Golf Tips: Best bets for Truist Championship, Myrtle Beach and Catalunya

Truist Championship tips and predictions

The Punter's Preview: Rory is the obvious pick

Steve Rawlings: I'm quite happy to keep things very simple and play the deserved favourite, Rory McIlroy.

This is his first start since his successful US Masters defence so there's a chance, he'll be a little rusty but he's so well suited to Quail Hollow that he's fairly priced at anything around the 6/1 mark.

In search of his fifth course win in 15 visits and with a relaxed mindset following his victory at Augusta, McIlroy is very much the man to beat and he's also worth chancing in the First Round Leader market at anything around 16/1.

He's only been tied for the lead here after round one twice previously, and not when he's gone on to win. He finished 10^th in 2013 and eighth in 2021 after being tied for the lead after 18 holes.

First-Round Leader Tips: Back Fox for strong start at 55/1

Dave Tindall: Ryan Fox, a tough as teak Kiwi, will be more than used to grotty weather so makes appeal from a climate point of view. But his credentials extend much wider than that.

Fox was the first-round leader in December's Australian Open and on the PGA Tour this season he's been in the top six after 18 holes in three of his last six starts. The latest was at the RBC Heritage where Fox set out with a 65.

Also to be noted is his strong opening round when Quail Hollow hosted last year's US PGA. Fox carded a 67 and was fourth after day one. The New Zealander, who tees off at 12:55, is worth a go at 55/1.

Truist Championship 2026: Stats bode well for Burns

Dave Tindall: Sam Burns will be on the radar for many punters at next week's US PGA Championship. Indeed, I tipped him ante-post for Aronimink at 80s. That preview also has Cam Young at 80s... which is nice.

But while he's really upped his game in the majors in recent years - three top 10s in the last five held on American soil - nothing could prepare him better than banking another PGA Tour win.

He picked off five between May 2021 and March 2023 although it's gone dry since. But he's too good a player not to grab another win soon and this lengthy, majors quality course gives him a decent opportunity.

The 29-year-old closed with a 67 here at Quail Hollow to finish 19th when it staged the 2025 US PGA. And the last time it hosted this event, Burns was sixth with a round to go before dropping to 13th.

Length is definitely a key weapon here and the man from Louisana ranks 20th for Driving Distance on the PGA Tour this season. What also stands out when looking at recent winners at Quail Hollow is their Strokes Gained: Putting stats. The last five winners ranked 8th, 3rd, 2nd, 3rd and 1st.

Truist Championship: Course and current form stats

Course Form Pick: Two-time major winner Xander Schauffele wasn't anywhere near on his best form when finishing 28th at Quail Hollow 12 months ago (at the US PGA Championship) so we can mark that up as a respectable effort. He arrives in Charlotte this week close to being back to his best, so the fact that he finished 14th here in 2021 before finishing runner-up at Quail Hollow in both 2022 ad 2023 in this tournament means he has to be high on the shortlist this week.

Myrtle Beach Classic tips and predictions

The Punter's Preview: Back Valimaki to impress again

Steve Rawlings: Although he missed the cut on his US Masters debut last month, the 27-year-old Finn, Sami Valimaki, has shown an upturn in form of late, finishing 14^th in the Texas Open and 55^th at the RBC Heritage, either side of his weekend off at Augusta.

He may have finished outside the top 50 at Harbour Town last time out but that was due to a poor final round once the chance of victory had gone. He'd been inside the top 20 with 18 holes to play and he looks fractionally big here at anything above his industry best of 50/1 on the High Street.

Valimaki was a very impressive winner of the aforementioned RSM Classic in November, and he finished seventh here 12 months ago, so we know that the venue suits him.

Myrtle Beach Classic: Course and current form stats

Course Form Pick: This is only the third edition of the Myrtle Beach Classic so course form is very thin on the ground with only two tournaments having been staged at the Dunes Golf and Beach Club, but from those two renewals one man stands out quite clearly. Kevin Yu played in bothed editions of this tournament and he finished fourth on both occasions, so he clearly loves the venue. And the good news, Yu will arrive in South Carolina on the back of his strongest performance for some time when finishing seventh at last month's Texas Open.

Catalunya Championship tips and predictions

The Punter's Preview: Back more Spanish success with Otaegui

Steve Rawlings: The Spanish have a fine record in their homeland and Otaegui is looking to win here for the second time, having won the Andalucía Masters at Valderrama back in 2022.

The 33-year-old who was born in San Sebastian but now represents the UAE also finished second in Spain in 2022 in the once only staged ISPS Handa Championship in Spain so he enjoys playing here and he looks a fair price at 70.0, despite closing last week's event with a nine-over par 81!

Otaegui is a five-time winner on the DP World Tour so it's unlikely he's that interested in where he finishes down the field when he's without a chance of success and that's the second time that he's closed with a round in the 80s when out of the running recently.

After finishing sixth in both the South African Open and the Joburg Open, and third in the Hainan Classic, Otaegui shot 84 in round four of the Indian Open at the end of March.

That was a woeful finish but in his very next start he finished second in the China Open where he was matched at just 1.15 when he led by three at the turn on Sunday so last week's disappointing 76^th place finish is perfectly understandable.

Catalunya Championship: Form stats

Course Form Pick: Spanish star Ayora is joint favourite to win this week's event in Barcelona. He has failed to make the top 10 at his last five events but his record in Continental Europe indicates it could be his moment to return to form.

Now read Dave Tindall's US PGA Championship 2026: Early look at Aronimink