Safeway Open: Steve Palmer's first-round preview, best bets, free tips

When to watch

Sky Sports Golf, 5pm Thursday

Best bets

Sungjae Im first-round leader
1pt each-way 33-1 Betfair, Paddy Power

Brandt Snedeker to win threeball
1pt 23-10 Betfair

Dylan Frittelli to win threeball
1pt 6-4 general

Preview

Sungjae Im lost a playoff for the Sanderson Farms Championship in cruel fashion last Sunday, but this golfing machine should get straight back to business in the Safeway Open this week and is worth backing to be the first round leader at the Silverado Resort in California.

Im took defeat in good heart – he was fractions away from a breakthrough PGA Tour title at the age of 21 – and the calm Korean is playing well enough to ping the lids in the Safeway.

He has carded a first round of par or better in his last 13 tournaments and he opened with a 66 on his Safeway debut 12 months ago, before finishing fourth, just one shot shy of the three-man playoff. That positive course experience, coupled with every department of his game being in stellar order, should translate to Silverado success.

Im has smashed into the top 50 of the world rankings at a fantastic time. He has his eyes set firmly on a Presidents Cup debut and there is every reason for the 2019 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year to focus on going one better than last week.

Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay, Collin Morikawa and Brandt Snedeker are all out late in round one, when winds will be at their peak, so Im could set a hugely competitive clubhouse mark from an 8.20am local time (4.20pm UK) starting berth.

Snedeker, the long-time pacesetter in this event last year before losing in a playoff, has a superb record in California and can upset Thomas in the 8.35pm threeball. Thomas could be rusty, having just had an operation to remove melanoma from his calf, while Snedeker is competing for the third consecutive week. Jim Furyk completes the threeball.

Dylan Frittelli, the John Deere Classic champion, finished sixth in the Sanderson Farms last week and is looking ever more comfortable on the PGA Tour. Frittelli can outscore Max Homa and Marc Leishman in the 8.15pm contest.

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