Steve Palmer's Indian Open predictions and free golf betting tips

When to bet

By 1.30am on Thursday morning

Where to watch

Live on Sky Sports Golf from 7.30am on Thursday

Best bets

Shubhankar Sharma
2.5pts each-way 28-1 Betfair, Power

Pablo Larrazabal
2.5pts each-way 28-1 Betfair, Coral, Ladbrokes, Power

Jeunghun Wang
2.5pts each-way 22-1 Betfair, Power

Jens Fahrbring
0.5pt each-way 250-1 bet365

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Thorbjorn Olesen is seeking back-to-back DP World Tour success, looking to follow up his cosy Thailand Classic victory with another one in the Indian Open.

Olesen, a naturally aggressive player, could attack Amata Spring last week, but the Indian Open is a contrasting assignment and the Dane can be overlooked at short odds. The same applies to Nicolai Hojgaard, who is making his first visit to India.

Steve Palmer's top tip

Shubhankar Sharma 28-1

The course-record holder at the Signature Course is Shubhankar Sharma, who signed for a second-round 64 in the 2018 Indian Open. He turned up for that event exhausted, having contended in the WGC-Mexico Championship the previous week, and slumped to five over par through nine holes before launching an incredible comeback.

Sharma finished the event in seventh place, drawing on his local knowledge – he was affiliated to the DLF Club and the course was his practice base for many years. Knowing where to miss greens is crucial to success on this dangerous track – and Sharma is best equipped for the challenge.

The two-time DP World Tour champion, a six-time winner on the Indian Tour, has produced some great recent golf, with third spot in the Nedbank Challenge in November followed by seventh in the Abu Dhabi Championship in January and 12th in the Saudi International earlier this month.

Next best bet

Pablo Larrazabal 28-1

The DP World Tour is definitely home again for Pablo Larrazabal, who had a brief dalliance with LIV Golf, and the Spaniard made his 400th DPWT appearance in the Nedbank Challenge in November. A tie for 20th in Abu Dhabi last month, following two DPWT victories last year, showed this scrapper still has plenty to offer as his 40th birthday approaches.

Larrazabal, a seven-time DPWT champion who has shown great bottle in winning battles against elite opposition in the past, finished fourth in the 2018 Indian Open at the DLF. He possesses the touch to handle the grainy, sloping greens.

Other selections

Jeunghun Wang 22-1
Jens Fahrbring 250-1

The progress of Jeunghun Wang since he left two years of mandatory military service behind him has been hugely impressive. Many a Korean's career has been affected by that compulsory suspension from golf, with two-time PGA Tour champion Sangmoon Bae probably the best example. Wang could not touch a golf club as he did physical training and worked with guns, finally getting released from the military in July last year, but he seems to be overcoming the setback.

Wang returned to life as a golf pro on the Asian Tour, posting four consecutive top-25s, including two top-fives. A share of 28th place in the Dubai Desert Classic was encouraging, then in the last fortnight he has finished third in the Singapore Classic and eighth in the Thailand Classic.

Wang, a former world number 39 who won three DPWT titles early in his career, is still only 27. He was second in the 2016 Indian Open and should be a factor this week.

Jens Fahrbring is also worth an each-way investment. The Swede earned his DPWT card back at Qualifying School in November, then finished third in the South African Open, beaten by only two shots. This neat and tidy operator is a two-time Challenge Tour champion who finished 13th in his only previous start at the Signature Course.

DLF CC course guide

Course Signature Course, DLF Golf and Country Club, New Delhi, India
Prize money $2m ($333,400 to the winner)
Length 7,380 yards
Par 72 – four par-fives; ten 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) Kazuki Higa (75), Pablo Larrazabal (88), Robert MacIntyre (91), Thorbjorn Olesen (92), Oliver Bekker (106)
Course records - 72 holes 277 Matt Wallace (2018) 18 holes 64 Shubhankar Sharma (2018)

Course winners taking part S.S.P Chawrasia, Stephen Gallacher

When to bet By 1.30am on Thursday morning

When to watch Live on Sky Sports Golf from 7.30am on Thursday

Time difference India is five and a half hours ahead of the UK and Ireland

Last week – Thailand Classic 1 T Olesen (22-1), 2 Y Paul (70-1), T3 J Luiten (80-1), A Knappe (200-1), T5 R Cabrera Bello (80-1), N Hojgaard (16-1), A Rozner (22-1), 8 J Wang (55-1)

Course type Parkland

Course overview DLF G&CC's Signature Course hosted this event in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Gary Player created the layout in 2015. The layout is 700 feet above sea level, providing more carry, but serious troublespots lurk on every hole and the greens are full of grain

Weather forecast Sunny, hot and calm, with temperatures peaking at 31C

Type of player suited to the challenge The modern DLF is long and difficult, demanding accuracy from tee to green and great touch on the sloping, grainy greens

Key attribute Touch/putting