Steve Palmer's free Barracuda Championship predictions & golf betting tips

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When to bet on the Barracuda Championship

By 3pm on Thursday

Where can I watch the Barracuda Championship

Live on Sky Sports Main Event and Golf from 10pm on Thursday

Steve Palmer's Barracuda Championship predictions

Cameron Champ
3pts each-way 28-1 Betfair, Paddy Power

Pierceson Coody
2pts each-way 28-1 Coral, Ladbrokes

Ricky Castillo
1pt each-way 55-1 bet365

Steve Palmer's Barracuda Championship preview

Max Homa is the star attraction at the Barracuda Championship as he bids to fight his way back to golf's top table, but the former world number five slipped outside the top 100 last week and has been deep in a slump.

Steve Palmer's top tip

Cameron Champ 28-1

The Barracuda Championship favourite should be Cameron Champ, a three-time PGA Tour champion who appears to be rediscovering his A-game, and the Californian powerhouse can thrive in his home state this week.

Champ's incredible swing speed has resulted in a few injury setbacks through his professional career – and he has also had some mental health problems – but recent signs have been hugely encouraging. The 30-year-old appears fully fit, his putting stroke looks better than ever, and this attacking powerhouse should relish this week's Stableford scoring system.

From March onwards, Champ has impressed, finishing 16th in the Puerto Rico Open, 15th in the Byron Nelson, ninth in the Canadian Open, 19th in the Rocket Classic, 27th in the John Deere and 14th last week in the ISCO Championship, where only five players outscored him in the final round.

Champ finished 17th on his Barracuda debut in 2023, having teed up in poor form, and he was 50th last year after arriving off the back of six consecutive missed cuts. This time, he has headed to Truckee in good nick. Champ won a PGA Tour event in California in 2019.

Next best bet

Pierceson Coody 28-1

Expect a barnstorming Barracuda debut from Pierceson Coody. This three-time Korn Ferry Tour champion has been sizzling on that circuit this year, posting seven top-tens, including two seconds and a third. He was fourth on Sunday in the latest KFT event.

Coody lost a playoff for the ISCO Championship on the PGA Tour last year, then was fifth at Colonial, so this former world number one amateur has proved he can contend at this level.

Other selection

Ricky Castillo 55-1

Another former world number one amateur completes the staking plan. Ricky Castillo was top dog for five weeks in 2020, before winning the first Korn Ferry Tour event he entered in 2023. The Californian graduated from the KFT last season and has looked a dangerous PGA Tour rookie this term.

This great ball-striker finished 15th in the Farmers Insurance Open in California in January, 12th in the Valspar in March, fifth in the Byron Nelson in May, and 34th place in the ISCO last week was a tidy warm-up spin.

Don't miss Steve Palmer's top tips for the Open Championship:

Steve Palmer's Open Championship outright preview 

Open Championship first-round leader predictions: tips at 80-1, 90-1 and 225-1 

Open Championship specials predictions 

Open Championship first-round threeballs predictions 

Our guide to all 156 players in the Royal Portrush field   

The Lowdown: Royal Portrush course guide 

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Course guide for the Barracuda Championship

• Course Old Greenwood, Tahoe Mountain Golf Club, Truckee, California
• Prize money $4m ($720,000 to the winner)
• Length 7,480 yards
• Par 71 – three par-fives; 11 par-fours; four par-threes
• Field 156 The cut Top 65 and ties qualify for round three
• Highest-ranked players in field (world ranking in brackets) Joe Highsmith (74), Ryan Gerard (75), Austin Eckroat (77), Nick Dunlap (79), Cameron Davis (83)
• Course records - 72 holes +50 Erik van Rooyen 18 holes +22 Kyle Reifers, Chad Campbell
• Course winners taking part Erik van Rooyen, Chez Reavie, Nick Dunlap
• When to bet By 3pm on Thursday
• When to watch Live on Sky Sports Main Event and Golf from 10pm on Thursday
• Time difference California is eight hours behind the UK and Ireland
• Course type Parkland
• Course overview The Jack Nicklaus-designed Old Greenwood has hosted since 2020. It usually plays as a par 72, but the tenth hole is a par-four for the Tour professionals. Balls fly far at the altitude (almost 6,000 feet). The second shot is usually more difficult than the first – with water hazards and deep bunkers guarding the fast, severely undulating greens
• Story of last year Nick Dunlap delivered a +19 closing round to secure a second PGA Tour title, leaving Vince Whaley as runner-up, two points behind
• Weather forecast Sunny and hot, with breezy afternoons all four days
• Type of player suited to the challenge Accurate approach shots are always essential on Jack Nicklaus-designed layouts – and Old Greenwood is no different – but the greens there are notoriously difficult and a sharp short-game may be even more important
• Key attribute Touch/putting

Steve Palmer's Barracuda Championship key stat

Seven of the last nine Barracuda champions were PGA Tour maidens

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For those looking for even more extensive golf coverage don't miss Palmer's extra pointers every Wednesday in the Racing Post newspaper.

As well as his tips and insight you will also get expert spotlight comments for all players in our extensive PGA Tour and DP Tour price comparison grids which include course and recent form, plus Palmer's unique attribute icons to help identify the type of players likely to be suited to conditions each week.