Golf Tips: Best bets for Mexico Open and Kenya Open

• Steve backs worthy fav Bhatia @ 17/118.00

• Hoffman catches Dave's eye at 50/151.00 

• Keep it simply and back Knapp for FRL @ 45/146.00

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

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Mexico Open tips and predictions

The Punter: Bank on Bhatia at 17/1

Steve Rawlings: "Akshay Bhatia heads what is a weak looking market and rightly so. The 23-year-old arrives in Mexico after a top ten finish in the Genesis Invitational last week and he's already shown an aptitude for the venue - finishing fourth on his only previous visit two years ago.

"The two-time PGA Tour winner also finished 10^th in the World Wide Technology Championship and second at the Puerto Rico Open in 2023 in his only starts in the two events, so he ticks the course correlation box too.

"Bhatia had finished ninth in the Barbasol Championship the week before he got off the mark at the Barracuda Championship in 2023 and he was 11^th in the Houston Open in the week before he won the Texas Open in March last year at another Greg Norman designed course, so he's telegraphed both of his first two PGA Tour titles and his tied ninth at Torrey Pines on Sunday bodes well."

Dave Tindall's each-way picks at 45/1 and 50/1

Dave Tindall: "If looking for a good driver of the ball with eyecatching Tee-To-Green numbers so far in 2025, Charley Hoffman's name is one of those flashing. The veteran ranks 12th Tee To Green, 18th in Total Driving and 37th Off The Tee this season. His long irons have been top notch, helping him rank 22nd for Approach.

"Hoffman has already banked an each-way payout this term when fifth at The American Express while he backed that up with a top 25 in the Farmers Insurance Open. So far, so good and 50s in this field with those numbers behind him certainly makes appeal.

"The negatives would be some very average putting and a course record of 55-MC. But he was in the top 25 with a round to play in 2023 and his CV shows a previous win in Mexico - the OHL Classic. Last year he finished fourth at the Corales Puntacana - another event played on Paspalum grass."

First-Round Leader Tips: Picks from 45/1 to 60/1

Dave Tindall: "Keeping it simple is never a bad idea, with so many variables to think about in golf, and a FRL punt on Jake Knapp is as straightforward as it comes. The Californian is the defending champion here after a breakthrough success 12 months ago and, ahead of his defence, he's been making fast starts and playing well.

"Knapp was second after 18 holes at Pebble Beach, 11th on the first-round leaderboard in Phoenix and seventh following last Thursday's action at Torrey Pines. Last year he shot middle rounds of 64-63 here and, as noted, those are the scores that have been required to win the FRL market at Vidanta Vallarta."

Course and current form stats

Andy Swales: "Both fairways and putting surfaces are sown with Paspalum grass, while the layout has typically large and undulating Greg Norman-crafted greens, surrounded by cavernous bunkers. Fairway width is reasonably generous by PGA Tour standards, and the numerous large water hazards affect 14 holes. It's usually a course which suits those who blast the ball long distances.

"For those who like to study course form, then Patrick Rodgers [20/1] and Stephan Jaeger [22/1] might catch your attention. Rodgers is yet to finish outside the top-10 at Vidanta in three previous visits."

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Kenya Open tips and predictions

The Punter: Pepperell is The Punter's pick at 89/1

Steve Rawlings: "The 2018 Qatar Masters winner Eddie Pepperell will be disappointed with his missed cut at Doha a fortnight ago as he played well before that and again last week. The 34-year-old Englishman had led through rounds one, two and three before finishing ninth at the Mauritius Open just before Christmas and he was sixth last week at the Dimension Data Pro-Am on the Sunshine Tour.

"Pepperell missed the cut on his first appearance at Muthaiga back in 2022, but he finished 23^rd last year when not playing brilliantly at the time, and the venue really should suit his straight tee game.

"His form is inconsistent but on the last six occasions he's made the cut on the DP World Tour, he's ranked 27^th, fourth, 20^th, 17^th, 12^th and first for Driving Accuracy. He ranked seventh and eighth for Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green and SG: Approach in Mauritius and, as highlighted above, they've been the key stats here over the last three years."

Each-Way Tips: 40/1 Hill has a head for heights

Matt Cooper: "In his early forays on to the Challenge Tour, Calum Hill highlighted his fondness for tree-lined courses (winning at Galgorm Castle and Silkeborg) and playing in thin air by winning (at Adamstal in Austria). The Scot drew those two strands together when finishing eighth in this event at Karen in 2021 and he was third at the same course a week later in the Savannah Classic.

"He's also been seventh at high-up Crans and third at tight Ishioka. And two years ago he was T20 here at Muthaiga with a second round 64 and final round 66. It's also possible that his win at Adamstal was instructive.

"A few Muthaiga winners have not played that short track in the Alps, but of those who have Darius Van Driel won there, Lorenzo Gagli contended a couple of times and Robert Dinwiddie was the halfway leader. Ewen Ferguson has also nearly won at both courses."

Find Me a 100 Winner: Three longshots chanced from 99/1 to 229/1

Steve Rawlings: "Young South African, Ryan Van Velzen, is a player I've had my eye on for some time and he was a column pick at 400.0 when finishing 48^th at the Nedbank before Christmas, one week before he traded at a low of 1.72 at the Alfred Dunhill Championship, where he finished second after finding water on the 72nd hole.

"Already a two-time winner on the Sunshine Tour, the 23-year-old South African has a big future ahead of him and he has form in the book at Muthaiga, already having finished 11^th on debut 12 months ago. He's one to keep on the right side of at huge odds and I was pleased to see Matt Cooper likes his chances too."

Course and current form stats

Andy Swales: "Laid out close to the Karura Forest, Muthaiga Golf Club has a history which dates back more than 100 years. Early in the new millennium, South African architect Peter Matkovich was commissioned to update the layout, and when the renovated course was re-opened in November 2004 he had created a venue with the fastest greens in East Africa.

"Muthaiga Golf Club, which is situated around five miles north of Nairobi city centre, is a lush parkland course with tight tree-lined fairways and water hazards on eight holes. There are plenty of testing dog legs to be conquered on a layout where good course management and accurate iron play are especially important...

"If current form is anything to go by, then three golfers who will fancy their chances at Muthaiga are Brandon Robinson-Thompson 50/1, Ivan Cantero 40/1 and Martin Couvra 60/1. All three should be rested, following a week's break on the DP World Tour, with each of them already posting a brace of T10s since the start of the year."

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