-
Read my Indian Open preview here
-
Read my Houston Open preview here
-
Outsiders have fared well at both this week's events recently - the Houston Open on the PGA Tour and the Indian Open on the DP World Tour.
Carlos Ortiz, D.A Points, Matt Jones, Ian Poulter and Jim Herman have all won in Texas at a triple-figure price in the last 12 years and the first three winners of the Indian Open at the Gary Player Course at DLF Golf and Country Club - Shiv Chawrasia, Matt Wallace and Stephen Gallacher - were also matched at a triple-figure price too.
I've got two picks in each event.
After a couple of missed cuts, at the Cognizant Classic and the Players Championship, Harry Hall finished the final leg of the Florida Swing tamely last week at the Valspar Championship, falling from inside the top-ten at halfway to a tie for 54th over the weekend but he doesn't have a great record in Florida and I'm happy to back him this week at a big price at a track where his brilliant putting could be rewarded.
As highlighted in the preview, all four winners at this venue have ranked inside the top-five for Strokes Gained: Putting so Hall should be a good fit given he ranks first for Putts Per round and second for Putting Average.
The 27-year-old Cornishman is playing at Memorial Park for a third time, having finished 39th on debut in 2022 and 29th last year and he could very easily improve on that now that he's a PGA Tour winner, following his playoff success at the ISCO Championship in July last year.
Hall held his form very nicely after his victory last summer and although he hasn't been brilliant in Florida again this year, he did lead the Mexico Open after round one last month so there have been glimpses since his two top ten finishes in Hawaii in January.
Place order to lay 8 Us @ 10.09/1 and 12 Us @ 2.01/1
I'm happy to chance Hall in the outright market and I'm also backing him in the 1st Round Leader market.
Hall has a habit of getting off to a fast start and in edition to leading at the Mexico Open last month, he led the Sony Open after round one in January, sat second at the Shriners Children Open in October and he led through rounds one, two and three at the Charles Schwab Challenge in Texas in 2023 before eventually finishing third.
Back Harry Hall (2Us) to lead after round one
Place order to lay 15 Us @ 2.01/1
Nico Echavarria was a column pick when he traded at odds-on at the Sony Open before losing the playoff and I make no apologies for picking him again after last week's 16th place finish at the Valspar.
The Colombian was matched at a low of 6.25/1 when he led during round two last week before he played his last ten holes in five-over-par!

He bounced back in round three to be tied for the lead with 18 to play and he was still in with a shout after playing his first six holes in one-under-par on Sunday but once the win was out of his grasp, he drifted down the leaderboard, bogeying the last two holes to finish in a tie for 16th.
He's far from the first player to finish poorly in the final group on Sunday once the chance of winning has gone and he's over-priced here given he's won twice on the PGA Tour and that he currently ranks fifth for Strokes Gained: Putting on the PGA Tour.
Back Nico Echavarria (2Us)
Place order to lay 8 Us @ 10.09/1 and 12 Us @ 2.01/1
Although a disappointing column pick last week in Singapore, I'm happy to stick with Matt Cooper's each-way pick, Pablo Larrazabal.
With course form figures reading 4-39-10, he clearly has an aptitude for the venue, and he has a propensity to putt well, which has been key to victory here in the first editions at the track.
Previous course winners, Stephen Gallacher and Marcel Siem, were both veteran Europeans so Larrazabal fits the mould, and a tenth DP World Tour title can't be ruled out.
Back Pablo Larrazabal (2Us)
Place order to lay 8 Us @ 10.09/1 and 12 Us @ 2.01/1
As highlighted in the preview, the locals have fared well in this event. One or two Indians often contend and 12 of the last 30 winners have been Indian.
Yuvraj Sandhu has been well supported all week after opening as high as 1000/11001.00 with one firm and frustratingly, he's been backed again this morning, but given he won back-to-back in homeland as recently as recently as February.
Place order to lay 8 Us @ 10.09/1 and 12 Us @ 2.01/1
Now read more Golf tips and previews here.