Our fearless leader was on the money on the Asian Tour last week, while the rest of the tipsters helped add another five top-10s to the tally. Here are their PGA, DP World, LPGA and Asian Tour tips for this week.
PGA TOUR – AT&T BYRON NELSON
Brendan James – Golf Australia Editor
Whenever the Tour swings through the Lone Star state my focus shifts to one player – JORDAN SPIETH.
He’s been a winner twice in his native Texas, but is yet to claim the Byron Nelson. In fact, he’s never even registered a top-10 in the event.
He’s been resting for three weeks after his playoff victory at the Heritage and I can’t help but think that every time Spieth wins, he wins a bunch at once.
Sportsbet odds: $17
JIMMY EMANUEL – Golf Australia Deputy & Digital Editor
It is always tricky to tip the week before a major as some in the field are basically just getting in some “reps” before the PGA Championship in Tulsa next week.
One player who won’t just be going through the motions is JASON DAY.
The Queenslander got every Aussie a little excited in the early stages of the Wells Fargo last week before a disastrous weekend. Forgive the Saturday stumble so big it was as if he had fallen in a hole created by the powerful phalanges of Rod Morri when smashing his keyboard on a deadline. Day is still working his way back to his best, the putter is behaving again and the cold weather in DC was disastrous for a player with a back like Day’s.
Sportsbet odds: $46
RELATED: AT&T Byron Nelson preview
Rod Morri – Golf Australia magazine contributor and The Thing About Golf podcast host
Sure the weekend was less than ideal but JASON DAY showed enough over the first two rounds in Washington last week to suggest he is close to being back near his best.
He’s a former winner of the tournament (though not at this course) but, more than that, will be as motivated as he was when a rookie. It’s a matter of when, not if, he grabs PGA Tour win No.13 and this week is as realistic chance as any.
Sportsbet odds: $46
Mark Hayes – Man About Golf
I’m hungry. And thirsty. Some might accurately say I’ve been starved of logic for a long time and that my losing drought would also account for these states of being. But truth be told, I need to entertain myself with more than just laughter at Jimmy’s tips and that between majors, it’s just enough to stop me from going all Sergio and ranting alliteratively like some petulant, pathetic, pitiful pleb.
Hence, I’m going to tip on a food and beverage theme this week, even if the link is as tenuous as Patrick Reed’s understanding of etiquette.
So it’s JOAQUIN NIEMANN for me at Byron Nelson, primarily because he’s playing well, will still be flat out trying this week as opposed to several big guns eyeing off the PGA next week and he’s from Chile (my extremely sketchy link to food).
Sportsbet odds: $31
LPGA TOUR – COGNIZANT FOUDNERS CUP
Brendan James – Golf Australia Editor
Unbackable! JIN YOUNG KO is absolutely unbackable … even more so than other weeks on Tour.
She is aiming for a three-peat of victories in the Founders Cup where she’s 40-under for her last eight rounds in the event.
If that’s not enough, of those rounds she’s made a 63, 64, 65 (x 2), 66, 68 and 69. She just needs a 62 and 67 for the set.
Sportsbet odds: $6
JIMMY EMANUEL – Golf Australia Deputy & Digital Editor
The name Ko will adorn this important trophy once again come Sunday afternoon, but it will be of the LYDIA variety this time around.
Yes, Jin Young is the favourite by miles, can’t stop, won’t stop shooting scores in the 60s … blah, blah, blah. But a winning hat-trick is so rare, I feel the Kiwi Ko will end its chances, yet keep the name streak alive, this week.
Lydia battled admirably last time out to almost chase down Marina Alex and she is a player deserving of her name on the Founders Cup trophy
Sportsbet odds: $10
RELATED: Cognizant Founders Cup preview
Rod Morri – Golf Australia magazine contributor and The Thing About Golf podcast host
While the high profile names have dominated the headlines Thailand’s ATTAYA THITIKUL has, almost unnoticed, crept up to fourth in the world rankings.
That doesn’t happen by accident, it comes on the back of consistently good play. It seems highly unlikely we will have to wait long for a second LPGA title to come the teenager's way and I’m tipping it will be as soon as this week.
Sportsbet odds: $19
Mark Hayes – Man About Golf
Unlike my logical colleagues, I have refrained from tipping JIN YOUNG KO to date this season – a decision which clearly speaks to my blind faith in Minjee and Hannah, but also an inability to admit defeat and pick raging favourites.
