Steve Palmer's BMW PGA Championship second-round preview, best bets, free tips

When to watch

Sky Sports Main Event and Golf, 8.30am Friday

Best bets

Bernd Wiesberger to win 1.45pm threeball
2pts 11-10 bet365

Sebastian Soderberg to win 11.40am threeball
1pt 5-2 Betfred

Preview

The opening round of the BMW PGA Championship was Tommy Fleetwood's first taste of competition since the Open Championship, but the Southport lad showed no signs of rust and charged to the top of the Wentworth leaderboard.

Fleetwood, a 28-1 chance ante-post, carded a bogey-free, eight-under-par 64, covering the final seven holes in six under, becoming 5-1 favourite as the afternoon starters headed out on a soggy West Course.

The morning wave suffered rain on and off, heavy in short spells, and the skies brightened up for the later groups, with the threat of thunder lifting. Shane Lowry posted a morning 66, while pre-tournament 6-1 favourite Rory McIlroy needed 68 shots, drifting slightly in the outright betting.

Viktor Hovland and Jon Rahm, playing together, were the biggest names teeing off in the afternoon, and both made solid starts, with Hovland reaching the turn in three under par, and Rahm at one under.

Pick of the threeballs options for a cloudy, calm second afternoon are Bernd Wiesberger and Sebastian Soderberg. Wiesberger can repeat his Thursday victory over Daniel Gavins and Grant Forrest, while Soderberg is worth chancing against Abraham Ancer and Scott Hend.

Wiesberger put a broomhandle putter in the bag in last week's LIV Golf Boston and has been encouraged by the results. A first-round 68 at Wentworth was a great start.

Hend has been struggling with various injury and illness problems for a while, so it is reasonable to concentrate on Soderberg and Ancer for the 11.40am contest. Ancer edged Soderberg by two shots on day one, but 5-2 seems a generous price against the name of the DP World Tour regular, who was runner-up in the British Masters in May.

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