Racing Post’s Saudi International third-round preview, best bets, free tips

Golf tips, best bets and player analysis for the third round of the Saudi International on the Asian Tour.

Where to watch

FreeSports, 8.30am Saturday

Best bets

Sam Horsfield to win 6.40am threeball
2pts 7-4 Betfair, Paddy Power

Adri Arnaus to win 7.50am threeball
1pt 11-4 Paddy Power

Story so far

The field had to battle windy conditions in the desert on day two of the Saudi Arabia International with Adri Arnaus and Harold Varner III carding 66s to add to their opening-round 64s to move two clear of the pack on ten under par.

World number 11 Cameron Smith and Matthew Wolff are two shots back while Tommy Fleetwood, following up after a solid effort in the Dubai Desert Classic, is just three shots adrift of the leaders.

Two players in the headlines this week, Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson, had contrasting starts to their tournaments. DeChambeau pulled out, citing hip and hand injuries, while Mickelson is tied for 14th on four under.

Tyrrell Hatton, one of Steve Palmer's outright selections, is, like Mickelson, six shots off the pace at the halfway stage.

Leaderboard

-10 Adri Arnaus, Harold Varner III

-8 Cameron Smith, Matthew Wolff

-7 Tommy Fleetwood

-6 Bubba Watson, Ryosuke Kinoshita, JC Ritchie

-5 Patrick Reed, Xander Schauffele, Wade Ormsby, Matteo Manassero, Steve Lewton

Best prices

9-2 C Smith, 5 H Varner, 13-2 M Wolff, A Arnaus, 10 T Fleetwood, 14 D Johnson, 20 X Schauffele, 25 B Watson, P Reed, 33 T Hatton, 40 J Niemann, R Kinoshita

Third-round preview

Sam Horsfield’s recent strong form meant he came into this tournament a contender and he can bounce back from carding a 74 in the second round to win his threeball against Abraham Ancer and Paul Peterson.

Horsfield’s form figures of 9-12-4 from his last three events are rock solid and the Englishman bounced back from a third-round 75 to card a final 67 at the Dubai Desert Classic so is no stranger to putting a bad day’s play behind him quickly.

Adri Arnaus has been impressive throughout the opening two rounds and the Spaniard may be worth siding with to come out on top of a competitive threeball with Cameron Smith and Harold Varner.

Arnaus has an experience edge on his rivals, having played in the previous three editions of this tournament. The 26-year-old’s only career win came on the Challenge Tour in Ras Al-Khaimah and he also finished third in the 2020 Dubai Desert Classic, so clearly enjoys playing in this part of the world.

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