Golf Tips: Best bets for Phoenix Open and Ras al Khaimah Classic

Phoenix Open: Hot Hideki value to claim the hat-trick

The PGA Tour heads for the arid Arizonian desert for the Phoenix Open so read Steve Rawlings' comprehensive preview ahead of Thursday's start...

Steve says: "The majority of recent winners have been well fancied, so it would be no surprise to see a market leaders go in and the one I really like is my sole selection, Hideki Matsuyama, who looks a very fair price at 20.019/1.

"The two-time tournament winner returns to Scottsdale in search of his third win in five starts and I don't really know why he's so big.

"Matsuyama was only 30th at the Farmers Insurance Open last time out but with Torrey Pines form figures reading 16-MC-MC-33-12-3-45-53-26 beforehand, a relatively poor week was hardly a surprise.

"In his three starts prior to that, Matsuyama bookended a respectable 13th in his first start in more than two months at the Sentry Tournament of Champions with victories at the ZOZO Championship in his homeland, and at the Sony Open in Hawaii."

Steve's bet: Back Hideki Matsuyama @ 20.019/1

Phoenix Open: Spieth to star at Scottsdale

Dave Tindall has three-each way tips for the tournament at TPC Scottsdale including one who finished as runner up last week...

Dave says: "There was a dramatic turnaround in Spieth's iron play at Pebble where he ranked 1st for Strokes Gained: Approach (5.671) after recording negative numbers in his previous four events.

"That helped him finish runner-up and, in his own words, it was "one that got away" after he held the lead with just a few holes to go.

"In reverse order, the three-time major winner did something similar last year: found something here in Phoenix (fourth) and then took it to Pebble (third) the week after.

"The fourth here was also fuelled by irons clicking into gear as he gained 7.848 strokes on Approach. That strong performance added to seventh at TPC Scottsdale on debut in 2015 and ninth in 2017 so the Texan now has three top 10s in five starts in Phoenix."

Dave's bet: Back Jordan Spieth each-way @ 17.016/1

Phoenix Open First-Round Leader Tips: Fowler to get off to a flyer

Dave Tindall is also in preview action for the First Round Leader market, and our man has a trio of tips for you to consider on day one in Phoenix, including headline pick Rickie Fowler.

Dave says: "Rickie Fowler still seems to be searching for his best game after starting the season with a pair of missed cuts. But in the first of those at Torrey Pines he was fifth after 18 holes, albeit on the easier North Course.

"That was the third time in the last five tournaments he'd opened with a 66 and just eight starts ago he was the first-round leader in the 3M Open.

"As for this event, it's one he loves. Fowler won it in 2019 and also has two second places and a fourth.

"Looking through his day one placings at TPC Scottsdale, the Californian had a piece of the lead in both 2016 and 2019 while there are two further times he's ended Thursday in the top three.

"Put it all together and he looks worthy of a punt at 66/1 for FRL. Fowler starts his bid at 12:24 local."

Dave's bet: Back Rickie Fowler at 67.066/1

Find Me a 100 Winner: Stick with Swafford

Desert golf features on both the DP World and the PGA Tour this week and Steve Rawlings is here with his longshots to consider on both tours.

Steve says: "As highlighted in the preview, the recent American Express, staged in the La Quinta desert in California, correlates very nicely with this event so I'm more than happy to take a chance on Hudson Swafford at in excess of 300.0299/1 given he won that title for a second time just three weeks ago.

"Swafford missed the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open a week after his victory but this is a very different examination and I'm more than happy to ignore that weekend off.

"The three-time PGA Tour winner finished ninth in this event two years ago but that could and should have been a better. He sat tied for third and just two off the lead with a round to go before a 74 on Sunday saw him slip out of the places.

"With the same very obvious combo of course and current form, Swafford is simply too big at 310.0309/1."

Steve's bet: Back 1u Hudson Swafford @ 310.0309/1
Place order to lay 10u @ 10.09/1 & 10u @ 2.01/1

Phoenix Open: Course and current form stats

Andy Swales provides the course info and player form stats that should inform your bets for this week's action in Arizona...

Andy says: "With generous fairways and less trouble than at most PGA Tour venues, this layout certainly encourages the pros to blast it long and be aggressive. The dry desert Arizona air will also help the ball to travel further.

"Tom Weiskopf, who designed the course with Jay Morrish, returned to undertake an upgrade of the course in 2014 when, among other things, he planted around 250 trees. These, when fully grown, may restrict the current freedom off the tee.

"Viktor Hovland is not doing much wrong right now. The Norwegian has made his way up to No 3 in the World Ranking thanks to a trio of victories since the start of November."

Andy's Player to Watch: Vikotor Hovland @ 20.019/1

Ras al Khaimah Classic: Ponder Portuguese form ahead of repeat test

The DP World Tour stays in Ras al Khaimah for a second spin around the Al Hamra Golf Course and our man has three picks before the off...

Steve says: "Nicolai Hojgaard overpowered Al Hamra here last week. He was able to drive three of the par four greens (the first, the fifth and the 13th) and he could also reach the four par fives in two.

"Hojgaard ranked first for Strokes Gained Off the Tee and Strokes Gained Tee to Green and he ranked second for Strokes Gained on Approach but only 43rd for Strokes Gained Putting. He also played the par fives better than anyone else.

"The runner-up, Jordan Smith, ranked second, seventh and 11th for those three metrics and brute power won over finesse. The front two ranked only 42nd and 28th for Scrambling...

"Brando Stone has shown a liking for the Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course and if we can forgive his horrendous third round last week, when he shot 76 to fall out of contention, he's a nice price here.

"He clearly likes the course and I'm happy to overlook his mishap on Saturday. Stone's one of those players that's only interested in winning so a loss of focus once his chance had seemingly gone when he bogeyed the third is understandable."

Steve's bet: Back Brandon Stone @ [70.0

Ras al Khaimah Classic Each-Way Tips: Spanish can take centre stage at Al Hamra

Matt Cooper has three selections with the Betfair Sportsbook paying seven places for the tournament at Al Hamra GC.

Steve says: "The first is Spain's Adrian Otaegui who thrashed a second round 63 to jump into a share of third and had something of a rebound from that, only adding a Saturday 70.

"But he was back in the groove on Sunday, with a 67, that lifted him into a share of third again.

"The 29-year-old is a three-time winner on the DP World Tour and he knows how to go low to win, carding a 62 and a 63 when lifting the 2020 Scottish Championship.

"More of the same might be required this week and I like that two of his three wins at this level have come straight off top five finishes.

"With those three wins to his name and plenty of good golf last week (including a very hot putter) there's something in his price for this second crack at the course."

Matt's bet: Adrian Otaegui 1pt each-way @ 41.040/1

Ras Al Khaimah Classic: Course and current form stats

Andy Swales provides the course info and player form stats for this weeks' event on the DP World Tour...

Andy says: "Last week's winner at Al Hamra, Nicolai Hojgaard, certainly dominated over the closing 36 holes. He topped the category Strokes Gained: Tee to Green by a huge margin, and also led Strokes Gained: Off the Tee.

"Jordan Smith was second in the standings for SG: Off the Tee. The Englishman was the only golfer to finish within six strokes of Hojgaard at the completion of 72 holes.

"This week, Adri Arnaus flies in from Saudi Arabia where he stood on the podium at the weekend. This represents his best-ever performance with regards to the total number of World Ranking points earned from a single tournament. On his only previous trip to Al Hamra emerged as the winner of the Challenge Tour Grand Final in 2018."

Andy's Player to Watch: Adri Arnaus @ 28.027/1