Steve's in-depth preview and find out who he's backing.
"All three of my bets have great form in the desert and, provided they don't get snookered by the draw, I thought they all looked generously priced."
Bernd Wiesberger @ 48.047/1
Abu Dhabi Championship: Each-Way Tips
Matt Cooper has three each-way selections for the Abu Dhabi Championship with the Betfair Sportsbook paying eight places.
He says: "Of the 11 men who have won this week's title in its 15 year history, nine of them have a top three finish on the linksland in their logbooks."
Back Victor Perez each-way @ 28/1
Abu Dhabi Championship First-Round Leader Tips: Fisher can cash in on early start
Dave Tindall believes an early start is pivotal on Thursday if you're to challenge for the lead after the first round of the Abu Dhabi Championship, and our man has a trio of golfers to back from the morning wave.
On Ross Fisher, Dave says, "The Englishman heads off at 07:40 from the 1st so will hopefully get a good chunk of his round in before the trouser legs start flapping too much."
Back Ross Fisher each-way @ 75/1
Abu Dhabi Championship: Form guide
Andy provides the key course info and form stats for this week's European Tour event and discusses the favourite's chances.
He says: "McIlroy made his Abu Dhabi debut as a teenager and, in 10 starts since 2008, has stood on the podium seven times - yet remarkably has never held aloft the trophy."