Honda Classic betting preview: Steve Palmer's first-round tips

TV: Sky Sports Golf, 1pm Thursday

Billy Horschel is competing in his home state this week on a course which plays to his strengths and there is every reason for believing the local man will outscore Scott Piercy over 72 holes of the Honda Classic.

Horschel finished last season strongly, posting two third-place finishes in the FedEx Cup playoffs before taking the runner-up spot behind Tiger Woods in the Tour Championship, and ninth place in the Farmers Insurance Open a month ago was a continuation of that solid form.

Hills make Horschel versus Piercy a 5-6 your-choice affair, wrapped in a draw-no-bet comfort blanket, and the Floridian looks a bargain. He has finished eighth and fourth in the Honda Classic over the last three years, and this consistent ball-striker relishes venues such as PGA National where finding greens in regulation is the key to success.

Horschel is in the glamour group, partnering Justin Thomas and Rickie Fowler for the first two rounds, but the former FedEx Cup champ does not fear the spotlight. His first son was born earlier this month and little Axel has provided added inspiration for Horschel to produce his best. Piercy, typically erratic off the tee, seems a far less likely title contender on this water-strewn layout.

Gary Woodland, Brooks Koepka and Jhonattan Vegas comprise the marquee early threeball for round one, and these cheerful, relaxed characters can thrive alongside each other. Pre-tournament rain has softened the course and the early starters should have excellent scoring conditions with which to make merry.

Woodland is an attractive first-round-leader wager at 28-1. The Florida-based powerhouse possesses all the tools to humble a soft PGA National and just needs a continuation of his 2019 form to quickly earn a place on the leaderboard. He was an unlucky runner-up in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions at the start of the year, following up with ninth place at Torrey Pines and seventh in Phoenix.

Some new greens have been laid since the last Honda Classic and they may cause some problems for the later starters as they get worn and lumpy.

Horschel and Woodland can both be expected to be in the Sunday shake-up and Sky Bet's offering of 400-1 about them finishing in the top two (in either order) is worth an ambitious dual-forecast dabble.

Recommendations
B Horschel to beat S Piercy
3pts 5-6 Hills (draw no bet)

G Woodland first-round leader
1pt each-way 28-1 general

B Horschel-G Woodland dual forecast
1pt 400-1 Sky Bet

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