Steve Palmer's Charles Schwab Challenge first-round preview & best bets

Golf tips, best bets and player analysis for the first round of the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club on the PGA Tour

When to watch

Sky Sports Golf red button, 1.20pm Thursday

Best bets

Jason Kokrak to win 2.26pm threeball
2pts 11-4 Coral, Ladbrokes

Tom Hoge to win 6.45pm threeball
2pts 9-4 Betfair, Power

Jordan Spieth and Collin Morikawa dual forecast
1pt 125-1 bet365, Coral, Ladbrokes

Preview

US PGA champion Justin Thomas tees off early in round one of the Charles Schwab Challenge, getting the opportunity to post a decent score at Colonial Country Club before the wind picks up in the afternoon.

Thomas may struggle for concentration, though, in the wake of Sunday's dramatic Southern Hills denouement, and the outsider of the 2.26pm (UK and Ireland time) threeball - Jason Kokrak - may represent better value.

Thomas, with Colonial form figures of 10-40, is yet to sparkle in this event, while the same can be said of his playing partner, Scottie Scheffler, who finished 55th on his Colonial debut before missing the cut by two shots last year.

Kokrak finished third in the strongest Colonial lineup in history (2020), beaten by just a shot, then won the event by two shots 12 months ago, seeing off Jordan Spieth in a Sunday duel. Two of his three PGA Tour victories have come in Texas.

Tom Hoge, who went to college in Texas, is well suited to Colonial and finished ninth in the US PGA on Sunday. With Mito Pereira probably still frazzled from his 72nd-hole disaster, and Viktor Hovland disappointing since Sawgrass, Hoge can win the 6.45pm threeball.

The Jordan Spieth and Collin Morikawa outright dual forecast is worth a small tickle at 125-1.

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