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Steve Rawlings goes in-depth on three events
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Dave Tindall and Matt Cooper's e-w bets
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Cody Gribble backed at 100.099/1
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Higgs to hit ground running
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Key stats, course info and players to watch
WGC Matchplay: Scheffler set to defend final WGC event
Steve Rawlings says: "Pre-event 25.024/1 chance, Scottie Scheffler, beat the 2019 winner, Kevin Kisner, 4&2 in the final last year having been seeded fifth and that would have been a fairly typical result five years ago but Scottie's victory came after a three-year spell of less predictable results.
"The 2021 winner, Billy Horschel, was seeded 32nd, the 2018 winner, Bubba Watson, was seeded 35th and in-between the two, the 2019 winner, Kevin Kisner, was the 48th seed. And he was the highest seed to win since Geoff Ogilvy won the first of his two titles way back in 2006.
"That three-year spell may look fairly ordinarily but given Watson, in 2018, was the first winner in 12 years to be ranked any worse than 21st and that nine of the previous 11 had been seeded between first and tenth, it was actually quite an odd little run and Scheffler's victory was far more typical...
"McIlroy has won two of his last seven starts but Scheffler is the player riding the really hot wave at present, having romped to an impressive five-stroke victory in the Players Championship, exactly a month after successfully defending his Phoenix Open title."
WGC Matchplay: 66/1 Kirk can make his mark
Dave Tindall says: "Given their strong record of making the quarter-finals, I'm going to pick three players from Pool B (seeds 17 to 32) and will start with 66/1 Chris Kirk.
"The 28th seed immediately fits the bill as someone who took the eye in Florida whilst having a good bank of Texas form too. Kirk's big moment on the Florida Swing came at the Honda Classic where he took victory in a play-off to end an eight-year drought on the PGA Tour.
"He's taken a predictable step back since after teeing it up in the next two tournaments (39th Arnold Palmer, MC Players) but after skipping the Valspar, I'm hoping he's been able to digest his achievement and a re-set has taken place.
"Kirk has two top eights in the Texas Open and made the top 15 at Colonial on his most recent visit to the Lone Star State."
WGC Matchplay: Course and current form stats
Andy Swales says: "This undulating layout is approximately 12 miles south of Round Rock, where Dell Technologies has its international headquarters. Designed by Pete Dye and opened in 1984, Austin is a parkland course with plenty of danger and five par-four holes of less than 400 yards.
"As a match play venue, there are numerous risk-reward opportunities to tempt the world's finest golfers - especially off the tee. Water comes into play on seven holes, most of these on the back nine...
"Jason Day, a two-time winner of the Match Play, is the only non-American to succeed in Austin. In six PGA Tour starts this year, the Australian is yet to finish outside the top-20 - and this includes four top-10s."
Jonsson Workwear Open: Hot putting the key at Steyn City
Steve Rawlings says: "We have only one event here to look at but it's no surprise to that the winner was up with the pace all the way.
It's hard to make ground up when everyone's making birdies and having sat second, trailing by a stroke, after round one, Norris was never headed after leading by three at halfway, and five of the seven players to finish inside the top-five and ties sat inside the top-four and ties at halfway.
"This isn't a tough track by any means and the hardest hole on the course averaged only 0.21 over-par at last year's Steyn City Championship but it is the last hole they'll encounter all week so if the leader needs a par four there on Sunday if his lead his narrow, especially if they're in search of their first win on the DP World Tour, it may be dangerous to assume they'll register a par for the win...
"Adri Arnaus finished second last week where once again, he putted very nicely. If the stats are correct, he gained almost 12 strokes on the field with his flatstick, with a remarkable putting average of just 1.48.
"Understandably, he ranked first for both Putting Average and for Strokes Gained Putting and this wide-open layout should suit him. He has form in South Africa that now reads 9-3-MC-6-2-60-2 and he has a favourite's chance in such a weak event."
Jonsson Workwear Open Each-Way Tips: Stick with Lawrence's head for heights
Matt Cooper says: "The column has had some success backing Thriston Lawrence when he's at altitude (most obviously when he won the European Masters) and there seems little reason not to ride that wave this week.
