Racing Post's LIV Golf Valderrama first-round preview and free golf betting tips

Where to watch LIV Golf Valderrama

Live on LIV Golf Plus app from 12.15pm on Friday

Best bets

Sergio Garcia first-round leader
1pt each-way 18-1 Coral, Ladbrokes

Branden Grace top South African
2pts 2-1 bet365

LIV Golf Valderrama first-round preview

LIV Golf heads to iconic Valderrama in Andalucia, Spain, this weekend and course specialist Sergio Garcia looks ripe for a first-round leader bet in his homeland.

Garcia, the best outright bet of Racing Post Sport's Steve Palmer, is a three-time Valderrama champion, claiming the DP World Tour's Andalucia Masters in 2011, 2017 and 2018 as part of 14 top-ten finishes from 15 starts at the course.

Tight, tree-lined Valderrama is a quirky layout where course knowledge is almost essential and Garcia boasts that in spades, particularly compared to many of his main LIV rivals who cut their teeth on wide-open US courses.

The 43-year-old seems in a good place mentally - he talked on Wednesday about burying the hatchet with Ryder Cup teammate Rory McIlroy - and he has come out firing in LIV events already this season, averaging 3.5-under-par for his last four opening rounds.

The top South African market is an interesting four-runner heat and Branden Grace looks the right favourite having finished third and second in the last two LIV Golf events in Tulsa and Washington DC.

Valderrama poses a different test but Grace has won titles at tree-lined venues such as Harbour Town and he has arrived in Spain in decent form.

Louis Oosthuizen was seventh in DC but his LIV results have been underwhelming and his fitness is always a question. Dean Burmester's driving could prove too erratic for Valderrama and Charl Schwartzel has finished 21st or worse in six of seven LIV events this season.

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