The two most dominant players in world golf right now are in action this week – world number one Rory McIlroy on the DP World Tour, and Jon Rahm on the PGA Tour. Once more, we off a betting angle for punters here at SA Tour Golf. We bring you tips for the PGA Tour’s Framers Insurance Open and the DP World Tour’s Hero Dubai Desert Classic from Gary Lemke (three-time SA Sports Writer of the Year and golf magazine editor) and Mike Green (former Sunshine Tour communications manager).
GARY LEMKE says:
PGA Tour – Farmers Insurance Open
We mentioned last week that Jon Rahm would be hard to beat, and he won, and did so at odds of 13/2. So, you would have cleaned up with him, also in terms of having him for top 5 and top 10. We simply have to go with him again for this week’s Farmers Insurance Open. The event is held on both the North and South courses at Torrey Pines, and that’s the venue where Rahm won his first major, the 2021 US Open. He simply loves playing there. In fact, it is very much a horses for courses layout and Xander Schauffele (12/1) must be included in all your bets this week. He finished top 10 in the 2021 US Open there and was in a five-way tie for second in last year’s Farmers Insurance. For our other two selections, we will stick with Tony Finau, who finished T16th last week and was in our four to watch, and he looks to be finding some good form. I’m torn between Will Zalatoris (18/1) and Collin Morikawa (12/1) for fourth. They are also both very comfortable at Torrey Pines.
DP World Tour – Dubai Desert Classic
It’s not a case of going for the favourite, but when it comes to Jon Rahm and Rory McIlroy, they comfortably look the two best players in the world right now. McIlroy’s confidence is sky high and he comes into this popular desert event as the obvious favourite (33/10) and the No1-ranked player in the world. It would be more foolish to ignore him when betting, than actually bet on him. For the others though, like the Farmers Insurance Open and Tony Finau, I’m going to stick with someone who worked for us last week, and that’s Adrian Meronk (28/1). He’s on a roll of five cuts in a row and has three top 10s in that streak. I’m also starting to watch the rise of Australia’s Min Woo Lee with interest. He’s up to 44th in the world ranking and has had seven successive cuts, where he finished in the top 10 six times! At 22/1 he presents good value. Someone who I thought hit the ball really well in Abu Dhabi last week was Rafa Cabrera Bello. He’s at 90/1 for the win and at great prices for the top 10 as well.
MIKE GREEN says:
PGA Tour – Farmers Insurance Open
Dean Burmester has the best odds of the South Africans in the field, at 101/1 for the win. But after the finish Garrick Higgo had last week, he’s certainly worth a little flutter at 176/1 for the win, 29/1 for top 5, 13/1 for top 10 and 13/2 for top 20.
DP World Tour – Dubai Desert Classic
Thriston Lawrence remains the favourite of the South Africans campaigning in Europe, but he doesn’t seem to have hits his straps yet. George Coetzee had things going well for two-and-a-half rounds last week, and, if he can hold it together, he’s an attractive proposition at 126/1 for the win, 21/1 for top 5, 11/1 for top 10 and 5/1 for top 20. And given the fast start he had last week, 101/1 on Coetzee as leader after the first round has its appeal, too.