"The 26-year-old got a little lucky 18 months ago when winning a Joburg Open reduced to 36 holes even if he had pegged a pair of 65s that bested the field by four. But it was a first indication that he likes thin air.
"The next time he experienced it he was second in the Kenya Open and then added ninth and eighth on the high veldt when the circuit returned to his home country (the last of those efforts was here at Steyn City).
"He added 36th at Eichenried in Munich and eighth at Albatross in Czechia - neither as high as Johannesburg or Nairobi but elevated all the same."
Jonsson Workwear Open 2023: This week's form stats
Andy Swales says: "Sand and water are major features of the officially titled The Club at Steyn City, which opened for business just over eight years ago. The holes are laid out over gently rolling terrain, with a number of changes in elevation along the route.
"Last year's event was only the second time that the course had featured on the Sunshine Tour schedule. In March 2018 it staged the 54-hole Steyn City Team Championship, which was included in the Tour's Order of Merit...
"George Coetzee, although never the most consistent of performers, is more than capable of winning this week. He is a 14-time winner on the Sunshine Tour, and five-time champion on the European equivalent - with three of these victories coming in South Africa."
Corales Puntacana Championship: Gerard is worth chancing at 59/1
Steve Rawlings: "The inaugural winner, Dominic Bozzelli, was in his mid-20s and last year's winner, Ramey was 29 when he won here but the five winners in-between were all in their 30s and the last five winners, since the tournament was elevated to a PGA Tour event, have all been outsiders.
"Having been matched at a high of 110.0109/1, Ramey went off at 85.084/1 last year, G-Mac and Garnett were 80.079/1 chances before the off, and Swafford was matched at a high of 370.0369/1 before going off at around 300.0299/1.
"Dahmen, who was a 50.049/1 chance, is the shortest priced winner since the event was elevated to the PGA Tour...
"With a victory in Canada, two other top-four finishes there and a third placed finish on the Korn Ferry Tour, Ryan Gerard had already had a decent seven months. But he exploded on the world stage when he finished fourth in the Honda Classic last month after Monday Qualifying.
"Gerard followed that with an 11th place finish in Puerto Rico so he's already shown an aptitude for just this sort of test and I'm prepared to overlook last week's slightly disappointing 71st at the Valspar."
Corales Puntacana Championship First-Round Leader: Harry to turn on style
Dave Tindall says: "Harry Higgs is probably a little bit under the radar this week as he's making his course debut. But the fun-time American is definitely the sort who could make an instant impact.
"The most compelling piece of evidence is that he finished tied seventh in Puerto Rico just two starts ago. That was played on a windy, seaside Paspalum course, the same examination paper he has this week.
"Higgs' finest hour was his fourth place in the US PGA Championship at Kiawah Island and that too had Paspalum putting surfaces.
"A look back at previous editions of this tournament shows how important Putting Average is (no Strokes Gained stats are recorded). Higgs ranks 1st in the field for Putting Average this season so there's another box ticked."
Find Me a 100 Winner: Take a chance on Cody
Steve Rawlings says: "Cody Gribble, the 32-year-old Texan, burst on to the PGA Tour with his sole success - an impressive four-stroke victory at the Country Club of Jackson - in just his second start after graduation from the Korn Ferry Tour.
"There was a lot to like about the manner of his win in Mississippi given he'd sat outside the top-100 after round one - trailing by ten - and he gave the impression that he was capable of winning at a high level.
"Injuries have hindered Gribble's career quite badly but for the first time since his sole success almost seven years ago, he's just recorded back-to-back top-10s with a seventh placed finish at the Puerto Rico Open and the Valspar Championship."
Corales Puntacana Championship: Course and current form stats
Andy Swales: "Depending on weather conditions, half of the holes may be affected by the threat of water - although seven is probably a more realistic number. The undulating fairways are fairly generous, and will offer golf's biggest hitters the chance to drive it long - especially if conditions are calm.
"Putting surfaces are large and undulating and, like most coastal venues, the ability to scramble successfully will always come in handy if weather conditions deteriorate...
"Thomas Detry is the highest-ranked player teeing-up on Thursday. The Belgian is yet to win on the DP World Tour but that shouldn't rule him out from claiming a maiden PGA Tour victory in the Dominican Republic. Has competed at Corales in each of the last four years."