PGA TOUR – FORTINET CHAMPIONSHIP

Brendan James – Golf Australia Editor

If we can be thankful for just one thing LIV Golf has provided it is change. The cogs of the PGA Tour machine turn slowly and so it is that we greet the first event of the LAST ever Fall Series of a PGA Tour wraparound schedule – the same schedule that put smaller Tours like the Australasian Tour to the sword.

The venue this week demands hitting lots of fairways and greens, which puts Canadian COREY CONNERS (second on Tour in greens in regulation last season) right in the frame.

Sportsbet odds: $19

JIMMY EMANUEL – Golf Australia Deputy & Digital Editor

Despite the fact that the break between the Tour Championship and this event makes a joke of the concept of an off-season, the Fortinet Championship has a habit of delivering some entertaining golf. And good winners.

Although Max Homa’s form and comfort here are good indicators, the humorous has been doing a bit of celebrating in his break and I think is here to do the right thing as a defending champ and to sharpen his game ahead of the Presidents Cup.

With that in mind I am looking elsewhere, and Sahith Theegala is my man in Napa.

The Rookie of the Year has to win soon on the PGA Tour, and this is the sort of week that will suit this rising star of the game.

Sportsbet odds: $25

RELATED: Fortinet Championship preview

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

A nice relaxed start to the season in California wine country is right up the alley of the laid back MAX HOMA.

He’s golf’s coolest kid on social media but he’s also a really good and improving player. In what is a relatively weak field he should fancy his chances to get off to a perfect start to what promises to be — off course at least —one of the most interesting golf seasons in memory.

Sportsbet odds: $15

Mark Hayes – Man About Golf

I will not be tipping the “Fall Series” in protest of the Fall Series. Thankfully, most of you won’t notice the difference.

Sportsbet odds: N/A.

LIV GOLF INVITATIONAL CHICAGO

Brendan James – Golf Australia Editor

He went close in Boston but CAM SMITH will reign supreme in Chicago, which will drag his Aussie team mates (Marc Leishman, Matt Jones and Wade Ormsby) across the line to take the team win as well.

Sportsbet odds: $6

JIMMY EMANUEL – Golf Australia Deputy & Digital Editor

I’ll be honest, when I sat down to write these tips I was still a little flabbergasted by Mark Hayes taking the Jerry Seinfeld “I choose not to run” approach to the PGA Tour when I got to this event.

But my dear colleague and regular bully has inspired me to take inspiration from one of the great TV shows in history, and like Cosmo Kramer standout from the crowd and be a little different to everyone else here picking the same player.

Sure Cam will play well and go close, but I am sticking with my man Joaquin Niemann from Boston, who very nearly made it one from one in his LIV career.

The Chilean has a few million reasons to be comforted by his decision to skip out on the Presidents Cup, but he strikes as the sort of player that will want to make some on course noise before the biennial event.

I'm out there Haysey and I am loving every minute of it!

Sportsbet odds: $8.50

RELATED: LIV Golf Chicago preview

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

CAM SMITH still stands out in the this class for mine and after a close call in his first event in Boston he will remedy that this week in Chicago.

He still has a bit of something to prove after making the jump from the PGA Tour and that proof will come this week.

Sportsbet odds: $6

Mark Hayes – Man About Golf

I was devouring the latest golf news today when I saw a story heralding Shane Lowry’s win at Wentworth as karma for the good guys after the Queen’s passing. It got me wondering, what else could possibly happen this week should the golf gods be sending out just deserts?

And then I saw it!

No doubt to the disgust of my karma-belying colleague Rod Morri, serial rules libertarian Patrick Reed’s defamation case against Brandel Chamblee, I learnt, would be heard by Federal Court judge Alfred H. Bennett. His honour, a member at the Golf Club of Houston, is reportedly an absolute stickler for the rules of golf, a book of which he carries in his golf bag and that he’s “not afraid to break it out in the name of fair decisions”, according to golf.com.