But that ends here! I’m on the Jin train for this very important event, although many of you might have thought this season that was a spelling error based on homophonal issues and that I’ve been ploughed for six months straight.
Sportsbet odds: $6
DP WORLD TOUR – SOUDAL OPEN
Brendan James – Golf Australia Editor
THOMAS DETRY’s recent form might best be described as solid, without any real result. But this week he’s on home soil and at a course where his previous two starts have been T13 and T3.
Detry is a quality player and, believe it or not, is yet to win on the Old World Circuit. That can all change this week.
Sportsbet odds: $21
JIMMY EMANUEL – Golf Australia Deputy & Digital Editor
It will be a Belgian named Thomas on the top of the leaderboard this week, but unlike my boss above, I think it goes to Detry’s World Cup winning partner THOMAS PIETERS.
The one-time Ryder Cupper is back showing us what he is capable of in 2022 and is experiencing the post baby boom of play that has been so overstated in the past.
Pieters loves playing at home in front of his friends and family, and with such rare opportunities to do so, I think he takes it with both hands this week.
Sportsbet odds: $17
Rod Morri – Golf Australia magazine contributor and The Thing About Golf podcast host
It might have been a week early to take RYAN FOX at The Belfry. I hope so, anyway, because I’m sticking with him this week.
He started well but couldn’t get out of second gear in England but I don't see that two weeks in a row.
And in a frankly depleted field, he stands out as one of the top two or three players.
Sportsbet odds: $21
Mark Hayes – Man About Golf
NACHO ELVIRA. The best thing is, I don’t even have to explain this one.
Picking winners on this Tour is hard, even at larger events. So to have a theme is a blessing. You can consider yourself desperately unlucky Joakim Lagergren, Sam Crocker, Rikard Karl(s)berg, Eddie Pepperell, Oliver Fisher and Alexander Knappe.
Sportsbet odds: $151
ASIAN TOUR – ASIA PACIFIC OPEN DIAMOND CUP
Brendan James – Golf Australia Editor
Thailand’s SADOM KAEWKANJANA gets to display his wares against the best players from the Japanese Tour this week and I’m predicting he’ll do just fine thank you.
The Singapore Open champion, who also won three times in four weeks on the All Thailand Tour late last year, is a terrific talent and this is his opportunity to push his way into the top-100 of the world ranking with a victory here.
Sportsbet odds: $17
JIMMY EMANUEL – Golf Australia Deputy & Digital Editor
Although I wholeheartedly agree with Mr. Morri below about Keita Nakajima, I think it will be an Aussie taking the spoils this week as the Asian and Japanese Tours get together for this one.
Brad Kennedy has been Mr. Consistent this year without adding a trophy to the mantle and this week shapes as a very good chance.
The seaside layout is something of an oddity in Japanese golf, but not to Kennedy, so the wind won’t hurt him as much as some other competitors. Also, it has been a while since ‘BK’ suggested he was thinking of giving away playing the game for a living until recording yet another worldwide win, so let’s keep that John Farnham like retirement tour going!
Sportsbet odds: $29
RELATED: Asia Pacific Open Diamond Cup preview
Rod Morri – Golf Australia magazine contributor and The Thing About Golf podcast host
There are some well credentialed players in the field for this week’s event but I’m looking towards youth rather than experience with the world’s number one ranked amateur, KEITA NAKAJIMA.
Nakajima is the latest in a growing line of top flight amateurs coming out of Japan and, having already won on that Tour, has shown he has both the mental and physical tools to join the pay for play ranks already.
Sportsbet odds: $19
Mark Hayes – Man About Golf
I was researching stupid food ties here, but when I couldn’t find anything better than Todd Sinnott’s love of Four’n’20s, I had to lift – and as tough as it was, be more obscure.
So I landed on RIKUYA HOSHINO, by my research the standout performer in this field in his native land. He’s had three podiums and four top-seven finishes in his past four starts; he represented Japan in the Olympics alongside Hideki Matsuyama; and he’d be the No.67 player in the world we know least about in golf history.
In short, he’s the CREAM of this crop!
(Come on, give me a break – you try to find a name in that field that works!!!)
Sportsbet odds: $11
2022 RESULTS
So far, our so-called experts have combined to tip 13 winners in 2022, with 81 of their picks recording top-10 finishes that week and a best return of $21 for Danielle Kang to win the Tournament of Champions (tipped by Rod Morri).
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So-called expert golf tips for this week
So-called expert golf tips for this week
