Steve Palmer's Austrian Open second-round preview, best bets, free golf tips

Best bet

Francesco Laporta to win threeball
1pt 8-5 bet365

Second-round preview

Joost Luiten has strengthened his position as Austrian Open favourite after opening up with a seven-under-par 65 at Diamond Country Club.

Luiten, a best-price 13-2 for victory in the European Tour's first post-lockdown event, made eight birdies to put himself in a strong position to challenge for a second success at this course.

The Dutchman, champion at Diamond CC in 2013, will have a morning tee-time to work with for round two, so will expect to stretch clear at the head of proceedings. Thomas Detry is three shots behind and a late Friday starter.

Second-round threeball punters are pointed towards Francesco Laporta in the 11.50am (UK and Ireland time) group. Laporta fought back well from three over par through ten holes to card a 73 in round one and last year's Challenge Tour money-list winner may have found his game.

Rikard Karlberg slumped to a birdie-free, three-over-par back-nine, while German veteran Marcel Siem is close to slipping outside of the world's top 1,000, so Laporta deserves favouritism.

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