Steve Palmer's Myrtle Beach Classic predictions & free golf betting tips: Van Rooyen should fall in love with new PGA Tour venue

When to bet on the Myrtle Beach Classic

By 11.50am on Thursday

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Steve Palmer's Myrtle Beach Classic predictions

Erik van Rooyen
3pts each-way 28-1 Hills

Davis Thompson
2.5pts each-way 30-1 Hills

Adrien Dumont de Chassart
1pt each-way 100-1 BoyleSports

Nico Echavarria
1pt each-way 80-1 BoyleSports

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Steve Palmer's Myrtle Beach Classic preview

The inaugural Myrtle Beach Classic is being played at an attractive venue and the weekend forecast is excellent, so it is no wonder a few members of the world's top 100 are teeing up in the event while the elite are at Quail Hollow.

Steve Palmer's top tip

Erik van Rooyen 28-1

The most appealing option for the Dunes Club is Erik van Rooyen, who should fall in love with this assignment. The South African relishes coastal tracks and could become the boss of Myrtle Beach this week.

Congaree, which hosted the one-off Palmetto Championship on the PGA Tour in June 2021, is arguably the most similar layout to this one we have seen on the circuit. That was a long par-71 in South Carolina. Van Rooyen, despite arriving off the back of four consecutive missed cuts, finished tenth at Congaree to kickstart his season.

Van Rooyen has also finished tenth in the RBC Heritage – another PGA Tour event in South Carolina – and he is more confident than ever at the age of 34. He has won twice on the PGA Tour, most recently by the beach in Mexico in last year's World Wide Technology Championship.

Van Rooyen was second in the Cognizant Classic in March, 33rd in the Heritage Signature event last time out, and can flourish in weak company this week.

Next best bet

Davis Thompson 30-1

The main threat to Van Rooyen may come from Davis Thompson – a Georgia lad who is ultra-comfortable in the Deep South. The Dunes looks an ideal venue for Thompson to go close to a maiden PGA Tour title.

The former world number one amateur won on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2022 – a victory which came in North Carolina. Given how generally solid Thompson has been this season, a first PGA Tour triumph may come in South Carolina on Sunday.

Other selections

Adrien Dumont de Chassart 100-1
Nico Echavarria 80-1

The best value runner in the field is arguably Adrien Dumont de Chassart – a Florida-based 24-year-old Belgian who is bursting with power and potential. He won on the Korn Ferry Tour last June and that victory came in South Carolina.

Dumont de Chassart found the Korn Ferry Tour a doddle, earning quickfire promotion, and his PGA Tour career should soon take off. Sixth place in the Puerto Rico Open in March was encouraging and there has been plenty to like in his last three appearances – 23rd spot in the Corales Puntacana, a missed cut by a shot alongside Jimmy Stanger in the Zurich Classic pairs event, then four rounds in the 60s for 30th place in the Byron Nelson.

Nico Echavarria has been similarly impressive. He was 14th in the Corales Puntacana, a brilliant fourth in the Zurich Classic playing alongside Max Greyserman, then 24th in the Byron Nelson with four rounds in the 60s.

Echavarria won his maiden PGA Tour title in the Puerto Rico Open last year and this swashbuckling 29-year-old Colombian, a fantastic putter, will be sensing another golden opportunity.

Course guide for the Myrtle Beach Classic

• Course The Dunes Golf and Beach Club, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
• Prize money $4m ($720,000 to the winner)
• Length 7,347 yards
• Par 71 – three par-fives; 11 par-fours; four par-threes
• Field 132 The cut Top 65 and ties qualify for round three
• Highest-ranked players in field (world ranking in brackets) Ryan Fox (61), Erik van Rooyen (66), Thorbjorn Olesen (75), Robert MacIntyre (84), Matt Wallace (85)
• When to bet By 11.50am on Thursday
• Time difference South Carolina is five hours behind the UK and Ireland
• Course type Parkland
• Course overview The largely tree-lined Robert Jones Senior designed Dunes Club is making its PGA Tour debut. It runs alongside Lake Singleton and water comes into play on most holes. The average winning total in the six editions of the Champions Tour event staged there (Senior Tour Championship, 1994 through 1999) was 12 under par
• Weather forecast Breezy and thundery for the first two days, before a sunny, calm weekend
• Type of player suited to the challenge Generous fairways and wide greens should result in low scoring, particularly over the weekend, so expect an attacking powerhouse to prevail
• Key attribute Power

Read more

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