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Dunlop Phoenix Open: Steve Palmer's preview, best bet, free golf tip

Hideki Matsuyama has the potential to dominate proceedings in his homeland

Hideki Matsuyama tees off at the US PGA Championship
Hideki Matsuyama is bursting with positive formCredit: Ross Kinnaird

Golf tips, best bet and player analysis for the Dunlop Phoenix Open at Phoenix Country Club on the Japan Tour.

Best bet

Hideki Matsuyama
4pts 7-2 general

Steve Palmer's top tip

Hideki Matsuyama 7-2

Hideki Matsuyama looks a strong favourite for the Dunlop Phoenix Open this week and the general 7-2 is a more than fair offer given the weakness of the opposition.

After the pressure of representing his country in the Japan Skins against Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Jason Day, then the inaugural PGA Tour event in Japan – the Zozo Championship – the Dunlop Phoenix will feel like a walk in the park to Matsuyama.

The golfing king of the Land of the Rising Sun has won eight times on the Japan Tour, including the 2014 Dunlop Phoenix, which is always played at the 7,027-yard, par-71 Phoenix Country Club, and he will expect to beat up a largely home-grown field over the next four days. The action starts at 10pm UK and Ireland time, Wednesday night.

Matsuyama finished runner-up to Woods in the Zozo, three shots clear of third place, so could take an enormous amount of pride from performing so well under such scrutiny.

He tied for third place in the CJ Cup prior to the Zozo, then recovered from an understandably lacklustre opening 75 in the post-Zozo HSBC Champions with three solid rounds to finish 11th. He has twice been Dunlop Phoenix runner-up.


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