RSM Classic: Steve Palmer's first-round preview, best bets, free golf tips

Where to watch

Sky Sports Golf, 2.15pm Thursday

Best bets

Brian Gay first-round Seaside Course leader
1pt each-way 30-1 Sky Bet

Russell Henley first-round Plantation Course leader
1pt each-way 30-1 Sky Bet

Preview

The RSM Classic competitors are split across two different courses for the first two rounds, with half of the field teeing up at the Seaside Course and the other half at the Plantation Course, so the scoring will be staggered until the halfway stage of the tournament.

The Plantation Course has traditionally been much easier than the Seaside and it remains to be seen whether that will still be the case after the redesign conducted by Davis Love and his brother over the last 12 months. The likelihood is it will be even easier, with hardly any rough on show.

Sky Bet have issued two first-round leader markets separating the field by which course they are attending and a pair of 30-1 chances are recommended to succeed at their respective Georgia track. Brian Gay can prove the king of the Seaside Course and Russell Henley can ping the lids on the Plantation Course.

Gay has started the new season in red-hot form, with results of 23-7-42-3-14, and his worst opening-round score in that streak has been 70. He is a total of 18 under par for first-round scoring this term. And the Seaside Course is perfect terrain for Gay to show off his skills.

In the 2013 RSM Classic, Gay opened with a 63 at the Seaside Course and went on to finish fourth in the event, while in 2017 he fired a second-round 64 at the Seaside Course on his way to third spot overall. From the second group out on the first tee in round one of this edition, expect Gay to make merry.

Henley, like Gay, can be deadly with putter in hand when he gets on a roll, and there is every chance of a low score from an early tee-time at the Plantation. Henley showcased his scoring power with a closing round of 61 in the John Deere Classic in July. He boasts three top-tens from his last four RSM Classic starts.

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