Steve Palmer's Zurich Classic first-round preview and free golf betting tips

Where to watch the Zurich Classic

Sky Sports Golf, 1pm Thursday

Best bets

Parker Coody & Pierceson Coody first-round leaders
1pt each-way 66-1 Coral, Hills, Ladbrokes

Nick Hardy & Davis Riley first-round leaders
1pt each-way 50-1 general

Thomas Detry & Robert MacIntyre first-round leaders
1pt each-way 45-1 Coral, Ladbrokes

Ryan Fox & Garrick Higgo to win 1.13pm match
1pt Evens bet365

Zurich Classic first-round preview

The first day of the Zurich Classic will feel like a tournament within a tournament for the 80 teams competing and it looks set to be by far the best chance for making birdies.

With stiff breezes forecast for Friday onwards, the players gathered at TPC Louisiana will be acutely aware that a fast start is vital for teams with title aspirations. Three pairings look good value for making a leaderboard appearance in round one.

The combinations nominated for Thursday may not be tight enough from tee to green to stay in contention during the windswept foursomes sessions of Friday and Sunday, but they appear ideal candidates for success in the opening fourballs.

The Coody twins are arguably the best value of all. Parker and Pierceson enjoyed a timely confidence boost in the Corales Puntacana Championship last week, finishing sixth and 18th, and these rising stars will expect to make plenty of birdies in New Orleans.

Likewise the defending Zurich Classic champions – Nick Hardy and Davis Riley – who fired fourballs rounds of 64 and 63 en route to victory 12 months ago. And the other early pacesetters could be European duo Thomas Detry and Robert MacIntyre – two attacking sorts who should have countless birdies in them in this format.

Pick of the day-one matches may be Ryan Fox and Garrick Higgo at evens to defeat Kevin Yu and CT Pan. Fox and Higgo are birdie machines well suited to this format. Plodder Pan could prove the weak link of the group.

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