Golf Tips: Our experts' best bets for the Houston Open and Indian Open

• 3/14.00 is fair price for hat-trick seeking Scheffler

• 20/121.00 for in-form Theegala will do just fine

• 399/1400.00 outsider to back, first round leader and more

Houston Open Tips and Predictions

Scheffler fancied to make it three in-a-row

Steve Rawlings: "At the start of the year Scheffler put up form figures reading 5-17-6-3-10 with Strokes Gained: Putting rankings of 45^th, 51^st, 32^nd, 44^th and 51^st.

"That's a truly remarkable bit of form given how bad his putting was and there's obviously a chance that his putting could regress again. But if it holds up, he will win.

"He's now only 5/1 to win the US Masters on the Exchange, a price that isn't too short given the level he's currently playing at, so in what is a weak event at a venue he's already shown he likes (course form figures of 32-2-9), anything above 3/1 is more than fair.

"Wyndham Clark, who has finished second to Scheffler in each of his last two wins, has course form figures reading MC-41-16, and he'll have his supporters. Dave Tindall is keen on the chances of Sahith Theegala, but it's all about Scheffler for me.

"I was happy to take the 4.6 when the market first opened and I'm on board at the average price of 4.3, although the 4.1 available now is still more than fair."

Each-way Tips: Picks from 20/1 to 80/1

Dave Tindall: "Now based in Texas, Sahith Theegala made the cut in both starts here and a Sunday 64 in his latest visit was the low round of the day, helping him to 22nd.

"Theegala summed up his improvement as a golfer rather nicely at Sawgrass:

"'The first year I played I was like, this course is so hard. I don't know how I'm going to compete,' he said.

"'Last year, honestly felt like I played well the first two days, and I think I made the cut on the number and shot like 9-over on the weekend, too.

"'But it's cool to see the progression I've made since the first year and even since last year," added Theegala after finishing at 13-under.'

"Thanks to Scheffler taking a chunk out of the market, getting 20/1 for one of the Tour's in-form players is just fine."

Find Me a 100 Winner: Exchange bets from 140.0 to 400.0

Steve Rawlings: "Martin Trainer won the Puerto Rico Open back in 2019 so he's a winner on the PGA Tour and he arrives in Texas in fair form.

"The California-based pro is well travelled and since the start of February he's played in Panama and Argentina on the Korn Ferry Tour, Mexico and Puerto Rico on the PGA Tour and last time out, two weeks ago, he finished fifth in Macau on the Asian Tour, where he ranked seventh for Greens In Regulation and first for Scrambling.

"The recent highlights before that were an eighth in Panama and a fifth in Argentina, where no stats were published, and although he finished only 19th at the Mexico Open, he ranked fifth for Scrambling and first for Putting Average, as well as eighth for Strokes Gained: Around the Green and third for SG: Putting.

"Although he's shortened up, the 400.0 available is still very reasonable and the Sportsbook's industry-wide 8/1 about him finishing inside the top-20 looks worth taking too."

Course and current form stats

Andy Swales: "Located three miles west of downtown Houston, and approximately 35 miles from the Gulf of Mexico, Memorial Park is a parkland layout which covers an area of 250 acres. It has Bermuda grass fairways and undulating putting surfaces which are slightly larger and faster than the PGA Tour average. Water, meanwhile, comes into play on just five holes.

"A strong e/w candidate is Canadian Mackenzie Hughes 45/1 who tied-third in Florida on Sunday. Hughes has teed-up three times at Memorial Park where he has finished 16-29-7."

Indian Open Tips and Predictions

Lahiri backed to win his national title again

Steve Rawlings: "Europeans have won the last three editions but the home contingent had a fine record before the venue switch and an Indian has won 12 of the last 29 renewals.

"The first three course winners were matched at a triple-figure price before the off and Siem was a 50.0 chance last year so it's been a great event for outsiders since the switch in venues...

" I've had a tiny bet on India's Anirban Lahiri, who finished fifth here in 2017, but that's it before the off.

Lahiri finished only 34^th here in 2018 and he missed the cut 12 months later, so his course form is patchy. But he has a decent record in his homeland and won this event back in 2015 at Delhi Golf Club.

He now plays on the LIV circuit where he's been faring OK. He's finished runner-up a couple of times and he was sixth in Jeddah a couple of weeks ago before finishing only 34^th in Hong Kong last time out.

At 36, he's now very experienced so that's a big plus here and he really is top-class on his day. It's only two years since he finished runner-up to Cam Smith at the Players Championship, where he did very little wrong over the weekend.

Each-Way Tips: 66/1 Jayden Schaper can clinch winning breakthrough

Matt Cooper: "The South African Jayden Schaper was actually a pick for the column last year when it was noted that this amateur star in his homeland is fond of a Gary Player design.

"For example, he first served notice of his promise on the DP World Tour when finishing second in the 2020 Alfred Dunhill Championship at the Player-designed Leopard Creek.

"He then added a series of top 30s on the Sunshine Tour at other Player creations - Gary Player CC, Blair Atholl and Fancourt.

"He's taken a particular shine to Blair Atholl, carding a 65 when T12th there on the Sunshine Tour and adding ninth and fifth when it has hosted the South African Open in the last two runnings.

"Indeed, last December he was the co-leader after 54 holes and a week later he was seventh back at Leopard Creek. He opened this season with four consecutive top 10 finishes since when he's gone eight starts without a top 20.

"But he did close last week in Singapore with a 66, his best score since that excellent run and, up against a field that won't scare him, on a test that suits, he's a nice price."

First-Round Leader Tips: Picks from 50/1 to 150/1

Dave Tindall: "Gavin Green has been a popular pick in FRL columns down the years and this looks another good opportunity to play him.

For starters, on a course that bamboozles many, Green has found a way to succeed at DLF. He was runner-up on debut in 2017, added 16th a year later and again made the cut in 2019.

"His only visit since came in a PGTI event and a closing 67 gave him another top 10. Green was ninth after day one in the second of his three Indian Open starts here but it's his recent FRL form that really takes the eye.

"The 30-year-old was the first-round leader in Singapore last week thanks to a 64 while he shot that same number to sit fourth after 18 holes of his home Malaysian Open last month."

Course and current form stats

Andy Swales: "Opened in October 2015, Player's spectacular layout is a long, tree-lined, parkland course which has an abundance of dog-legs, as well as large, undulating putting surfaces. Water comes into play on seven holes. Fairways are tight and undulating, while the tricky greens demand a deft touch with the putter.

"In the four DP World Tour events to be staged over the Player Course (2017-23), a total of just seven golfers have managed to break 280 for 72 holes...

"Veteran pro Joost Luiten 20/1 is one of only three players teeing-up this week to have posted a brace of top-10s in DP World Tour events over the Gary Player layout. The 38-year-old Dutchman stood on the podium here last year and he arrives in India on the back of finishing tied-11th in Singapore on Sunday."

Now read US Masters 2024: Dave Tindall's guide to the action at Augusta National