• Pendrith has great opportunity at 25/126.00

• Hodges to start fast in Detroit @ 66/167.00

• Hill one to back in Italy at 33/134.00

Rocket Mortgage Classic 2024 Tips and Predictions

Picks from 25/1 to 50/1

Dave Tindall: "The one I like from the top six in the betting has to be Taylor Pendrith. The Canadian has mixed satisfaction and disappointment in the last couple of weeks. On the plus side, his 16th place in the US Open at Pinehurst - another Donald Ross layout of course - represented his best finish in a major.

"But it wasn't quite enough to get him a place on the Canadian Olympic team, that well-earned honour going to Nick Taylor and Corey Conners. There is a second big late-season incentive though: to win a spot on the Internationals' Presidents Cup team.

"There is even more incentive than usual for Pendrith and his fellow Canucks as the tournament is being held in Montreal, with Canadian legend Mike Weir captaining the team. Pendrith is currently 12th on that list (only the top six get automatic berths) so will want to lock up a place without having to rely on Weir picking him.

"Naturally, there's a chance of that but several other Canadians will also be vying to get a wildcard. This is definitely a great opportunity for the 33-year-old to climb that list as he finished runner-up at Detroit GC on debut in 2022 and added 14th last year when leading at halfway for the second year running and sitting third with 18 to play.

"Some of Pendrith's stats this season show why the course suits him. He ranks 4th for Strokes Gained: Putting, 13th in Birdie or Better Conversion percentage and 27th in Birdie Average. Pendrith's second place here in 2022 was his best PGA Tour finish until he made the big breakthrough at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson in early May."

The Punter's Preview

Steve Rawlings: "We've only had five editions and it's been a mixed bag so far. The first and third editions were dominated by outsiders but the 2020 winner, Bryson DeChambeau, is now a two-time major winner, and the last two editions have been dominated by top quality players.

"This will be a low scoring event and making up lots of ground will be extremely difficult. Lashley won the first edition wire-to-wire, DeChambeau and Cam Davies were never far away, Finau almost led from start to finish and seven of the top-eight last year were inside the top-nine places at halfway.

"All five winners have been inside the top-three places with a round to go and three of the five were leading or tied for the lead. Concentrating on the leaders from very early on will probably play dividends."

First-Round Leader Tips: Picks from 40/1 to 66/1

Dave Tindall: "Lee Hodges has some first-round leader history at Detroit GC after opening with a 66 in 2022 to sit third. Another 66 on day two maintained his top three position.

"Last July he used an 18-hole lead at the 3M Open to run out the winner there by a whopping seven shots and there are some good correlations between that event and this one. Ask Tony Finau, who won both tournaments back-to-back two years ago.

"More recently Hodges has been in the top five after day one of the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Wells Fargo Championship. Strong with his approach play, if a few putts drop, Hodges can shine from his 07.51 tee-time."

Course and form stats

Andy Swales: "This week's layout uses 17 holes from the club's North Course and one from the South. The average-winning under-par score for the Rocket Mortgage Classic is 23.2. A traditional parkland venue with tree-lined fairways, the North Course has putting surfaces that are slightly smaller than the PGA Tour average and are also reasonably undulating.

"Water is only an issue on one hole (14th), while the course is one of the flattest in top level professional golf. Fairways and greens are sown with Bentgrass, over-seeded with Poa annua...

"Among those with a strong course history are Stephan Jaeger 28/1, Chris Kirk 40/1, Troy Merritt 125/1, Taylor Moore 50/1, Alexander Noren 20/1 and Taylor Pendrith 25/1.

Of this group, Jaeger, Kirk and Pendrith have already won on the PGA Tour this season, while Noren stood on a Texas podium in early May. The two Europeans among this six, Jaeger and Noren, certainly offer each-way potential.

"The consistent Noren has a strong all-round game from tee-to-green, which should prove beneficial in this sub-standard field."

Italian Open 2024 Tips and Predictions

Hill trending in the right direction

Matt Cooper: "The recent Scandinavian Mixed might be a decent pointer for this week. The two are both new builds with pretensions to being linksy (and last week's venue in the Netherlands was much along similar lines).

"The Swedish venue, however, also mixed linksiness with holes among the trees and Scotland's Calum Hill was tied second behind Linn Grant that week. In his debut season on the Challenge Tour he won at Galgorm Castle. That's in the trees and, although it has no linksy notions, good links performers do thrive there.

"He's also been fourth at Fairmont St Andrews, a new links in a blustery spot, and tenth at Le Golf National, which has linksy vibes. Most of all, however, Hill is just really running into form right now.

"A winner on the DP World Tour in 2021 (at the London GC), injury disrupted his progress, but he has made 13 cuts in his 14 starts this season.

"More importantly, that second place in Sweden was a third top 20 in a row and, having been solid tee-to-green, he has now found something with his putter."

The Punter's Preview

Steve Rawlings: "With very little to go on, waiting until the event is underway and getting a feel for the venue makes sense but anyone that does want to get involved before the get-go may find a few clues at the recent Scandinavian Mixed.

"The Tournament Course at the Vasatorps Golfklubb Estate was described as a mixture of parkland and faux links holes and once we got to see the place, a number of holes were tree-lined (although not tightly so).

Whether that proves to be a similar type of layout is certainly debatable but even if it isn't too similar, anyone that contended there has proven that they can play well at a venue at the first time of asking. And they've also advertised their well being at a fairly recent tournament."

Three chanced between 99/1 and 509/1

Matt Cooper: "I'm minded to like solid types from tee and Mikko Korhonen fits that bill. The 43-year-old has had injury woes that pulled his 2022 season up short and saw him play very little in 2023.

"This year he tiptoed back on the third tier and has gone MC-49-10 through his first three starts back on the main tour. But that latter effort was even better than it first looks because he shared the first round lead and had the solo advantage after 36 and 54 holes.

"Being back in contention was a shock, but it will also provide lessons.

"Because he is on that comeback trail his price has remained inflated but if he's turned a corner this could look a big price."

Place order to lay 8 Us @ 10.0 & 12 Us @ 2.0

Course and form stats

Andy Swales: "Adriatic Golf Club, which opened as a nine-hole course in 1986, will be hosting Italy's national open for the first time. Laid out in the coastal town of Cervia, the club has three nine-hole courses, with the other two added in 1987 and 2004.

"All 27 holes are sown with Bermudagrass, and cover a generally flat terrain not far from Italy's Adriatic coast. Water comes into play on seven holes, all of these on the front nine...

"With three Italian pros finishing inside the top-nine of last week's event in The Netherlands, the home challenge should be strong. Winner in Amsterdam was Guido Migliozzi 18/1 who collected his fourth title on the DP World Tour. The 27-year-old from Vicenza is now up to eighth in this year's Race to Dubai standings."

Head to our Euro 2024 HUB for the best tips and previews!