Steve Palmer's Charles Schwab Challenge preview, best bets, free golf tips

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

Where to watch

Sky Sports Main Event and Golf, 12.50pm Thursday

Best bets

Sergio Garcia
2pts each-way 66-1 Betfred
Abraham Ancer
1.5pts each-way 80-1 Ladbrokes
Ryan Palmer
1pt each-way 80-1 bet365
Tom Hoge
0.5pt each-way 150-1 SkyBet
Danny Lee
0.5pt each-way 125-1 SkyBet
Corey Conners
0.5pt each-way 125-1 Betfair, Hills

The three-month hiatus from top-class golf has seemed like three years to many punters. The euphoria generated from following your selection over four days before seeing him lift the trophy is a feeling at the other end of the scale from the ones that have been suffered through the pandemic and its associated miseries.

The charity skins game last month featuring Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler and Matt Wolff was just a tease, quickly followed by Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson messing about with a couple of gridiron players in The Match, but finally this week the most prestigious Tour in the world returns to our screens.

McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka tee up alongside each other at Colonial Country Club as the PGA Tour stars adjust to a new vibe – a fanless environment in which their shots will be appreciated only from afar. Entourages are banned and the competitors must stay in the 'bubble', with only four hotels being used and takeaway food to the rooms. The elite will not get their typical pampering.

For many reasons the players at the head of the market look short on value – one being that the cameras will be trained on them over the opening two days and they will be under huge, unsettling pressure not to commit any etiquette faux pas. The Tour is relying on a strict code of conduct during ­coronavirus. The best betting approach looks to be to delve deeper in the list for better options.

• Masters In Focus

Steve Palmer's top tip

Sergio Garcia 66-1

Five Texas-based players are punting propositions as the Tour resumes in the Lone Star State. Minimal travel and comfort in the surroundings arguably counts for more than usual in these difficult times, with Sergio Garcia the most appealing local of all.

Of course, the Spaniard originates from elsewhere, but his wife is Texan and Austin has become his new base. Their second child and first son – Enzo – was born there in April, providing added motivation for Garcia to finish his career strongly, and the 40-year-old can be expected to tee up at Colonial bursting with enthusiasm.

This mercurial character can often become disillusioned with golf, but the enforced break, the arrival of Garcia Junior and the venue for the restart should put a spring in his step. And he can approach this assignment with confidence having teed up in the event eight previous times. Course experience is invaluable, given tournament-week practice rounds are more difficult than usual, and the 2001 Colonial champion should quickly settle.

Garcia has always had a soft spot for Texas. His first regulation PGA Tour event was the 1999 Byron Nelson – in which he finished third – then his maiden victory came at Colonial two years later after a stunning final-round 63. He has twice won the Byron Nelson since and has form figures of 16-13-12 for his last three Colonial spins.

There is such a premium on accuracy this week, with no spectators or grandstands to save errant shots from maximum punishment, and no rough trampled down by onlookers. A ball-striking colossus like Garcia should thrive, plotting his way along the various doglegs at a firm, fast layout. And the behind-closed-doors element may help him mentally, too, given the European Ryder Cup hero has never had the best of relationships with rowdy American galleries.

Garcia had an off-season equipment overhaul, becoming a free agent, sampling new tools early in the year. A switch to Honma has been rumoured. The lay-off came at the perfect time for him to fine-tune his bag.

• Rory McIlroy headlines magnificent field

Next best bet

Abraham Ancer 80-1

The Texas-born and San Antonio-based Abraham Ancer can go close to a first PGA Tour title on Sunday. The Presidents Cup star has been loudly threatening his breakthrough over the last year or so and is a tidy player well suited to Colonial.

Ancer was outside the world's top 200 when finishing 52nd on his Colonial debut, and outside the top 50 when 58th on his subsequent visit, but the 29-year-old is 29th in the rankings for this trip and one of the best maidens on the circuit.

Other selections

Ryan Palmer 80-1

Tom Hoge 150-1

Danny Lee 125-1

Corey Conners 125-1

Ryan Palmer is a Colonial member who lives close to Fort Worth and he should benefit from having had so much practice under his belt at a fan-free set-up. He relishes teeing up in his home state and can boast four top-six finishes in his last eight Colonial starts.

