Golf Tips: Best bets for CJ Cup Byron Nelson and China Open

• 64/165.00 Lee gets Steve's money in Texas

• 66/167.00 Hubbard hasn't missed a cut in 2024

• 100/1101.00 outsider finished fourth at TPC last year

• 39/140.00 Rozner could be a perfect fit in the China

• Plus first round leader, course info and form stats

CJ Cup Byron Nelson Tips and Predictions

Lee backed for a third Craig Ranch success

Steve Rawlings: "Texans usually fare well in their home state, and they have an outstanding record in the Valero Texas Open, but they don't have a great recent record in this particular event.

"Overseas players have a strong record in the tournament though and only nine of the 23 winners this century have been American, And, if recent history is to be believed, it's the Australians and the Koreans that deserve most respect.

"Aussies always tend to do well in windy Texas and we've seen three recent winners from Down Under - Adam Scott, Steven Bowditch and Jason Day (twice).

"K.H Lee, who won back-to-back in 2021 and 2022, was the third Korean to win in eight renewals when he took the title for a first time three years ago and they were in-the-mix again last year.

"Noh led after round one and it was Aussie-Korean one-two with Si Woo Kim finishing tied second. Like the Aussie contingent, the Koreans clearly enjoy the windy conditions too...

"After winning back-to-back here in 2021 and 2022, K.H. Lee finished only 50^th last year. That kicked off a run of mediocre form, but he's been in reasonable shape in 2024 so far.

"A fourth in the Cognizant Classic and a top-ten in the Valspar are the highlights and he was in-contention alongside Michael Kim at last week's Zurich Classic with a round to go before a lacklustre 72 on Sunday saw them slip to tied 11^th."

Each-way Tips: Picks from 18/1 to 70/1

Dave Tindall: "Mark Hubbard was fourth at Pebble Beach earlier in the campaign and hasn't missed a cut in 2024.

"His last trip to the Lone Star State resulted in 25th at the Texas Open on a course much tougher than this and he enjoyed the birdie-making fun of last week's Zurich Classic of New Orleans where he finished third alongside Ryan Brehm.

"They fell just a shot shy of the playoff, Brehm noting of Hubbard: "I'm sure glad he was on my team to chip this week."

"That has relevance as scrambling has been a good pointer to success at TPC Craig Ranch: the first four home in that category were ranked 10th, 6th, 1st and 8th last year.

"Hubbard is in the top 25 for Strokes Gained: Approach this season so his irons have been consistenly strong and will help him set up lots of birdie chances. On that front, he's 26th in Birdie or Better Conversion.

"The final question: does he have any course form? Finishes of 32nd and 34th are decent enough but it's worth noting that he shot a pre-cut 65 in both his visits."

Pan one of two outside fancies in Texas

Steve Rawlings: "I had my doubts as to whether the 100/1 on the Sportsbook about C.T Pan would last and sadly he's just been clipped in to 80/1 so instead of putting him up each-way with eight places, I'll put him up as the usual trade at 100.0.

"I'm not in the least bit surprised to see that he's been supported given he was a fast finishing fourth here last year when out of form and that he contended alongside Kevin Yu last week in New Orleans.

"The pair were right in the thick of it after a 62 on Moving Day but a sorry 75 on Sunday saw the pair slip form a tie for fifth to a tie for 28^th."

Course and current form stats

Andy Swales: "TPC Craig Ranch is a parkland course which combines Bentgrass putting surfaces with Zoysiagrass fairways;

"Although there are not many large expanses of water on Weiskopf's layout, the long and winding Rowlett Creek criss-crosses the course on 14 holes. In total, water will probably affect the sport's top pros on around nine holes...

"The local favourite is three-time Major winner Jordan Spieth 14/1 who was born in Dallas and still resides there. His form this year has been patchy but both of his previous starts at TPC Craig Ranch have produced top-10s."

China Open Tips and Predictions

Rozner a perfect fit for Hidden Grace

Steve Rawlings: "In the 16 years that the Volvo China Open has been a part of the DP World Tour, players from 13 different countries have won the event.

"The 2017 winner, Levy, was a well-fancied 25.0 chance and Korea's Y.E Yang was quite well fancied back in 2010 but the six winners in-between were fairly hard to find and the 2018 winner, Alexander Bjork, and the 2019 winner, Korhonen, both went off at 70.0 so outsiders have a reasonable record...

"It was an in-and-out week in Japan for Rozner last week where he finished tied for 24^th after rounds of 70, 65, 71 and 66 but that was his first start in almost two months and this place should suit him much better than last week's tree-lined track.

"Already twice a winner on paspalum, in Mauritius and Qatar, Rozner finished sixth at Doha as recently as March and he was 10^th in the Oman Open Al Mouj in his only start there back in 2020.

"This is the Frenchman's first visit to Hidden Grace, but he has the length to contend here and he'll love the putting surfaces. He's more than capable of going super-low (won the Golf in Dubai Championship with 25-under-par total) and he's also been putting nicely this year."

Each-Way Tips: Manassero revival can continue at 66/1

Matt Cooper: "Matteo Manassero won at KL back in 2011, during his "first career", and he was also seventh there on defence 12 months later. His career famously dipped from mid-2014 to late 2019 but in that period he made three cuts in three starts at Hidden Grace.

"He was T29th in 2015 when seventh through 18 and 36 holes, and it was his second best finish of that year. A year later he was T24th, and it was a first finish of better than T46th in 23 starts.

"In 2017 he was T39th which means that he was 3-for-3 at finishing top 40 at Hidden Grace during a long and bleak spell when he struggled just about everywhere.

"A double winner on the Challenge Tour last year, he returned to the main tour winner's circle in March in South Africa, and was fifth just two starts ago at the Indian Open. He missed the cut last week but wasn't disgraced in carding 71-69. There's enough to like about his case, his form - and the price is good too."

First-Round Leader Tips from 40/1 to 100/1

Dave Tindall: "It's been 10 years since Alexander Levy tasted victory in the China Open at Hidden Grace (then called Genzon) but, after plenty of down times and injury problems, he's in the sort of form to make an early impression there again.

"Levy followed that 2014 win by adding a fourth (2016) and an eighth (2017) at the same venue and also captured a second China Open at Topwin in 2017.

"'I love this place and I am so happy to be here,' said Levy on his return to Hidden Grace earlier this week. For sure, my game is back. After my injury, it was not really easy. Last year was tough. I am happy with the way I have managed to get back on the top of the leaderboards.'

"It's going back a bit but Levy has three first-round leads in the 16 events he's played in China. As for current times, he topped the standings after 18 holes at the SDC Open in South Africa earlier this season and in two recent Challenge Tour events he opened with rounds of 65 (Abu Dhabi Challenge) and 68 (UAE Challenge).

"Also second after day one of the PGA Tour's Barracuda Championship in July, the back-to-form Levy is worth a FRL bet at 40/1 from his 12:40 tee-time."

Course and form stats

Andy Swales: "Opened 30 years ago, and renovated in 2007, Hidden Grace is undulating and tree-lined, with water on nine holes. Water is particularly in abundance over the closing seven holes, and there are some interesting dog-legs early in the round. However, to counter this, fairways are fairly generous regarding width.

"Regarding course form, the much-travelled Jordan Smith 16/1 should be one of this week's leading contenders. Two previous trips to Hidden Grace have yielded finishes of 14-5, added to his satisfactory current form on the DP World Tour. The Englishman has had a brace of T4s during 2024 and tied-24th in Japan on Sunday."

Now read Steve's in-play blog for both events from Thursday to Sunday