Confident Leishman set to bolster strong Four Seasons record

AT&T Byron Nelson viewers can feast on some top-class threeballs, with world number one Dustin Johnson, former top dog Jason Day and Masters champion Sergio Garcia all teeing off just before 7pm UK and Ireland time.

Johnson is alongside Players Championship runner-up Louis Oosthuizen and Cody Gribble, while Day and Garcia join Ryder Cup star Patrick Reed. Whether Day can put on any kind of show for the galleries is open to question after the way he finished at Sawgrass on Sunday.

Day is a short-price favourite for top Australian honours in the Byron Nelson, but he closed with an abysmal round of 80 to finish seven over par in the Players.

Motivation was not an issue – he was keen to impress in a high-profile twoball alongside Rory McIlroy – but Day's golf game deserted him. It has been a season of struggle which may continue in Texas this week, and Marc Leishman is much preferred in the top Oz market.

Leishman is a proven Byron Nelson performer, who finished eighth on his TPC Four Seasons debut in 2009, 12th in both 2010 and 2013, and third in both 2012 and 2014. His missed cut last year can be forgiven because he was adjusting to new equipment.

Confidence is high after his victory in the Arnold Palmer Invitational in the middle of March and if Leishman can outscore Day at Four Seasons, this bet has a terrific chance of landing.

Rodney Pampling, Matt Jones, Cameron Percy, Geoff Ogilvy, Stuart Appleby, Brett Drewitt, Greg Chalmers, Steven Bowditch and Stuart Deane complete the section.

There is an unusual amount of value in the threeballs on the US Tour this week. Ryan Palmer, Ollie Schniederjans, Ryan Moore and Seung Yul Noh are recommended day-one investments.

Palmer, who is typically more effective at the start of a tournament than at the end, is a proud Texan who loves performing in his home state and was runner-up in the 2011 Byron Nelson.

Recent putting improvements make Palmer a strong favourite against Percy and Shane Bertsch in the 6.20pm contest.

Schniederjans (2.30pm group) has come of age this season, finishing sixth in the RSM Classic, ninth at Torrey Pines, eighth at Riviera and third in the Heritage.

Harris English carded rounds of 84 and 76 to miss the Sawgrass cut by 14 shots, his eighth weekend off of the season, while Charlie Beljan has made just one of his last 17 cuts.

JB Holmes, who collapsed to an 84 at Sawgrass on Sunday, could combine in awful fashion with playing partner Steven Bowditch in an exhibition of wayward driving (6.40pm).

Ryan Moore should have their measure, while Seung yul Noh has shown encouraging signs of life in recent weeks and can account for Michael Kim and Angel Cabrera (2.20pm).

Recommendations
M Leishman top Australian
2pts 7-2 Paddy Power
R Palmer to win threeball
2pts 8-11 Betfred
O Schniederjans to win threeball
2pts 5-6 general
R Moore to win threeball
2pts 6-5 general
S Y Noh to win threeball
1pt 13-8 Betfair, Power