Golf betting tips: Farmers Insurance Open
2pts double Cantlay and Theegala at 3/1 (Coral, Ladbrokes)
2pts Jake Knapp to win his three-ball at 19/10 (Sky Bet)
2pts Akshay Bhatia to win his three-ball at 7/5 (BoyleSports)
1pt double Knapp and Bhatia at 11/2 (BoyleSports)
- Prices for selected three-balls also offered by bet365, Betfred and BetVictor
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Knapp to beat Bjork and Ramey
It's been a quiet start to his rookie season but JAKE KNAPP has found comfort at Torrey Pines this week, and he looks by far the best equipped among this trio to tackle the South Course on Friday.
Knapp's strength is his driving and we saw that in round two, as he shot 69 around the tougher, longer course. Ranking 11th off the tee, he was better still with his irons, and a so-so day on and around the greens is all that kept him from being among the very best scorers among his side of the draw.
Still, he was more than three strokes better than average and, playing in his home state of California, he has lots to look forward to today.
This three-ball draw is an excellent one for punters, too. Alex Bjork was the single worst driver on the South Course on Wednesday, very much in keeping with his profile.
Bjork is just about the shortest hitter in the field and while he did very well to shoot 72 given that handicap, his ceiling around a course which is almost 7,800 yards in length really isn't much higher.
Chad Ramey was better than Bjork off the tee but still very poor and again that stacks up. He did OK here in 2022 but all because of his short-game and I don't mind betting against that given the conditions.
Bhatia to beat Dumont de Chassart and Hoge
The formula here is pretty similar: take the Californian big-hitter over the other two.
AKSHAY BHATIA carded an opening 70 at the South Course and will welcome returning there after a lacklustre 71 at the easier North. Bhatia's strong ball-striking better lends itself to a more demanding tee-to-green examination and he was one of the very best in that department on Wednesday.
By contrast, Tom Hoge shot one worse despite being three shots better in the short-game department. Hoge's long-game really struggled and while he has bits and pieces of South Course form, he will absolutely need a return to his precision approach play to score. That's possible but soft conditions are against him.
Adrien Dumont de Chassart has endured the first dip of his career since a blistering start to it last summer and, like Hoge, will lean on his approach play. Bhatia holds the aces off the tee, though, and the overall balance of form suggests he's going to take a bit of beating at a course he's well suited to.
Those seeking further selections could consider Hayden Springer, who is 11/5 with Coral and Ladbrokes. Based on his South Course 67 and the nature of his playing partners that could be a spot of value, but the three-ball is not generally available to bet on.
The same firm offer evens SAHITH THEEGALA which is more than fair and I'd be happy taking on Ben Martin in that group, as well as evens about PATRICK CANTLAY against Adam Schenk and Parker Coody, which makes for an excellent 3/1 double.
Anything upwards of 2/1 seems good value.
Theegala played really well back on the South Course on Thursday having stumbled at the easier North in Wednesday's first round, and Cantlay did the same thing in reverse. Expect their class to tell now things get serious.
Posted at 0910 GMT on 26/01/24
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