Piercy looks set to make his mark on Shriners leaderboard

Day one
Sky Sports Golf, 8.30pm Thursday

Cameron Champ, the latest starlet to take the US Tour by storm, has earned a place in the marquee early threeball of the Shriners Hospitals For Children Open, teeing off alongside Aaron Wise and Jordan Spieth in Las Vegas.

Champ won the Sanderson Farms Championship by four shots last Sunday, showcasing a power-packed game which is the talk of golf, and the giant Californian appears to have the world at his feet. US Tour Rookie of the Year Wise and former world number one Jordan Spieth complete a glamorous 2.30pm group.

Wise could edge Champ to win the threeball, but a safer bet is Scott Piercy, who tees off half an hour later against Jim Furyk and Sang-moon Bae (3pm).

Piercy, born, bred and based in Las Vegas, is playing a home match and will be fully aware of the recent tinkering with the bunkering at TPC Summerlin. He has posted three top-ten finishes in this tournament and will be relishing the chance to bank another juicy cheque, having arrived for the Shriners in good form.

Piercy finished fifth in the CJ Cup last time out and should leave Furyk and Bae behind if he brings that swing to Vegas. Furyk has not been sighted since the Ryder Cup, which could not have gone much worse for him. He presided over a squabbling and thrashed American team, a body blow which may take a while from which to recover for a 48-year-old in the twilight of his career.

Bae, although showing signs of life on the Web.com Tour in recent weeks, has not posted a US Tour top-ten finish since August, 2015. Piercy should carry too many guns.

Another wager to consider is Martin Laird for top Great Britain and Ireland player. The Scot can prevail in the three-runner heat against Graeme McDowell and Seamus Power. Laird lives in Arizona and loves desert golf, winning the 2009 Shriners at Summerlin, and seventh place in the Sanderson Farms Championship on Sunday was a solid warm-up.

Read Steve Palmer's Shriners Hospitals Open tournament preview

Motivation must be becoming an issue for McDowell, who has drifted out of the top 200 in the world rankings. G-Mac was never going to be a superstar with multiple Major titles on his mantelpiece. He has done extremely well to get one – the 2010 US Open – and has already fulfilled his potential. With a thriving restaurant in Florida and a young family, McDowell may continue to fade away, and Summerlin does not look a good venue to stop the rot.

Power, the world number 323, has made no impact in his two previous Shriners starts and is not playing well enough to suggest anything will change this time. Webb Simpson, Rickie Fowler and Matt Kuchar comprise the most high-profile late threeball at 7.05pm.

Recommendations
S Piercy to win threeball
2pts 7-5 Betfair, Paddy Power
M Laird top GB&I
1pt 23-20 Betfred

Read every day for no-nonsense previews and expert sports betting tips

Today's top sports betting stories

Follow us on Twitter @racingpostsport

Like us on Facebook RacingPostSport