Ben Coley's golf betting tips: Zurich Classic of New Orleans preview and best bets

Golf betting tips: Zurich Classic of New Orleans

5pts win Sahith Theegala and Will Zalatoris at 10/1 (General)

2pts e.w. Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor at 40/1 (Coral, Ladbrokes 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6)

1pt e.w. Davis Riley and Nick Hardy at 66/1 (Paddy Power, Betfair 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6)

1pt e.w. K.H. Lee and Michael Kim at 80/1 (Sky Bet 1/4 1,2,3,4,5)

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W̶h̶e̶n̶ t̶h̶e̶y̶ w̶r̶i̶t̶e̶ a̶b̶o̶u̶t̶ g̶o̶l̶f̶ b̶e̶t̶t̶i̶n̶g̶ i̶n̶ t̶h̶e̶ 2̶1̶s̶t̶ c̶e̶n̶t̶u̶r̶y̶

W̶h̶e̶n̶ t̶h̶e̶y̶ d̶o̶ a̶ l̶i̶s̶t̶i̶c̶l̶e̶ a̶b̶o̶u̶t̶ g̶o̶l̶f̶ b̶e̶t̶t̶i̶n̶g̶ i̶n̶ t̶h̶e̶ 2̶1̶s̶t̶

W̶h̶e̶n̶ t̶h̶e̶y̶ c̶r̶e̶a̶t̶e̶ s̶n̶a̶c̶k̶a̶b̶l̶e̶ v̶i̶d̶e̶o̶ c̶o̶n̶t̶e̶n̶t̶ a̶b̶

When the San-Ti get rid of us all and try to learn about golf betting during the years 1997-2024, they'll recognise that golden age, when Tiger Woods was now an occasional winner, when Scottie Scheffler was not yet a prolific one. Those were the days, my friends.

Scheffler will of course play poorly at some stage. In fact he might even be so far below his usual standards that he perhaps finishes, say, ninth, and does not even fill one of those places we've been left fighting for. But for now there's no denying that betting on the PGA Tour presents what feels a lot like a problem without a solution.

If you're unfamiliar with the Netflix series referenced above then I can only apologise for the tenor of this preview, but if you can't be silly during the week of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, when can you be? Eric Cole is in on the joke, electing to play with his caddie's 65-year-old dad just because, and we should be similarly unserious when we can.

To many, that attitude would extend to not having a bet and I don't blame anyone for choosing to ignore this tournament. However, I happen to believe it's a pretty good opportunity and a welcome break from the week-to-week rigour. The field is smaller than the one which assembled for the Masters and includes a similar number of no-hopers. Plus, Scheffler has gone home for the week.

It's equally right to acknowledge that I got last year's renewal wrong, writing: 'I find it quite difficult to imagine any team made up of players yet to win on the PGA Tour doing so together.' Davis Riley and Nick Hardy did just that, capitalising on a twist of fate after Hardy's original partner, Thomas Detry, was asked to team up with another Ryder Cup hopeful in Victor Perez.

Still, in several other ways the pair did make some sense. Both were playing well, both clearly have a touch of class, they play a similar ball and, perhaps crucially, they had proven themselves in the format and at the course before. Riley had been fourth and Hardy's previous appearance, while not quite so fruitful, had offered plenty of encouragement.

Above all else, since Cam Smith and Jonas Blixt won the first edition, there have been very few surprise names in the money. Combine a tricky, Pete Dye-designed TPC Louisiana with two rounds of foursomes, and weaknesses tend to be exposed.

Canadian duo can advertise Presidents Cup credentials

I'll come to the headline selections shortly but first of all I find the best prices about ADAM HADWIN and NICK TAYLOR pretty much unfathomable and they're a bet at bigger than 20s.

Second last year and both PGA Tour winners, the Canadians are a straightforward selection. How anyone could conclude that they've an equal chance to say Doug Ghim and Chan Kim, for all the latter is in-form, I have no idea.

Neither man was a factor last week but it was a Signature Event, let's not forget, and it's been a strong season for both of them on the whole. Taylor won the Phoenix Open, beating Scheffler among others, while Hadwin has three top-10 finishes including one in high-class company.

As well as knowing each other well (they grew up in the same town and used to live together) and having shown what they can do when flying home for second last year, they have the added incentive of advertising their Presidents Cup credentials to Mike Weir, who named his vice captains on Monday.

We have some wider Dye form courtesy of Sawgrass, where Taylor sat second at halfway last month and Hadwin has a past top 10, and Hadwin even managed to finish 13th here when teaming up with Jim Knous a few years ago.

Taylor also has another top 10 in the Zurich Classic, his alongside Martin Laird, and together he and Hadwin make for an excellent duo who between them can make the putts required in four-balls, before hopefully keeping each other out of trouble in foursomes.