Palmer has suffered with nerves in the past down the stretch, so the less intense atmosphere of Colonial without galleries could be the perfect stage for this likeable character to land a long overdue fourth PGA Tour victory as an individual. He won the Zurich Classic pairs event alongside Rahm last year.

Tom Hoge is a Fort Worth resident who also knows Colonial like the back of his hand. Form figures of 17-42-40 are solid for somebody who has traditionally languished deep in the world rankings, but this time he can contend on his home track. Prior to the pandemic, he was at the peak of his powers, hitting his ball with great authority.

Hoge, runner-up in the Greenbrier last year, opened 2020 with results of 12-6-5, then finished 15th at Bay Hill in his final completed event, before an opening 70 in the abandoned Players Championship. He outplayed Tiger Woods in a Sunday pairing at Torrey Pines in January and looks capable of a breakthrough at the age of 31.

Former US Amateur champ, Danny Lee, has been a Texas resident for more than a decade and has never finished worse than 48th in seven Colonial starts. The Irving-based 29-year-old won on the Web.com Tour in Texas (2011 WNB Classic) and has a strong PGA Tour record in the state. The 2015 Greenbrier champion, fifth at Bay Hill in March, was runner-up in the CJ Cup in October and has been striking his ball well enough to contend at Colonial.

The most appealing player venturing to Texas from a different state is Corey Conners. Last year's Texas Open champion, who finished eighth on his Colonial debut, possesses the tee-to-green control to handle this assignment well. He opened with a four-under-par 68 at Sawgrass before the tournament was cancelled.

Players to note

Kevin Kisner
The 2017 Colonial champion relishes this layout and is not easy to scrape from the staking plan.

Si Woo Kim
The two-time Tour champion opened with a seven-under-par 65 at Sawgrass last time out to hint that he could soon emerge from his slump.

Brian Harman
The diminutive left-hander has a solid Colonial record and is well suited to the assignment.

Dylan Frittelli
The Texas-based South African won his maiden PGA Tour title last year and looks a lively outsider.

Colonial course guide

Course Colonial Country Club, Fort Worth, Texas
Prize money $7.5m ($1.35m to the winner)
Length 7,209 yards
Par 70
Field 148
Course records- 72 holes 259 Zach Johnson (2010) 18 holes 61 Keith Clearwater (1993), Lee Janzen (1993), Greg Kraft (1999), Justin Leonard (2003), Kenny Perry (2003), Chad Campbell (2004), Kevin Na (2018)

Course winners taking part Keith Clearwater, Tom Lehman, David Frost, Olin Browne, Phil Mickelson (twice), Sergio Garcia, Rory Sabbatini, Steve Stricker, Zach Johnson (twice), Chris Kirk, Jordan Spieth, Kevin Kisner, Justin Rose, Kevin Na

When to bet By 12.50pm Thursday

When to watch Live on Sky Sports Golf from 12.50pm Thursday

Time difference Texas is six hours behind the UK and Ireland

Course overview The PGA Tour has held an event at Colonial 70 times since 1946 and the ancient track inevitably offers up plenty of birdie opportunities to the modern professional. Ben Hogan won at Colonial five times, hence the track's nickname 'Hogan's Alley'. There are only two par-fives – the first and the 11th – and the latter is a whopper at 635 yards. In-play punters should be aware that the first two holes on the course are the easiest, immediately followed by the three most difficult. The third, fourth and fifth are known as the 'Horrible Horseshoe'. The tight, tree-lined layout, which features 12 dog-legged holes, has been lengthened through the years but remains much more of a test of accuracy over power. The fairways are Bermuda grass, but the small greens are smooth Bentgrass. This event is typically staged in May, but was slightly delayed due to coronavirus.

Story of last year Kevin Na cruised to a four-shot victory, leaving regular bridesmaid Tony Finau to take the runner-up cheque.

Weather forecast Sunny and extremely hot throughout, with light breezes for the most part.

Type of player suited to the challenge An accurate sort with a behaving putter can destroy Colonial – it is a course that can be overwhelmed with straight-hitting rather than power-play. That is probably even more the case this year, given no spectators will be allowed on the course and there will be no grandstands to stop errant shots. Newcomers are obviously at a significant disadvantage at such a long-established venue.

Key attribute Accuracy

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