Steve Palmer's Phoenix Open predictions & free golf betting tips plus bet £10 and get a £30 free bet with Kwiff

When to bet on the Phoenix Open

By 2.15pm on Thursday

It's also worth noting that Kwiff are offering a £30 free bet when new customers bet £10 on golf 

Where can I watch the Phoenix Open

Live on Sky Sports Golf from 3.30pm on Thursday

Steve Palmer's Phoenix Open predictions

Scottie Scheffler
8pts each-way 9-2 Coral, Ladbrokes

Wyndham Clark
2pts each-way 33-1 Betfair, Hills, Paddy Power

New customers can get a £30 free bet when they bet on the Phoenix Open with Kwiff

Steve Palmer's Phoenix Open preview

Viktor Hovland and Xander Schauffele have opted to skip the Phoenix Open, saving themselves for next week's Genesis Invitational, so the top of the market for the Scottsdale shootout is dominated by Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas, Max Homa, Jordan Spieth and Sam Burns.

Thomas is clearly getting back to his best and has contended in Phoenix before, but he is winless since May 2022 and late nerves seem inevitable when a chance comes to end the most difficult period of his career.

Homa has been disappointing over the previous fortnight in home-state events which suit him better than this one. His 73 at Spyglass Hill last Friday was miserable – the Californian was holing nothing – and 66th place in the Pebble Beach Pro-Am was an alarming result.

The fitness and form of Spieth comes with no guarantee these days, while Burns blew a golden winning opportunity in The American Express last month, closing with back-to-back double-bogeys, making him difficult to trust in front of the biggest galleries in golf this week.

Steve Palmer's top tip

Scottie Scheffler 9-2

An each-way bet on Scottie Scheffler for the Phoenix Open appears one of the most solid investments a golf punter could place. Two bookmakers are offering each-way terms of a fifth the odds for the first ten places, and it is difficult to imagine the ultra-consistent world number one failing to feature on the Scottsdale leaderboard.

Greens in regulation has always been the key to success at TPC Scottsdale and Scheffler's greens-in-regulation statistics are incredible. Nobody apart from Tiger Woods in the 2006 season has hit the ball better on the PGA Tour than Scheffler did last term. 

Scheffler was the most consistent ball-striker on the PGA Tour in the previous two seasons. He topped the greens-in-regulation statistics in the 2021-22 campaign with 72.29 per cent, then again last term with 74.43 per cent. Through three events played this year, the Texas-based superstar boasts a greens-in-regulation percentage of 90.48. He has played 126 holes that were being statistically measured by the Tour this year and hit 114 greens in regulation.

Scheffler finished sixth in the Pebble Beach Pro-Am last week on his tournament debut. He had never played Spyglass Hill before. This week, in contrast, he goes to a venue where his three-year form figures are 7-1-1 and he is gunning for an historic Phoenix hat-trick.

This cool customer won last year's Phoenix Open when it was a designated event featuring all the world's best players. This week's field is poor in comparison and the tournament seems at the mercy of the two-time defending champion.

Scheffler, who typically putts extremely well at Scottsdale, has grown in confidence on the greens thanks to work with renowned putting coach Phil Kenyon. Since Thomas last claimed a title, Scheffler has won the Phoenix Open, the Players Championship and the Hero World Challenge, and would be strong favourite if they are battling down the stretch on Sunday.

Next best bet

Wyndham Clark 33-1

US Open champion Wyndham Clark won the weather-shortened Pebble Beach Pro-Am last week without going through the usual mental strain that comes with golfing success. He banked a $3.6 million cheque despite avoiding the rigours of a final-round battle.

Fresh for the Phoenix fight, Clark could turn out as the biggest threat to Scheffler. This is a home game for Clark, who lives in Scottsdale, and he has never teed up in his home-city event carrying more self-belief.

Clark was a PGA Tour maiden the last time he teed up in the Phoenix Open and he was ranked 151st in the world. A tenth-place finish was a decent effort from a talented player who struggled to convert winning opportunities.