Odds of 40/1 from Coral, Ladbrokes, a couple of smaller firms and in one of bet365's reduced places (three) markets have them in amongst inferior teams in an event they can definitely win. General prices of 28-33/1 are absolutely worth taking for those who can't access the best available.

Cases can be made for each of the big three teams at the front of the betting, with Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry perhaps having most to prove given the former is out of sorts and the latter continues to putt poorly, nevertheless clearly capable of striking a winning partnership.

Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay are the benchmark and they're a good bit bigger than when 11/4 favourites last year, but at twice the price I marginally prefer SAHITH THEEGALA and WILL ZALATORIS.

Both have the course form angle covered. Theegala faded late on debut last year when paired with Justin Suh but nevertheless showed promise, and Zalatoris was in the mix alongside his good friend, Riley, when they finished fourth in 2022.

Zalatoris had to skip last year's renewal through injury, which may also have played a part in Riley going on to win, and he's going to be keen to pick up more pairs experience as he awaits his Presidents Cup debut after cruelly missing out on a couple of US teams already.

Theegala will also have eyes on that team and his form throughout 2024 has been excellent, from January's runner-up finish at The Sentry to Monday's runner-up finish in the RBC Heritage. The latter came at another Dye course, and he famously should've won at River Highlands a couple of summers ago.

Key to his improvement has been the driver and he's looking close to the complete package now, with his approach play and putting always having the potential to look deadly. Alongside Zalatoris, that putter in particular could make for a formidable weapon.

Zalatoris was ninth after a fast finish to the Masters and I'm not at all concerned by a quiet week at Harbour Town. It's just not a great course for him and being out of the heat of battle may be no bad thing on balance. While this is another Dye course, it's a much more suitable one.

In an event maybe 15 or 20 teams look realistically good enough to win, double-figure prices about two world-class, incentivised players, both of whom arrive in very good form, look well worth taking. They look clear second best behind the favourites.

Two pairs of brothers also feature towards the top of the market and the Fitzpatricks could improve now Alex has established himself on the DP World Tour, but I was more interested in Detry and Robert MacIntyre than I was those two and the Hojgaard twins, for all that the Danes match up beautifully on paper.

These are both PGA Tour maidens which is a bit of a negative, but I like their potential as a pairing now that MacIntyre has got over some putting problems. Detry's putter has for the most part been excellent this year and it's easy to see these two aggressive players making stacks of birdies in four-balls, a format in which MacIntyre impressed two years ago.

Detry has won the World Cup for Belgium and MacIntyre has played in the Ryder Cup, so they've team golf experience and the latter will see this as a big chance to secure some precious FedEx Cup points from outside the top 100 in the standings.

Hardy boys to play it again

They could really fly, but TPC Louisiana is just enough of a nagging worry. I think it might just find them out during one or both of the foursomes rounds and prefer to back the aforementioned 2023 champions, DAVIS RILEY and NICK HARDY.

Riley's record in the event now reads 4-1, Hardy's 21-1, and they were exceptional during the foursomes last year, proving themselves an excellent combination as some, including DataGolf, felt they were on paper.

It's not quite proven to be the springboard for either of them that many would've anticipated, but both showed enough promise in Texas a couple of starts back to suggest they're capable of putting up a big defence of their title.

Defending champions have a good record in this (MC, 13th, 7th, 21st and 4th) and having a plan you know you can execute is important. It might just allow these two quality young golfers to pick up right where they left off.

Yes, Riley's wider form would be a worry but that's reflected in the price and he's back close to home, where he's comfortable. He's nothing if not volatile and with Hardy having played some solid golf without much reward this season, they have the upside I simply don't see in many teams around them in the market.

Riley still makes stacks of birdies and if he can tighten up off the tee, they look very dangerous at similar odds to last year.

At big prices, Adrien Dumont de Chassart and Jimmy Stanger could surprise a few and the Coody twins are exciting but this is not really an event for the rookies, so I'll sign off with K.H. LEE and MICHAEL KIM.

Both are PGA Tour winners and Lee's form in this event is highly encouraging, as he was third with Matt Every in 2019, then 23rd with Kyle Stanley when last he played in it. To say both were weak partners on paper would be something of an understatement, even if they were playing better back then.

He has a couple of recent top-10 finishes in Florida, too, and in general looks to be playing well enough to contend in this granted the right partner.

Kim could be exactly that after he took a step forward to be 14th last week. He too has form at Louisiana, finishing 19th with Seung-yul Noh last year, 28th with Brandon Hagy in 2021, and 15th with Andrew Putnam in 2018, when the pair led at halfway.

Lee would certainly be the best partner he's had since Putnam and his own game is in better shape now. The fact that both play the ProV1x is another boost and could give them a nice advantage over several teams, including McIlroy and Lowry, during two rounds of foursomes.

Putnam would've been a nice option again but he's in with a rookie in Joe Highsmith, whereas Lee and Kim have proven class which can help reward each-way backers at 80/1 in a place.

Posted at 1000 BST on 23/04/24

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