Steve Palmer's American Express first-round preview, best bets, free golf tips

When to watch

Sky Sports Golf, 5.10pm Thursday

Best bets

Sepp Straka to beat Erik van Rooyen
3pts 9-10 Betfair

Si Woo Kim to beat Brian Harman
2pts 10-11 bet365

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Preview

Tiger Woods is the big story of the moment, having just revealed that he has undergone a fifth back surgery and will miss the Farmers Insurance Open and Genesis Invitational, but the 15-times Major champion was never going to be a part of this week's American Express tournament.

The marquee threeballs of round one comprise Brooks Koepka, Cameron Champ and Paul Casey, who tee off at 5.40pm UK and Ireland time on the Nicklaus Tournament Course, and Patrick Cantlay, Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler, who follow ten minutes later.

The first-round threeballs card has not thrown up a great deal of value and preference for additional investments on The American Express is on two 72-hole matches - Sepp Straka to beat Erik van Rooyen, and Si Woo Kim to outscore Brian Harman.

Straka is proven at PGA West, having finished fourth last year, and the Austrian warmed up nicely for this edition with a closing 65 for 25th spot in the Sony Open on Sunday. Van Rooyen is making his tournament debut and missed the Sony Open cut.

Kim, ninth in the 2016 staging of this event, is proven on the two courses being used this week and an eight-under-par weekend in the Sony means he has arrived in solid form. The Korean beat Harman by five shots in Hawaii last week and the little left-hander has gone 30 tournaments without a top-ten finish.

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