This week, Clark has arrived as a two-time PGA Tour winner, a Major champion, and with one-and-a-half Ryder Cup points under his belt. The cocksure 30-year-old is a completely different player to the one who has previously appeared at TPC Scottsdale.

If Scheffler's three-peat attempt goes wrong, Clark could be the man to take advantage. He has turned down LIV Golf, committing fully to the PGA Tour, and could be rewarded with back-to-back victories. Saturday's sensational Pebble Beach round of 60 was the culmination of a gradual return to top form.

Course guide for the Phoenix Open

• Course Stadium Course, TPC Scottsdale, Scottsdale, Arizona
• Prize money $8.8m ($1.584m to the winner)
• Length 7,261 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) Scottie Scheffler (1), Wyndham Clark (6), Max Homa (8), Matthew Fitzpatrick (9), Brian Harman (10)
• Course records - 72 holes 256 Mark Calcavecchia (2001), Phil Mickelson (2013) 18 holes 60 Grant Waite (1996), Mark Calcavecchia (2001), Phil Mickelson (2005 and 2013)
• Course winners taking part JB Holmes (twice), Aaron Baddeley, Kevin Stadler, Hideki Matsuyama (twice), Gary Woodland, Rickie Fowler, Scottie Scheffler (twice)
• When to bet By 2.15pm on Thursday
• When to watch Live on Sky Sports Golf from 3.30pm on Thursday
• Time difference Arizona is seven hours behind the UK and Ireland
• Last week – Pebble Beach Pro-Am 1 W Clark (70-1), 2 L Aberg (28-1), 3 M Pavon (90-1), T4 M Hubbard (200-1), T Detry (125-1), T6 J Day (40-1), T Hoge (110-1), J Thomas (25-1), S Scheffler (8-1)
• Course type Desert
• Course overview The course has been used for this event since 1987. A score in the high teens under par is usually needed for victory. The galleries are a test for the competitors, with more than 200,000 fans normally crammed into the course for the Friday and Saturday
• The story of last year Scottie Scheffler successfully defended his title, defeating Nick Taylor by two shots, setting up the chance of a 2024 Phoenix hat-trick
• Weather forecast Pre-tournament rain has softened the track. Cool, calm conditions are expected throughout the tournament, with temperatures between 7C and 17C
• Type of player suited to the challenge Scottsdale is traditionally conquered by players who churn out greens in regulation for four days
• Key attribute Power

Steve Palmer's Phoenix Open key stat

Seven of the last eight Phoenix Open champions were inside the top 20 of the world rankings at the time of their victory

Get a £30 free bet with Kwiff when you bet on the Phoenix Open

We’ve already mentioned that Kwiff are offering a £30 free bet when you bet £10 on golf.

You can follow these simple steps to grab a £30 free bet with Kwiff – it's fast, secure and straightforward.

1. Head over to Kwiff through this link
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4. Kwiff will issue you with a £30 Surprise Bet within 48 hours of placing the qualifying bet

Kwiff golf Phoenix Open betting sign-up offer: terms and conditions

It's worth taking a few minutes to read through the terms and conditions associated with the new golf betting sign-up offer before signing up. Doing so will help you get a better grasp of this Kwiff free bets offer and what's expected of you as a new customer.

• The Promotion is only valid to new customers
• Participant must deposit and place a £10 bet as their first bet on any market (excluding each way) in the sportsbook with odds greater than or equal to 1.50
• Only original odds count toward the promotion. Supercharged odds do not count towards the promotion.
• An accumulation of smaller stakes will not count.
• Cashed out bets do not count towards this promotion.
• Only available once per customer.
• Rewards will be credited to qualifying participants within 48 hours after placing the qualifying bet.
• Potential winnings from the Surprise Bet are paid in withdrawable cash, excluding the stake.
• This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.
• Visit Kwiff for additional T&Cs
• Gamble responsibly
• For more info visit www.begambleaware.org

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