Betting preview and tips for round two of the Phoenix Open at Scottsdale

Sky Sports Golf from 2.30pm Friday

Harris English will be disappointed with his opening one-over-par 72 at Scottsdale on Thursday but there looks to be scope for him to improve in the second round.

The lanky Georgian was ticking along nicely at two under through 14 holes when he met disaster at the par-five next, carding a double-bogey seven having found the water.

While his first priority will be to ensure he makes the weekend, which he failed to do last year, the 29-year-old, who finished third in the tournament in 2016, should be able to come out on top of a threeball that includes Canadian David Hearn and Danny Lee.

Hearn enjoyed the far better first round of the trio with a four-under-par 67 and impressed with his putting in a round that included a double bogey on the 12th.

However, his effort was in marked contrast to some of his recent outings. Hearn finished 15th at the RSM Classic in November but started 2019 by missing the cut at both the Sony Open and the Desert Classic.

He has bettered 58th place at Scottsdale just once in six goes - he has missed the cut on each of his last three visits and it would be no surprise if his challenge fell away.

Lee meanwhile finished third at the venue three years ago, but he has missed the cut twice since and never got going on Thursday after starting his round with two bogeys.

Rickie Fowler tore the course up with a seven-under-par 64, but the form of his playing partner Matt Kuchar should not be ignored.

Kuchar finished on four under after a first half of 32 and his game is clearly in the groove three weeks after he carded a four-shot Hawaiian success at the Sony Open.

He was fifth at Scottsdale and ninth in 2017, so it looks as if he has laid the foundations for another bold challenge.

At the prices, he looks a good value bet to get the better of Fowler and Tony Finau, who will have been disappointed with his first-round 72 and has failed to make the cut in his last three appearances in this tournament.

Recommendations
H English to win threeball6.55pm
2pts 7-4 Betfair, Paddy Power
M Kuchar to win threeball7.15pm
2pts 21-10 188Bet

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