So-called expert golf tips for this week

 

PGA TOUR - ZURICH CLASSIC

Brendan James – Golf Australia Editor

My heart is begging me to tip the Aussie, World Cup runner-up pairing of Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith, but my head is leaning toward another Cameron this week.

CAMERON CHAMP & TONY FINAU are teaming up for the first time and this monster-hitting pair have the firepower to destroy the course, especially in the foursomes to be played in the second and final rounds.

If Champ and Finau can post a low number on the opening day fourball best ball it will put them in the box seat for the remainder of the tournament.

Sportsbet odds: $17.

JIMMY EMANUEL – Golf Australia Deputy Editor

Taking a lot not to go with the Aussie combination of Smith and Leishman here, but my money is on BILLY HORSCHEL & SAM BURNS in New Orleans.

Horschel has been in very good form of late, and was a recent winner of the WGC Match Play which translates well here, while Burns will be hoping to rediscover his early season form that deserted him in Florida and Texas.

Horschel won this event in 2018 so the course clearly suits and Burns is a hometown boy expecting plenty of support, a perfect combination.

Sportsbet odds: $21.

RELATED: Zurich Classic preview

Michael Jones – Golf Australia writer

Great mates CAMERON SMITH & MARC LEISHMAN will get the job done at TPC Louisiana this week. Smith won here – alongside Jonas Blixt – in 2017 and both he and Leishman arrive in good form.

The pair are very familiar with each other’s games and shared runner-up honours in the World Cup of Golf at Metropolitan in 2018.

Sportsbet odds: $11.

Rod Morri – Golf Australia magazine contributor and The Thing About Golf podcast host

Apart from good golf, the team format this week will demand a good sense of humour so despite a miserable recent run from one and little in the way of good results for the other I’ll be on BEN AN & SUNGJAE IM this week.

Im’s play at the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne 15 months ago was a revelation and while he has been far from his best this season he hasn’t been awful. That’s not true of his partner An who has missed each of his last four cuts but at this level – and especially with a change in format – that will count for little.

Sportsbet odds: $41.

LPGA - LA OPEN

Brendan James – Golf Australia Editor

The last time the LA Open was contested was in 2019 and West Australian Minjee Lee was a resounding four stroke winner on 14 under. Finishing 15 strokes back was LYDIA KO, who was in the midst of a form slump that has now been banished to the bad memory bank.

The Kiwi's display in Hawaii was incredible ... amazing ... unbelievable.

One bogey in 72 holes and a victor by seven shots with a four-round scoring average of 65 ... WOW!

If she can continue that form in LA she could win by ten strokes.

Sportsbet odds: $7.50.

JIMMY EMANUEL – Golf Australia Deputy Editor

I am sticking with NELLY KORDA again this week.

The American shared second behind a dominant Lydia Ko last week in Hawaii and seems on the verge of another win after five top-10s from her six starts so far this year including one win.

Korda’s record here is not good, as in really not good with two missed cuts, but she is far more complete player than her last visit in 2019 and I think if anyone is to deny Lydia Ko of back-to-back wins it will be Nelly.

Sportsbet odds: $11.

RELATED: LA Open preview

Michael Jones – Golf Australia writer

World No.1 JIN YOUNG KO is almost a shoo-in to finish inside the top 10 week in, week out on the LPGA Tour at the moment.

The South Korean has bagged six top-10s – including her seventh LPGA Tour title at the Tour Championship – from her seven most recent starts. She tied for fifth here in 2019 and was joint runner-up in the inaugural event in 2018.

Sportsbet odds: $10.

Rod Morri – Golf Australia magazine contributor and The Thing About Golf podcast host

It doesn’t happen often but given her form in her last two starts it’s difficult to see how LYDIA KO doesn’t win this week.

Her recent numbers are mind boggling and about the only thing working against her is previous form at Wilshire Country Club where she has finished T31 and T42 in two previous appearances. However, her play from Sunday at the ANA through 72 holes in Hawaii has been other worldly and feels like it might be just the beginning of something truly special.

Sportsbet odds: $7.50.

EURO TOUR - GRAN CANARIA LOPESAN OPEN

Brendan James – Golf Australia Editor

A well-earned break after missing the cut in the second Kenyan event last month will have Italy's GUIDO MIGLIOZZI champing at the bit to return to the form that saw him finish T2 in Qatar five weeks ago.

His scoring average is at a European Tour career low and he will certainly be in contention when the whips start cracking on Sunday afternoon.

Sportsbet odds: $41.

JIMMY EMANUEL – Golf Australia Deputy Editor

England’s SAM HORSFIELD kept his strong recent play going last week with a share of 15^th in Austria, and I think he will finish higher still this week.

Horsfield is a multiple time European Tour winner and has long been tipped for big things in the game, and a third win, albeit a small event, could be the thing that gets him rolling towards earning a more permanent spot on the PGA Tour, where he hopes to be.

Sportsbet odds: $19.

RELATED: Gran Canaria Open preview

Michael Jones – Golf Australia writer

I can see tournament host RAFA CABRERA BELLO breaking his winless drought in the Canaries this week.

The Spaniard has enough course knowledge and is in decent enough form to suggest he will feature across the weekend.

Sportsbet odds: $21.

Rod Morri – Golf Australia magazine contributor and The Thing About Golf podcast host

2021 RESULTS

So far our so-called experts have combined to tip NINE winners in 2021, with 58 of their picks recording top-10 finishes that week and a best return of $61 for Max Homa to win the Genesis Invitational (tipped by Rod Morri).