Steve Palmer's CJ Cup at South Carolina predictions and free golf betting tips

Golf tips, best bets and player analysis for the CJ Cup in South Carolina at Congaree on the PGA Tour.

Where to watch

Live on Sky Sports Golf & Main Event from 8pm on Thursday

Best bets

Jon Rahm
4pts each-way 9-1 general

Taylor Montgomery
1pt each-way 55-1 Hills

The CJ Cup has become a nomadic event, starting life in South Korea, migrating to Las Vegas, and settling in South Carolina this year, and the latest venue has got a huge thumbs-up from the world's elite. Six of the planet's top ten players are in attendance.

World number one Scottie Scheffler is making his first appearance since a disappointing Presidents Cup. His team won that event, but Scheffler failed to win a full point and he could be usurped at the top of the world rankings by Rory McIlroy on Sunday.

Steve Palmer's top tip

Jon Rahm 9-1

Last week's Zozo Championship in Japan was far from ideal preparation for this week's CJ Cup, so preference is for players who skipped the Far East adventure.

The Zozo, staged on a completely different type of track on the other side of the world, seems a CJ Cup negative for the likes of Collin Morikawa and Viktor Hovland. Jon Rahm, who took last week off to freshen up after his Spanish Open heroics, appeals as the strongest investment.

Rahm is arguably the member of the elite carrying most desire for competition. This has not been a stellar year for the Spaniard by his extremely high standards and he will be eager to end it in style. He started 2022 as world number one but has won only two low-grade events - the Mexico Open in May and the Spanish Open last time out. A chance to defeat most of golf's big guns has come at an opportune time for Rahmbo.

The FedEx Cup playoffs saw Rahm coming back to his best, then he confirmed the return of his A-game with a magnificent final-round 62 at Wentworth for second place in the BMW PGA Championship. Another Sunday 62 meant a 25-under-par total and a six-shot triumph in Madrid - a thrilled Rahm matching the Spanish Open hat-trick of his hero Seve Ballesteros.

This late-in-the-year thrust from Rahm makes him a man to trust for the CJ Cup. While America's finest may have mentally downed tools after the Presidents Cup, Rahm seems to be peaking and full of hunger, eager to get closer to the rankings summit he departed less than seven months ago.

Congaree encourages driver off the tee - a club which has always been Rahm's favourite - and he possesses the power to reach the two driveable par-fours. It is also worth noting the lack of flat lies at this extremely hilly venue. Comparisons can be made with Kapalua and Augusta, two undulating tracks where Rahm has performed well.

Next best bet

Taylor Montgomery 55-1

An each-way investment in one of the most in-form players in the world is the recommended back-up to a larger wager on Rahm. Taylor Montgomery can boast 11 top-ten finishes in his last 16 tournaments, with form figures of 2-3-4-9-3-9-15 from his last seven starts.

Montgomery became an almost permanent fixture on Korn Ferry Tour leaderboards before gaining promotion to the main circuit, then he finished third in the Fortinet Championship PGA Tour curtain-raiser.

Ninth place in the Sanderson Farms Championship and 15th in the Shriners Children's Open have followed, cementing Montgomery's status in the world's top 100. He is one of the best putters on the PGA Tour and should start picking up silverware soon enough. The rookies are not at a significant experience disadvantage this week at a course which is new to three-quarters of the field.

Of course, defeating a line-up of this quality would be an incredible maiden title, but five of the last eight winners of regulation PGA Tour events in South Carolina have been first-time champions. More importantly, Montgomery is used to teeing up on Tom Fazio designs. Fazio has described Congaree as a "low country version of Shadow Creek", which is another of his creations. Montgomery's home track is Shadow Creek, so maybe he will fall similarly in love with Congaree.

Players to note

Rory McIlroy
The favourite and defending champion deserves plenty of respect, given that he has seriously contended in his last four events, winning one of them. But Rahm is slightly preferred at bigger odds.

Jordan Spieth
A five-point haul in the Presidents Cup delighted the Texan - and his scrambling ability counts for plenty at Congaree. He won the last PGA Tour event in South Carolina.

Justin Thomas
The new Captain America, post-Patrick Reed, was humbled by Si Woo Kim in the Presidents Cup singles. Rahm, McIlroy and Spieth are more appealing investments.

Tyrrell Hatton
A share of second place in last year's Palmetto Championship gives the Englishman a course edge over the new arrivals. He tied for 45th in the Zozo Championship on Sunday.

Sungjae Im
The CJ Cup is an important event for the Koreans - and the consistent Im can be expected to give a decent account of himself.

Rickie Fowler
A tie for second place in the Zozo Championship on Sunday provided further evidence that the former world number four is getting his act together again.

Congaree course guide

Course Congaree Golf Club, Ridgeland, South Carolina
Prize money $10.5m ($1.755m to the winner)
Length 7,655 yards
Par 71 - three par-fives; 11 par-fours; four par-threes
Field 78 (no cut)
Highest-ranked players in field (world ranking in brackets) Scottie Scheffler (1), Rory McIlroy (2), Jon Rahm (5), Justin Thomas (8), Collin Morikawa (9)
Course records- 72 holes 273 Garrick Higgo (2021 Palmetto Championship) 18 holes 64 Wes Roach, Ryan Armour, Will Gordon

When to bet By 1pm on Thursday

When to watch Live on Sky Sports Main Event and Golf from 8pm on Thursday

Time difference South Carolina is five hours behind the UK and Ireland

Last week - Zozo Championship 1 K Bradley (30-1), T2 R Fowler (80-1), A Putnam (80-1), 4 E Grillo (55-1), T5 H Buckley (125-1), S Theegala (50-1), V Hovland (20-1)

Course type Parkland

Course overview Congaree returns to the PGA Tour schedule, hosting the CJ Cup for the first time. The course staged the one-off Palmetto Championship in June last year, which was won by Garrick Higgo. The RBC Heritage is the annual Tour stop in South Carolina, but the CJ Cup looks set to become a permanent fixture in the Palmetto State as well. Congaree is a young track - designed by Tom Fazio in 2017 - and has been likened to the sandbelt courses of Australia. Fairways are lined by expansive sand waste areas, tall pines, oaks or marshland, leading to heavily bunkered, elevated greens. It is a long track, with a par-five measuring 645 yards and two par-fours on the front nine measuring more than 520 yards apiece, but wide fairways help the cause. There are lots of run-off areas around the greens. Fazio has described Congaree as a low country version of Shadow Creek - his Las Vegas design which hosted the CJ Cup in 2020

Story of last year Rory McIlroy defeated a fast-finishing Collin Morikawa by a shot in a thrilling Sunday at Summit Club, Las Vegas

Weather forecast Sunny and pleasant, with temperatures around 20C and light to moderate breezes

Type of player suited to the challenge Long holes with wide fairways will encourage the big-hitters to open their shoulders. Fast greens surrounded by trouble will demand precise iron-play, as well as excellent scrambling when the dancefloors are missed.

Key attribute Accuracy

Spotlight insight Five of the last eight winners of regulation PGA Tour events in South Carolina have been PGA Tour maidens

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