So to take this sequence to its “karmatic” conclusion, Reed will lead CAM SMITH by six with three to play, he’ll bogey in and the Aussie will go birdie, birdie and chip-in eagle on the last to redress his 2019 scalding for nothing more than telling the truth.

Sportsbet odds: $6

DP WORLD TOUR – DS AUTOMOBILES ITALIAN OPEN

Brendan James – Golf Australia Editor

Hard to tip against RORY MCILROY, who is chasing his third victory in 2022 and appears to be in terrific touch.

He’s lining up in his 18th tournament of the year and, beyond the two wins thus far, he has finished in the top-10 a further nine times.

Surprisingly, this is Rory’s first start in the Italian Open, but he will be keen to do well on the course that will host the Ryder Cup next year, in which he will be pivotal to any European success.

Sportsbet odds: $4.50

JIMMY EMANUEL – Golf Australia Deputy & Digital Editor

An expansive reason for this tip seems redundant, but I will give some brief points in any case for RORY MCILROY.

Went inches from winning, or at least a play-off last week, is in outrageous form, loving playing good and verballing LIV and Ryder Cup host venue and all that.

Rory will slow later this year in my opinion, but not just yet.

Sportsbet odds: $4.50

RELATED: Italian Open preview

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

It’s hard to look past Rory as he’s been playing some fabulous golf recently though at some point he has to tire and I’m tipping that will be this week.

It also opens the door for the feel good story of the year, FRANCESCO MOLINARI to win his national Open for a second time and put to bed two horror years of form.

Sportsbet odds: $22

Mark Hayes – Man About Golf

I’ll stay on the karma theme and ride home LUCAS HERBERT for another national Open championship in Europe.

The poor bugger would never criticise publicly what just happened in terms of Presidents Cup selections, but inwardly he must be hurting. Against a proper field, this is a great chance to make a statement and he makes a habit of them when he needs to.

Sportsbet odds: $46

LPGA TOUR – AMAZINGCRE PORTLAND CLASSIC

Brendan James – Golf Australia Editor

I’m not expecting SU OH to win this week but I would love it if she made the cut and bobbed up on the leaderboard at the pointy end of the event.

She’s had a horror run of form since June, missing seven consecutive cuts in as many starts. Confidence is key for Oh and if she can start with a sub-par round, even one-under, that will hopefully help to turn her fortunes.

Sportsbet odds: $126

JIMMY EMANUEL – Golf Australia Deputy & Digital Editor

After watching her at home, I expected HANNAH GREEN to have added another LPGA Tour win to the resume by this point of the year, but alas the odd average round per tournament continues to bob up and cruel her chances.

But returning to a venue she has won before will do the trick and Greeny will be taking the large trophy home with her. The one caveat to that is Brooke Henderson, who loves this joint and is in great form, however, she’s won plenty, time for someone else to have a turn.

Sportsbet odds: $17

RELATED: Portland Classic preview

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

In the ‘horse for courses’ category it’s hard to go past YEALIMI NOH this week in Portland.

She’s played the course twice for one runner-up and one T3, the runner-up coming the year Hannah Green lifted the silverware.

Noh was a first year professional with no status at the time and Monday qualified into the event so it would be hard to imagine anything but good vibes for her ahead of Thursday’s starting time.

Sportsbet odds: $51

Mark Hayes – Man About Golf

Nobody never accused me of not being biased towards Aussie golfers, so I’m all about HANNAH GREEN this week in the City of Roses and under-achieving basketball teams.

Green was immense here for seven and a half rounds in a row from 2019 and will immediately feel at home when she reaches the green surrounds of Columbia Edgewater.

Expect her to be close again and she’ll only need a hint of luck on Sunday to pick up a second Oregon title.

Sportsbet odds: $17

2022 RESULTS

So far, our so-called experts have combined to tip 21 winners in 2022, with 163 of their picks recording top-10 finishes that week and a best return of $29 for Joohyung Kim to win the Wyndham Championship (tipped by Rod Morri).