So-called expert golf tips for this week

Brendan James – Golf Australia Editor

What a contrived s***show the Tour Championship has become since the PGA Tour decided they would go all amateurish and handicap the players.

ANYWAY… the sad thing is there are 30 players teeing it up and 20 of them are already seven shots or more behind before a shot has been struck. Here’s a notion…the best player – that is the one who shoots the lowest score, which is usually how golf tournaments work – WON’T WIN this week.

That player will be Adam Scott, who starts 10 shots from the lead. He'll shoot the lowest score and miss out on all the trimmings. On the other hand, PATRICK CANTLAY will do enough to be atop the scoreboard after 72 holes and take the chocolates.

Sportsbet odds: $4.50

JIMMY EMANUEL – Golf Australia Deputy & Digital Editor

Picking anyone outside of the top players with their stroke advantage this week is like expecting a Rod Morri text message to come through without typos caused by the biggest thumbs in world golf.

So with that as the guide, I am going with SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER this week who starts a two shot lead that will prove enough to get him over the line, and after the year he has had deservedly finish at the top of the pile. 

Scheffler showed his class again late last week, and form plus a (ridiculous) head start will mean he won't fall short again.

Outside of the contrived handicap side of things, I can see Adam Scott winning the gross this week. The Queenslander simply making it to Atlanta is worthy of praise, and he will be determined to make yet another statement before his 10th Presidents Cup. 

Sportsbet odds: $3

RELATED: Tour Championship preview

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

Smallest potential winners list of any tournament of the year thanks to the handicapping in place. Does anybody truly believe you can spot Scottie Scheffler, the World No.1, more than five shots and beat him?

A Herculean task to say the least so the likely winner will come from Scheffler, Cantlay, Schauffele or Burns. Beyond that will take something truly extraordinary. CANTLAY is the man most likely for mine, but I’ll admit it’s difficult to be interested.

Sportsbet odds: $4.50

Mark Hayes – Man About Golf

Massive “props”, as all my homies say, to BJ here for giving one of the most insane golfing concepts ever invented the caning it deserves.

So, from the body that derides about 3000 alternatives to 72-hole medal play through its season, we bring you a half-arsed handicap stroke play event whereby Adam Scott, for example, can hand the world No.1 his butt by nine strokes and still lose. Seriously, you’d laugh this off if your local club dreamed it up as an alternative.

I think Cam Smith will shoot the week’s best score, but XANDER SCHAUFFELE will take the obscene cheque home. Don’t get me started on that!!!

Sportsbet odds: $7.50

DP WORLD TOUR – OMEGA EUROPEAN MASTERS

Brendan James – Golf Australia Editor

Poland’s No.1 player, ADRIAN MERONK, hasn’t teed up on the Old World circuit since The Open at St. Andrews, which seems a long time ago now.

Of course, he won the Irish Open in the middle of a lengthy campaign and I expect a player of his ability will rise to the top in the Swiss Alps this week. Finished T27 last year in his only start thus far in the event … he’s a much more rounded player 12 months on.

Sportsbet odds: $21

JIMMY EMANUEL – Golf Australia Deputy & Digital Editor

For the dedicated golf watchers among us, there is something special about this tournament, despite the course leaving a lot to be desired.

There is of course the history of Seve here that will be replayed and retold this week, the views and seemingly most years an enjoyable conclusion.

The man I think will be enjoying the Swiss Alps more than most this week, will be RYAN FOX.

The big hitting Kiwi tapered off a little of late, and The Open wasn't what many of us thought it would be. But Fox has actually played his best golf on tree lined courses this year, and at altitude it will be fun to just watch him pump drivers into oblivion.

As an aside, Fox is coming to Australia for the Aussie PGA and Open later in the year, and if you haven't seen him in person ... do. He may amble around the course in a similar way to our man and regular on course commentator Mark Hayes on a chafey sort of day, but once over the ball, his athleticism is something to marvel at. The less said about Hayes over the ball, the better.

Sportsbet odds: $17

RELATED: Omega European Masters preview

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

Not the strongest field assembled at the game’s most scenic venue but that has been true most weeks in Europe this year yet the golf has, for the most part, been interesting.

Expect that again this week as Frenchman VICTOR PEREZ overcomes a shocking record at the venue (MC, T50 in two starts) and posts his third DP World Tour victory.

Sportsbet odds: $29

Mark Hayes – Man About Golf

JAKE MCLEOD showed me a lot last week. So as we take a stroll through the postcard that is Crans Montana, I expect a few things …

One, that Wilco Nienaber might actually drive a ball 450 yards at this altitude (seriously); two, that you’ll see more scenic shots than golf for large periods of time as the commentary team loses its mind; and three, that McLeod will take the next big step in his career … then do a “shoey” of Quollfrisch in his Sunday night celebration.

Sportsbet odds: $111

LPGA TOUR – CP WOMEN'S OPEN

Brendan James – Golf Australia Editor

Two wins (both in her past five starts) and eight top-10s so far in 2022 is a great season by any measure.

BROOKE HENDERSON will make it even better with a win in front of her Canadian fans and possibly leapfrog Minjee Lee to the top of the Race To CME points table.

Sportsbet odds: $12

JIMMY EMANUEL – Golf Australia Deputy & Digital Editor

She is going to be a little disappointed it has come after the majors, but NELLY KORDA is back in winning form and I think she is about to make a charge to season's end.

The American came back from a huge deficit in Spain last week to run down her sister Jessica and take the trophy, and she will arrive in Canada full of confidence.

Nelly has had an interesting year, but despite her long lay-off she has remained one of the top players in the game. An impressive feat. 

And there is nothing like a win in the sibling rivalry stakes to get things moving in the right direction. Albeit I don't have much personal experience to base this off.

Sportsbet odds: $10

RELATED: CP Women's Open preview

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

Tough to pick a winner in a field strong enough to be a major but the local hope, BROOKE HENDERSON, will get the job done.

It’s essentially a home game for the now two-time major winner who grew up about two hours from the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club and is an honorary member. Could be the most popular win of the year if she gets the job done.

Sportsbet odds: $12

Mark Hayes – Man About Golf

If the Canadian Women’s Open was being played at Tamarack Golf Club in Labrador or Dixon Entrance on Haida Gwaii, BROOKE HENDERSON would be in this up to her CP logo.

But close enough to her home that she could sleep in her own bed this week, you literally cannot pick against her. She grows an extra leg in Canada, but this driven and proud competitor will have the huge crowd that lives for her golf in an absolute frenzy if she gets into contention this week. From there, good luck catching her.

Keep an eye out in the crowd for some Ottawa Senators – Henderson’s favourite hockey team, not some wandering politicians from the nearby capital – out to watch her, because that’s the drawing power she has. These guys are rock stars in this part of the world, but they’re roadies compared to her this week.

Sportsbet odds: $12