Steve Palmer's Qatar Masters first-round preview and free golf betting tips

Where to watch the Qatar Masters

Sky Sports Golf, 9am Thursday

Best bets

Adrien Saddier to win 9.50am threeball
3pts 23-20 bet365

Nick Bachem to win 9.40am threeball
2pts 13-8 BoyleSports

Qatar Masters first-round preview

Danish duo Rasmus Hojgaard and Thorbjorn Olesen will hog much of the early spotlight during the first session of live coverage from the Qatar Masters, but the best first-round threeball options come in later groups which will get less attention from the cameras.

Adrien Saddier can boss his 9.50am (UK and Ireland time) threeball with Thomas Aiken and Martin Simonsen, while Nick Bachem is worth backing to defeat Jason Scrivener and Louis de Jager (9.40am).

Saddier has been bright this year, finishing 13th in the Thailand Classic, third in the Barbasol Championship, 13th in the European Masters and 16th in the French Open. And he enjoys desert golf, evidenced by third place in the 2016 Challenge Tour Grand Final in Oman and third again in the 2020 Oman Open.

Saddier, who finished 27th in his last Qatar Masters start at Doha, could contend for the title. It is extremely difficult to imagine world number 824 Aiken or 504 Simonsen doing likewise.

Bachem, a rising star of the DP World Tour who won the Jonsson Workwear Open in March, finished 13th in Andalucia on Sunday and should take a shine to Doha GC. The German youngster has quickly established himself as superior to De Jager and Scrivener.

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