So-called expert golf tips for this week

Brendan James – Golf Australia Editor

COREY CONNORS will make history this week by becoming the first Canadian man to win his home Open since 1954.

He’s one of 22 locals in the field and the best credentialed to win the event, which is being played for the first time since 2019. Connors is a fantastic iron player who hits a lot of greens so if he can get the putter working early, he'll be right in the mix.

Sportsbet odds: $21

JIMMY EMANUEL – Golf Australia Deputy & Digital Editor

This isn’t the deepest field, but the quality at the top is great and it is my belief the winner will come from the upper tier.

Cam Smith should be a big chance, so too Justin Thomas and Scottie Scheffler. But it is RORY MCILROY for me.

Yes, it isn’t the same course for the “defending champ” but he clearly enjoys Canada almost as much as wannabe Canuck Mark Hayes, and wouldn’t it be delicious if one of the most vocal opponents to the LIV sideshow got a win during their first week and talked up the importance of events like the Canadian (and Australian) Open during his victory address.

Sportsbet odds: $10

RELATED: RBC Canadian Open preview

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

It’s a top heavy field with five of the world’s top-10 but the winner will come from outside of there. After making his first ace last week at The Memorial, ADAM HADWIN will become the hero of Canada by becoming the first local to win in more than half a century.

The 34-year-old has been playing solid if unspectacular golf in 2022 but buoyed by a home crowd starved of golf for two years, he will march to victory Sunday.

Sportsbet odds: $34

Mark Hayes – Man About Golf

TONY FINAU is a great dude.

Sure, his ankles are as wobbly as Jimmy Emanuel’s post-midnight morals, but he’s suddenly found the stability that he’s been lacking. A putter that has previously been as bankable as Phil Mickelson at a polygraph machine is seemingly rock solid and the explosion of this enormous talent is surely upon us.

While I’m on my little soapbox here, this tournament has great historical significance, is played in one of the great sporting cities of the world and deserves more press than it will get, especially against this week's circus in England. Like the Australian and South African Opens, this event deserves some special breathing space in a true global calendar.

Rant over.

Sportsbet odds: $26

LIV GOLF INVITATIONAL – LONDON

Brendan James – Golf Australia Editor

DUSTIN JOHNSON is the only man to tip this week simply because he's taken the big $135 million cheque and he will need to deliver from the get-go.

Sportsbet odds: $5.50

JIMMY EMANUEL – Golf Australia Deputy & Digital Editor

This week in the UK has been an affront to the senses, from the Shark going full Steve Balmer to Phil Mickelson’s return motif, let alone the logos and team names that I had a suspicion my nearly five-year-old son had a hand in designing.

And once the actual golf gets going who knows what we are going to get … and for what its worth I think it won’t be a DJ or Phil win.

I do hope the young Aussies fill their bank accounts, but the winner will be IAN POULTER.

The Englishman has largely avoided the spotlight this week, will get a little kick along with the team format and loves playing at home.

Sportsbet odds: $26

RELATED: LIV Golf London preview

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

Not that anybody is interested in the actual golf at this event the reality is somebody is going to win and it’s our job to make an educated guess who that might be.

So, Dustin Johnson stands out in this company (and is carrying plenty of pressure given his alleged sign on fee) but the organisers will secretly be cheering for one of the lesser known players to win.

A $4 million pay day for a player whose life will genuinely be changed by would be a great story so with that in mind, go TRAVIS SMYTH. Played well last week and will fly under the radar given the circus that will be buzzing around Phil Mickelson and some of the other high profile names.

Sportsbet odds: Not listed

Mark Hayes – Man About Golf

I’ve seen better organised entities at the bottom of my dog’s favourite sand pit, if you know what I mean. Against my normal proclivity to say something stupid, I’m going to stay apolitical here and focus on the golf. But I will say that if you’re hitching your wagon to the combined morality of Johnson, Mickelson and Na, I’d be encouraging all the youngsters in this party to go hard while the money’s on the table.

To that end, I’m going to barrack hard for TRAVIS SMYTH, who was desperately unlucky to run second near Newcastle on the Asian Tour on Sunday. You could see the development in his game, but also the ability to stay composed under the pressure of the final nine holes with his first big Tour title up for grabs.

His “win” was a ticket to LIV, so as opposed to the money-grubbing headliners (sorry, I couldn’t go the distance with my silence), he has it all to play for and a rare chance on an extraordinarily lucrative and odd global stage.

Sportsbet odds: Not listed

LPGA TOUR – SHOPRITE LPGA CLASSIC

Brendan James – Golf Australia Editor

When the LPGA Tour rolls into Galloway, New Jersey, you can guarantee ANNA NORDQVIST is looking forward to taking home a good cheque when the tournament is done.

Two wins and a handful of top-10s in the Shoprite Classic suggests the Swede is pretty comfortable playing this event and this week will be no different.

Sportsbet odds: $29

JIMMY EMANUEL – Golf Australia Deputy & Digital Editor

The ever shrinking Mark Hayes got us a major winner last week and hasn’t really shut up about it since. Although deserving of praise, his swollen head on Monday when he arrived for the Moloney-Begg plate at Sandy Golf Links necessitated a turn to enter the building that got me thinking confidence is key when playing tournament golf.

So in one of the more bizarre segues I am going with my fearless leader this week and picking ANNA NORDQVIST at one of her favourite venues.

She was good last week too.

Sportsbet odds: $29

RELATED: ShopRite LPGA Classic preview

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

It was a horrible week with the putter but in all other departments BROOKE HENDERSON was more than competitive at last week’s U.S. Women’s Open.

The runner-up here last year is too good to keep putting as badly as she did at Pine Needles and if she sorts that out this week, LPGA Tour win 11 will be well within reach.

Sportsbet odds: $15

Mark Hayes – Man About Golf

I tried to get some love out of Jimmy this week for picking a major winner and he have me marginally less than Scomo gave the Biloela family. So just like some of the players who peak for the big weeks, I’m giving my analytics squad the week off in New Jersey and taking the easy way out by tipping defending champ CELINE BOUTIER.

Sportsbet odds: $17

DP WORLD TOUR/LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR – VOLVO CAR SCANDINAVIAN MIXED

Brendan James – Golf Australia Editor

EDOARDO MOLINARI has found his game in recent months and with three top-10s in his past five starts, I think he's ready to return to the winner's circle.

If he does, it will snap a five-year win drought.

Sportsbet odds: $21

JIMMY EMANUEL – Golf Australia Deputy & Digital Editor

Hannah Green broke the mixed event win barrier and I expect something of a floodgate opening, starting with this week when an amateur gets it done at home.

INGRID LINDBLAD really impressed last week at the USWO and playing in front of her fellow Swedes at an event tied in with local legend Annika Sorenstam feels like a great opportunity for something special.

Sportsbet odds: $29

RELATED: Scandinavian Mixed preview

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

At some point a woman is going to win one of these European mixed events and while it’s unlikely, let’s cheer for it to happen this week.

Teen sensation PIA BABNIK has as much game as any player going around and after a decent week at Pine Needles she might just be ready to win again.

Babnik won twice on the LET last year so knows how to get the job done and is ready to go to the next level.

Sportsbet odds: $34

Mark Hayes – Man About Golf

Your tipping crew have rightly been high on MAJA STARK in previous editions here. I’m upping the ante today and saying she’ll get it done against the boys to continue her ride to the upper echelons of world golf.

It’s still less than a year since she turned pro, and she’s already won twice on Swedish soil as a pro. She hits it harder than Snoop Dogg on a bender and has no fear of the big stage.

Sportsbet odds: $21