Steve Palmer's Cazoo Classic predictions and free golf betting tips

Golf tips, best bets and player analysis for the Cazoo Classic at Hillside Golf Club on the DP World Tour.

Where to watch

Live on Sky Sports Golf red button from 3.30pm on Thursday

Best bets

Robert MacIntyre
3.5pts each-way 14-1 bet365
Romain Langasque
2pts each-way 22-1 Betfair, Power
Matthew Jordan
1.5pts each-way 33-1 bet365
Jens Dantorp
1pt each-way 70-1 Betfred
Marcus Kinhult
1pt each-way 60-1 Betfred

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Lovers of links golf can get over their Open Championship hangover this week by enjoying the Cazoo Classic from Hillside - one of the most underrated links tracks in the land. Hillside's proximity to Open venue Royal Birkdale means it is often overlooked, but the Southport venue should serve up a treat this week.

As with all courses in the United Kingdom, the heatwave is having an effect, toasting the turf, so a fast-running challenge can be anticipated. British Masters champion Thorbjorn Olesen is a popular 22-1 chance to complete an England double, having won at The Belfry in May.

Steve Palmer's top tip

Robert MacIntyre 14-1

The 150th Open at St Andrews was a joy for Robert MacIntyre, who fired weekend rounds of 69 and 68 in front of family and friends to finish 34th at the Home of Golf, and the Scottish left-hander can build on that form in the Cazoo Classic.

MacIntyre has made the cut in all ten of his Major starts and the 25-year-old is looking to the future with confidence, expecting to move up a gear soon. That progress can start with victory in the Cazoo Classic at Hillside, where he carded four rounds in the 60s for a share of second place in the 2019 British Masters.

MacIntyre was beaten by only a shot at Hillside in what was his European Tour rookie season. He was ranked outside the world's top 250 at the time, but returns this week with much more experience and much more self-belief.

The highest-ranked player in the Cazoo field is MacIntyre. This may be the moment he revives his career and starts heading back towards the world's top 50, a place where he and his supporters feel he belongs.

Next best bet

Romain Langasque 22-1

The 2015 Amateur Championship at Carnoustie went the way of Romain Langasque, so the Frenchman has shown he can handle the toughest of links tracks, and there must be every chance he builds on strong recent form by contending for a second DP World Tour title on Sunday.

Langasque, who made his breakthrough in the 2020 Wales Open, was eighth in the British Masters in May, then seventh in the Scandinavian Mixed and fifth in the BMW International. His typically high-quality ball-striking should be enough to get the underachieving 27-year-old into the mix in this week's low-grade affair at a firm, fast layout, where scoring well at the par-fives is essential for success.

Other selections

Matthew Jordan 33-1

Jens Dantorp 70-1

Marcus Kinhult 60-1

Matthew Jordan came through an Open qualifier at St Annes Old Links at the end of last month. The Wirral lad will have been disappointed to miss the cut by two shots at St Andrews last week, but he can take out his frustrations close to home this week at Hillside and build on his stellar links record.

Jordan had hardly any European Tour experience when he turned up for the 2019 British Masters, but he opened with a 63 and finished 15th. He was fifth in the Dunhill Links that year, too, and is well equipped for the Hillside challenge.

Complete a five-pronged attack with two Swedes - Jens Dantorp and Marcus Kinhult. Dantorp is a three-time champion on the Challenge Tour and the most recent success came in May. The 33-year-old has been in red-hot form on that circuit, with four top-fives in his last six starts, finishing tenth last time out.

Dantorp, third in the 2018 Scottish Open on links terrain, can be joined on the leaderboard by Kinhult. This former prodigy enjoyed much success on links courses as an amateur, winning the Lytham Trophy by eight shots, and that links comfort showed when he won the 2019 British Masters at Hillside.

As the only course winner in the field, with undoubted ability, the 25-year-old is worth chancing at the odds. Kinhult's birthday is on Sunday, and he may have a new trophy to celebrate with.

Players to note

Thriston Lawrence
The South African has followed third place in the Irish Open with 24th in the Scottish Open and 42nd in the Open. An in-form course debutant.

Richard Mansell
The tee-ball quality of the Midlander should stand him in good stead this week and he has been playing solidly for three months.

Hillside course guide

Course Hillside Golf Club, Southport, England
Prize money €1.75m (€297,500 to the winner)
Length 7,109 yards
Par 72 - four par-fives; ten par-fours; four par-threes
Field 144 The cut Top 65 and ties qualify for round three
Highest-ranked players in field (world ranking in brackets) Robert MacIntyre (98), Oliver Bekker (99), Takumi Kanaya (102), Thriston Lawrence (128), Sihwan Kim (156)
Course records - 72 holes 272 Marcus Kinhult 18 holes 63 Matthew Jordan

Course winner taking part Marcus Kinhult (2019 British Masters)

When to bet By 9am on Thursday

When to watch Live on Sky Sports Golf red button from 3.30pm on Thursday

Last week - The Open 1 C Smith (28-1), 2 C Young (125-1), 3 R McIlroy (10-1), T4 T Fleetwood (35-1), V Hovland (55-1), T6 B Harman (200-1), D Johnson (35-1), T8 P Cantlay (28-1), B DeChambeau (125-1), J Spieth (18-1), T11 A Ancer (125-1), D Burmester (250-1), T Hatton (40-1), S Kaewkanjana (500-1)

Course type Links

Course overview Hillside hosted the 2019 British Masters and it has also been used for qualifying rounds of the Open Championship. The ancient track, founded in 1911, yielded four totals of 15 under par or better in the British Masters there. The back nine is significantly tougher than the front, with the three toughest holes on the course coming at the 13th, 15th and 16th. The four par-fives (second, fifth, 11th and 17th) are all reachable and are the four easiest holes on the layout. This is a links with some trees - mature pines framing some holes. Mackenzie & Ebert carried out a course renovation in 2020, with significant dune reconstruction on the front nine and sand scapes introduced to the back nine. Firm, fast conditions are certain given the recent heatwave

Story of last year Calum Hill won by a shot at the London Club.

Weather forecast Cloudy and relatively cool by recent standards, with temperatures peaking at 20C, and light to moderate breezes

Type of player suited to the challenge A fast-running links will be a familiar challenge for those who competed in the Scottish Open and the Open in the previous fortnight. Quality approach-play and a sharp short-game are keys to success

Key attribute Touch/putting

Spotlight insight Six of the top seven in the 2019 British Masters at Hillside were British

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