3M Open: Free match tips, betting preview and when to watch

TV: Sky Sports Golf, 12.45pm Thursday

A new tournament on the PGA Tour schedule presents punters with a few conundrums but Phil Mickelson's form struggles will not have gone unnoticed by ardent golf.

Lefty claimed the Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February but has received scant rewards for his efforts since - 18th at The Masters has been his best performance since that success and a second-round 76 left him four short of the cut when he was last in action at the Travelers Championship.

In this sort of form it is difficult to see him making much of an impression at TPC Twin Cities even though it doesn't look to be the toughest of tests.

Mickelson is ranked 114th in greens in regulation and will feel he needs to get something going with The Open only two weeks away, especially as this year he has decided to swerve the Scottish Open as preparation for his Claret Jug tilt.

His effort this week could be eclipsed by Scott Piercy, who has climbed 94 places in the world rankings since the turn of the year.

He finished 52nd at the US Open but his opening round of 67 was a highlight - his challenge faded with a closing 77 - and he has posted a couple of decent finishes in the last couple of months with third spot at The Heritage and second at the Byron Nelson.

Piercy is ranked 16th in GIR and the three-time PGA Tour has the ability to flourish at the new venue.

Take a chance on the improving Keegan Bradley to get the better of Tony Finau.

Bradley won the US PGA in 2011 but then had a period in the wilderness as he got to grips with the anchored-putting restrictions.

The New Englander was always a solid ball-striker and he looks to have got his act together on the greens as well. He was ranked top in stroke-gained putting when he finished second at the Travelers Championship in his last tournament.

That was his first top-ten finish since the WGC Mexico Championship in February but provided evidence that his game is in a good place and he should be long and accurate enough to have another successful week.

Apart from his second-place finish at the Charles Schwab Challenge, Finau has made little impression since he was tied for fifth at The Masters and he has missed the cut in each of his last three tournaments.

He was four shots off the mark at the Travelers and his huge distance off the tee may not prove a massive benefit on the Minnesota track.

Recommendations
S Piercy to beat P Mickelson
2pts 5-6 bet365
K Bradley to beat T Finau
2pts 10-11 Betway

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