Aaron Wise supporters could be set for Las Vegas windfall

Starts 4pm Thursday
Live on Sky Sports from 8.30pm

Tony Finau had a 14-hour flight from Shanghai to Las Vegas to mull over how he let a three-shot final-round lead slip in the WGC-HSBC Champions, and the 2016 Puerto Rico Open remains his only US Tour title.

Finau is one of an unappealing set of market-leaders in the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. Jordan Spieth, who failed to meet his obligations to the US Tour by playing in fewer than 25 events last year, has added the Shriners to his schedule to atone for that violation. Spieth is winless since the 2017 Open and has been inactive since taking a Sunday beating at the Ryder Cup.

Rickie Fowler and Bryson DeChambeau, like teammate Spieth, lost their singles match in Paris and have not been sighted since.

Palmer's top tip
Aaron Wise 25-1

There are plenty of chinks in the armour of those at the top of the Shriners betting and an improving youngster with the world at his feet is preferred as the best option in sunny Las Vegas.

Aaron Wise has quickly established himself as one of the most promising players on the planet, starring at college in 2016 before winning on the Web.com Tour in 2017, then romping to a three-shot maiden US Tour triumph in the AT&T Byron Nelson five months ago.

Blessed with power, touch, and bundles of bottle, Wise ended last season strongly with sixth place in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, fifth in The Northern Trust, 16th in the BMW Championship and 15th in the Tour Championship, before taking a month off.

The sweet-swinging 22-year-old is chomping at the bit for a return to action and what better place to get a new campaign started than TPC Summerlin? The course is perfect for his style of play and Wise possesses all the tools to reach the low score which will surely be required for victory in perfect weather this week.

Wise lives in Las Vegas and TPC Summerlin, where his coach is based, is a course on which he practises regularly. Several rounds will inevitably have been played at the track between the end of the Tour Championship and the start of the Shriners, meaning Wise can hit the ground running.

Whatever he lacks in tournament sharpness, he more than makes up for with course knowledge. As a fresh-faced pro two years ago, Wise finished tenth at Summerlin on a sponsors invite. He has risen 570 places in the world rankings since.

Next best
Scott Piercy 55-1

Another Las Vegas resident can chase Wise home. Scott Piercy, born, bred and based in the gambling capital of the world, is a proven desert rat, having won his maiden US Tour title in the 2011 Reno-Tahoe Open in the same state.

Piercy's bright form in the CJ Cup last time out – where he finished fifth – suggests his solid Shriners results of 14-28-10-6-MC-7-25-24-32 will have another positive figure added. Piercy turns 40 next week and could give himself a dream birthday present with a home-town triumph on a course which suits.

Other selections
Sam Burns 66-1
Beau Hossler 40-1
Cameron Champ 33-1

Complete your staking plan with three power-packed young guns who should be winning multiple US Tour titles over the next two decades. Sam Burns, a 22-year-old Web.com Tour graduate, won the Savannah Championship on that circuit with a 21-under-par total. Something similar will be required this week and Burns, who closed with a 67 for 20th place last year in just his second US Tour start as a pro, finished third in the Sanderson Farms on Sunday to suggest he is ready.

Beau Hossler, seventh in the Shriners last year and twice a US Tour runner-up as a rookie last season, seems a likely Vegas title contender, while back-to-back victories could easily be within the compass of Cameron Champ. A cracked driver just before the final round of the Sanderson Farms was not enough to derail Champ last Sunday – he went five under par for the final six holes to win by four – and this hugely impressive beast has future world number one written all over him.

Others to note
Chesson Hadley
The four-time Web winner has twice placed in the Shriners, including last year, and he finished second in the CIMB Classic in the middle of this month.

Denny McCarthy
This sharp putter won the Web.com Tour Championship a month ago and finished seventh in the Sanderson Farms on Sunday.

Patrick Rodgers
The former world number one amateur has started his new campaign with results of 25-14. Further progress is possible as he chases that elusive maiden success.

Cameron Davis
The Aussie four-putted from 28 feet at the second hole of the Sanderson Farms, an early gutbuster from which he never fully recovered. Full of talent, but extremely raw.

Staking plan
A Wise
2.5pts each-way 25-1 Sky Bet
S Piercy
1.5pts each-way 55-1 bet365
S Burns
1.5pts each-way 66-1 Betway
B Hossler
1.5pts each-way 40-1 Coral, Sky Bet
C Champ
1.5pts each-way 33-1 general

The lowdown

Course TPC Summerlin, Las Vegas, Nevada

Prize money $7m ($1.224m to the winner)

Length 7,255 yards

Par 71

Field 132

Course records – 72 holes 260 Ryan Moore (2012), Webb Simpson (2013) 18 holes 60 JJ Henry (2013), Rod Pampling (2016)

Course winners taking part Davis Love, Jim Furyk (three times), Martin Laird, Kevin Na, Ryan Moore, Webb Simpson, Rod Pampling, Patrick Cantlay

When to bet By 4pm Thursday

Where to watch Live on Sky Sports from 8.30pm Thursday

Time difference Las Vegas is seven hours behind the UK and Ireland

Last week – Sanderson Farms Championship 1 C Champ (66-1), 2 C Conners (150-1), T3 C Ortiz (175-1), S Burns (100-1), T5 R Castro (110-1), A Albertson (80-1)

Course overview The TPC Summerlin has been part of this event since 1992, but the tournament used to be played over several different tracks. Until 2004, it was a five-round affair which was called the Las Vegas Invitational and the Invensys Classic.

Then, under the titles of the Michelin Championship (2004-05), the Frys.com Open (2006-07) and the Justin Timberlake Open (2008-12), it became a four-round, 72-hole event.

The pop star is no longer the title sponsor. Prior to 2008, other courses were used in tandem with Summerlin, but after Timberlake became tournament host it has been staged exclusively at Summerlin.

It is an easy course for professionals and traditionally serves up a birdie-fest – the winning score was between 16 and 25 under par for nine years from 2008 to 2016 – but nine under par was the best score in a windy edition last year.

The three par-fives (the ninth, 13th and 16th) are straightforward and the 341-yard par-four 15th is driveable. The eighth, a 239-yard par-three, is by far the toughest hole

Story of last year Patrick Cantlay landed a maiden US Tour title, defeating Alex Cejka and Whee Kim in a three-man playoff

Weather forecast Sunny and warm, with light breezes, so scores should be low

Type of player suited to challenge Anyone arriving at Summerlin with a cold putter will struggle to stay the pace. Every hole bar the eighth is a solid birdie opportunity and converting putts is the key to success

Key attribute Touch

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