Zurich Classic of New Orleans tips and predictions
The Punter's Preview: English pair chanced at 74/175.00
Steve Rawlings: The Jordan Smith/Haotong Li pairing makes for an interesting team. Often flaky in-the-mix in an individual event, Smith is just the sort of player to benefit from playing in a team environment and Li has just played very nicely in the US Masters before a disastrous 80 in round four saw him tumble down the leaderboard.
The pair were both in-contention at this week's other event, the Volvo China Open, last year, with Li leading with 18 to play and Smith trading at as shorts as 1.7 when he led by a stroke with three holes to play.
I can see those two going well but the pairing I like at a bit bigger is the English duo of Dan Brown and John Parry, who like Smith and Li were plying their trade on the DP World Tour last season.
Parry has made a very solid start on the PGA Tour and although Dan Brown appears to be struggling to adapt to life in the States, he's a streaky type capable of low scores who can find form out of the blue.
Back Parry / Brown
Each-way Tips: Back well-matched pair at 12/113.00
Dave Tindall: Michael Thorbjornsen and Aussie Karl Vilips were teammates at Stanford so are a natural partnership...
Thorbjornsen finished tied second at the John Deere Classic in just his third start but is still looking for his first win despite some big performances.
But Vilips is already a winner having landed last year's Puerto Rico Open with 26-under - proof that he can go low.
We don't need to guess if they'll thrive in tandem in this event as they showed it last year when finishing in a tie for fourth. Their 25-under total was just three behind the winners.
Thorbjornsen has already finished third in Phoenix this season and he comes in off a closing 65 at the RBC Heritage where he ended 33rd.
Vilips actually shared 33rd spot at Hilton Head and that came two starts on from a top 20 in Houston so the 24-year-old Australian, who was born in Indonesia, is in decent form too.
Back Michael Thorbjornsen and Karl Vilips each-way (8 Places)
Course and current form stats
Course Form Pick: Griffin teams up with Novak at this week's tournament just as they did a year ago when the pair won here. Griffin had previoulsy missed two cuts on the course, while Novak was 23rd two years ago. When it comes to current form, Griffin finished 33rd last week and at the Masters, while Novak missed the cut at Augusta but made the top 20 at Harbour Town. Both will need to up their game if they are to retain their trophy in New Orleans but we know they can play the course.
Back Griffiin and Novak
Volvo China Open tips and predictions
The Punter's Preview: Ferguson fancied at 35/136.00
Steve Rawlings: The in-form Scotsman, Ewen Ferguson, looks a fair price at 33/1 in what is a very weak event. The three-time DP World Tour winner was never in the hunt here last year, finishing 32nd, but the course experience is a plus and he arrives back in China in better form than last year having finished sixth in the Indian Open last time out.
Prior to that he'd finished inside the top 10 in the South African Open before a disappointing effort in the Joburg Open, where he finished tied for 57th.
Ferguson's game is clearly in good nick given he ranked second for Greens In Regulation in the South African Open and first in each of his last two starts and that bodes well if last year's stats are anything to go by.
Ferguson's putting has been letting him down of late but the front two last year only ranked 23rd and 38th for Putting Average so a modest improvement on the greens this week might be enough if he can continue his excellent tee-to-green game.
Back Ewen Ferguson
First Round Leader Tips: 40/141.00 Ding can go well on day one
Dave Tindall: Wenyi Ding will be carrying plenty of home hopes this week.
The 21-year-old, who won the 2022 US Junior Amateur, has already played in four China Opens.
He's risen to the occasion each time, producing finishes of 2-3-7-8, and in his second start he was the first-round leader.
The last time Ding teed it up in his homeland he was third after round one of last month's Hainan Classic.
A couple of weeks ago he was ninth after the first 18 holes of the International Series Japan so fast starts are definitely part of his appeal to punters.
He's a decent 40/141.00 for FRL here so hopefully he can fly from his 07:30 tee-time (10th).
Back Wenyi Ding each-way for FRL
Course and current form stats
Course Form Pick:
This week's defending champion has been in wayward form of late but, at 40-years-old he has the maturity not to panic, and will be keen to put in a strong performance here again. He will also have the crowd behind him.
Ashun Wu