Golf Tips: Best bets for DP World Tour Championship and RSM Classic

• Steve Rawlings' in-depth previews and outsiders to back

• Dave Tindall's PGA each-way tips and FRL bets

• Matt Cooper's bets for the DP

• Andy Swales' stats and course info

• Sign up for our World Cup Newsletter

RSM Classic: Finau a fair price to go back-to-back again

Steve Rawlings says: "Experienced pros bossed the tournament to begin with, but Gooch had just turned 30 when he won 12 months ago, the 2019 winner, Duncan, was also only 30 and both were winning on the PGA Tour for the first time.

And had Patrick Rodgers won the playoff four years ago instead of Howell, who was 39, seven of the last eight winners, and eight of the last ten, would have been winning for the first time on the PGA Tour.

Gooch had been on the PGA Tour since 2017 when he got off the mark here 12 months ago, but inexperienced PGA Tour players have thrived of late...

"After his impressive victory at the Houston Open last week, Tony Finau is the clear favourite and the only slight surprise is that he's not trading shorter than 10.0.

"The world number 12 is in search of his fourth victory in eight starts and, if he plays like he did last week, he'll win back-to-back again, just as he did in July when he followed a three-stroke win at the 3M Open with a five-stroke demolition of the field at the Rocket Mortgage Classic."

Steve's bet: Back Tony Finau @ 10.5 (Enhanced Win Only market - Sportsbook)

The RSM Classic Each-Way Tips: Back Justin Rose after return to form

Dave Tindall says: "Justin Rose looks an intriguing bet this week after his return to form when ninth at last week's Houston Open.

"At that Texas event, he ranked 20th for SG: Off The Tee and 7th in SG: Putting while only one player hit more greens in regulation.

"It sort of seemed like a surprise, out-of-the-blue result but he was fourth in the Canadian Open at the start of June and that was only seven starts earlier.

"Rose likes this type of challenge perhaps more than we might think. He was tied 12th here last year on just his second appearance in the event and that included bookend 65s.

"The Englishman was runner-up in the Sony Open on his last start there (top 15 in previous two Waialae starts), has a fifth and a 10th from four appearances at the Wyndham Championship and his US Open win came on a short course (Merion)."

Dave's bet: Back Justin Rose each-way @ 41.0

Find Me a 100 Winner: Seaside Course really should suit Straka

Steve Rawlings: "As highlighted in the preview, there are a number of courses that correlate nicely with the Seaside Course in Sea Island and one man that has played well at three of them this year is Sepp Straka.

"After winning the Honda Classic at PGA National in February, the Austrian finished third at Harbour Town in the RBC Heritage, behind Jordan Spieth and Patrick Cantlay, two months later, and he was beaten in a playoff by Will Zalatoris at TPC Southwind in the St Jude Championship in August.

"Straka was also beaten in extra time by the 2016 winner of this event, Mackenzie Hughes, at the Sanderson Farms Championship only last month so why is he trading at a triple-figure price?

"On the downside, he has event form figures reading MC-MC-44-MC and he's missed the cut in each of his last two starts but neither fact put me off too much.

"This venue definitely suits his game and it's only a matter of time before he performs really well here, and he won the Honda after a string of missed cuts. And as pointed out the preview, many a winner of this event has been seemingly out of form before the off."

Steve's bet: Back Sepp Straka 130.00129/1

RSM Classic: Course and current form stats

Andy Swales says: "Water is a huge threat on both layouts, with the surrounding marshland one of the most prominent features of Sea Island Resort.

"The Plantation Course is more parkland than Seaside, with both venues located close to the southern tip of St Simons Island. Seaside has a definite links feel, although its fairways are considerably more manicured than a typical British coastal venue.

"Coastal breezes are particularly prevalent on Seaside where the greens are slightly larger than the Tour average, as well as quick...

"Brian Harman, the experienced world No 26, is the second highest-ranked golfer in the field behind Tony Finau. Was runner-up last time out in Mexico."

Andy's Player to Watch: Brian Harman @ 27.026/1

DP World Tour Championship: Rahm ready to rack up the hattrick

Steve Rawlings says: "The Earth Course is long, and the fairways are generous so it's no surprise to see the long hitters prosper. In all the years we've been coming here, 16th is the worst any winner has ranked for Driving Distance.

"Collin Morikawa ranked 10th for DD and fifth for Driving Accuracy, which is becoming the norm. Length has always been key but driving accuracy wasn't an essential prerequisite in the early days, however, over time, finding fairways has started to be far more important as the course has matured.

"Rory McIlroy only ranked tied for 36th for DA when he won the title for a second time seven years ago and when Alvaro Quiros won here in 2011, with only 60 players in the line-up, he ranked 55th for D.A...

"Jon Rahm is playing some very nice golf of late too and he arrives in Dubai with current form figures reading 2-1-4.

"This is only Rahm's fourth appearance in the event and like Rory, he's looking to win the title for a third time. In between his two wins, he was fourth in 2018, so his claims are equally strong.

"Rahm has a ridiculously good record on the DP World Tour and he's my idea of the best bet towards the head of the market."

Steve's bet: Back Jon Rahm @ 7.4

DP World Tour Championship Each-Way Tips: Hurly a tasty Dubai Long shot

Matt Cooper says: "My first pick is the German Hurly Long. A win this week would be extraordinary, but a place is not beyond him in the manner of Burmester.

"He spent all week in the top 10 at Dom Pedro, carding 65-67-66-67 for a share of fifth and it came after he spent all week in the top 12 before finishing ninth in the Mallorca Open, his sixth and seventh top 10s of the season.

"His Middle East record this year? He closed with 64s both weeks at Al Hamra for 18th and third.

"And then there is the manner of his best work: he ranks 33rd for Distance and 36th for SG Off the Tee."

Matt's bet: Back Hurly Long 1pt each-way @ 101.0

DP World Tour Championship First-Round Leader Tips: MacIntyre to start fast

Dave Tindall says: "Robert MacIntyre should be relishing another crack at this event having finished fourth on his third appearance last year.

"A winner of the Italian Open in September, the left-hander made that victory the first leg of a run of five straight top 20s so he's been in fine form.

"For this bet, I like the fact that he has a history of starting well in the desert. The Scot was second after day one here in 2020 thanks to a 68 and another 4-under lap put him fifth at the end of 18 holes last year.

"He was also fifth following Thursday's action in the 2021 Dubai Desert Classic while he opened February's Ras al Khaimah Classic with a 66 to sit third.

"MacIntyre tees off at 11.45 alongside Rasmus Hojgaard, a likely Ryder Cup teammate next year, so he should be at full pelt from the off."

Dave's bet: Back Robert MacIntyre each-way at 34.0

DP World Tour Championship: Course and current form stats

Andy Swales says: "At just over 7,700 yards in length, the Greg Norman-designed Earth Course was built to entice the big hitters and promote attacking golf.

"Among the big boomers to have won here are Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm - both of whom have triumphed twice around the Earth Course.

"That said, despite its length, another two-time winner is Matt Fitzpatrick who is a more modest performer off the tee, finishing 70th in last season's Driving Distance category on the PGA Tour...

"Viktor Hovland stood on the podium on his only previous visit to the Earth Course. The world No 11 triumphed in Dubai back in January and has generally performed well at this time of year."

Andy's Player to Watch: Viktor Hovland @ 14.013/1