Steve Palmer's Farmers Insurance Open predictions, and free golf betting tips

Golf tips, best bets and player analysis for the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines on the PGA Tour.

Where to watch

Live on Sky Sports Golf from 5pm Thursday

Best bets

Harris English
3pts each-way 22-1 general

Cameron Davis
1pt each-way 55-1 bet365, Betfair, Paddy Power

Will Zalatoris
1pt each-way 60-1bet365

Add these selections to your betslip with Paddy Power

The European Tour boasted the superior action last week, with a high-class Abu Dhabi Championship, but the PGA Tour emphatically has the upper hand this week as superstars assemble for the Farmers Insurance Open.

Tiger Woods is on the sidelines after another back surgery, but Jon Rahm and Rory McIlroy are at Torrey Pines, which will host the US Open in June. Rahm missed the American Express last week with a minor back injury picked up in the gym. The Spaniard, still adjusting to new clubs having switched from TaylorMade to Callaway over New Year, has a great Torrey Pines record but can be left alone at short odds.

McIlroy, who must overcome a long journey from Abu Dhabi, suffered a dent to his confidence on Sunday. Four final-round bogeys from the Northern Irishman meant Tyrrell Hatton kicked clear, overtaking McIlroy on the leaderboard and in the world rankings.

Steve Palmer's top tip

Harris English 22-1

Rahm and McIlroy appear to represent little value this week, while Xander Schauffele is on a long losing streak which stretches back to January, 2019 after the Californian let slip several opportunities for a fifth PGA Tour title.

Maybe a hometown gig in San Diego is what Schauffele needs to end his drought, but at double his odds Harris English is worth backing to continue his stellar play. English has been consistently producing top-quality golf for 16 months, ending last year with a wet sail and starting this one in even more impressive fashion.

In the FedEx Cup playoffs, English finished runner-up to Dustin Johnson in The Northern Trust, then the giant Georgian was fourth in the US Open. English signed off for 2020 with fifth place in the Mayakoba Classic, then victory alongside Matt Kuchar in the QBE Shootout pairs event.

The QBE triumph came with a record-breaking total and English was magnificent throughout. The 31-year-old said the confidence he gained from that success helped him stay calm down the stretch of the Sentry Tournament of Champions next time out - and he was superb over the closing holes in Hawaii.

English produced the shot of the year so far with his three-iron approach to the 72nd hole to set up an eagle putt, then went on to beat Joaquin Niemann in a playoff for Sentry glory. After such an emotional victory, ending a seven-year drought, English was understandably slow out of the gates in the Sony Open the following week, finishing strongly for 32nd place, and much better can be expected at Torrey Pines after a week off.

English lost a playoff for the 2015 Farmers. Torrey Pines is the sort of venue which exposes any weakness a player has in their game, but English is weakness-free at the moment and can claim a fourth PGA Tour title.

Next best bet

Cameron Davis 60-1

The Sanderson Farms Championship in October seemed like it might serve up a PGA Tour breakthrough for Cameron Davis, but playing in a high-pressure final twoball with one of the greats of the game understandably proved too much. Sergio Garcia won that day, but Davis took a lot from the experience and is getting more comfortable in contention.

The Aussie has a textbook swing - one of the best on the circuit - and he won the Australian Open in fine style in 2017. A Korn Ferry Tour victory followed in 2018 and on the strength of a superb effort in The American Express last week - a closing 64 for third place - it will not be long before success arrives on the best Tour of them all.

Davis has played the Farmers three times already, making the cut every time, and the all-round examination suits him.

Other selection

Will Zalatoris 60-1

Complete a three-pronged attack with Will Zalatoris, who has improved beyond all recognition since his only previous appearance in the Farmers. He teed up in 2018 when ranked 1,925th in the world, missing the cut by a shot after a pair of 72s. He returns two years later as world number 62.

Zalatoris started last year ranked 672nd in the world - a rapid rise has come because he has been featuring on the leaderboard in virtually every event he has played. Most of those tournaments were on the Korn Ferry Tour, but he was sixth in the US Open, eighth in the Corales Puntacana Championship and fifth in the Shriners Open.

Zalatoris possesses a world-class long-game and Torrey Pines South is a perfect place at which to exhibit it. The Californian is competing in his home state and the rookie may quickly shed his PGA Tour maiden tag.

Players to note

Si Woo Kim
Sunday's American Express hero has a good record in California, winning on both the Korn Ferry Tour and the PGA Tour in the Golden State. Back-to-back success should not be dismissed.

Hideki Matsuyama
Kim ended a victory drought of almost four years on Sunday and another Asian may do likewise this week. Matsuyama started the year putting terribly in the Sentry, but improved in the Sony Open and is well suited to Torrey Pines.

Billy Horschel
The Floridian is full of confidence, playing solidly and consistently, and the challenge of Torrey Pines South has come at a good time. Like Matsuyama, seeking to end a four-year victory drought.

Gary Woodland
The 2019 US Open champion says he is over injury problems which have been handicapping him, and he must be respected on a course where his record is excellent.

Torrey Pines courses guide

Courses Torrey Pines South and North, La Jolla, San Diego, California
Prize money $7.5m ($1.35m to the winner)
Lengths South 7,765 yards, North 7,258 yards
Pars Both 72
Field 156
Course records- 72 holes 266 George Burns (1987), Tiger Woods (1999) 18 holes South 62 Tiger Woods (1999), North 61 Mark Brooks (1990), Brandt Snedeker (2007)

Course winners taking part Phil Mickelson (three times), Nick Watney, Bubba Watson, Brandt Snedeker (twice), Scott Stallings, Jason Day (twice), Jon Rahm, Marc Leishman

When to bet By 5pm Thursday

When to watch Live on Sky Sports Golf from 5pm Thursday

Time difference California is eight hours behind the UK and Ireland

Last week - The American Express 1 S W Kim (60-1), 2 P Cantlay (14-1), 3 C Davis (70-1), 4 T Finau (20-1), T5 A Ancer (30-1), M Thompson (125-1), D Ghim (250-1)

Course type Parkland

Course overview Formerly the Buick Invitational, this tournament has been played at Torrey Pines since 1968. The South, opened in 1957, was redesigned and toughened up by Rees Jones in 2001 to make it worthy of staging the 2008 US Open, which was won by Tiger Woods in a Monday playoff against Rocco Mediate. It is a severe test, especially when the wind blows in from the Pacific Ocean, and has traditionally been at least two shots harder than the North in this event. The South had another renovation prior to the last Farmers, preparing it for this year's US Open, with the fourth, ninth, tenth, 15th and 17th holes redesigned. The North was 646 yards shorter, but Tom Weiskopf has conducted a $12m redesign in 2015 and increased the North by 206 yards. The greens are bentgrass at the North and Poa annua at the South. The North is used for only one round (the final 36 holes are played at the South once the cut has been made). The small greens on the South are undulating, tricky, and not usually in the best of shape at this time of year

The story of last year A final-round 65 saw Marc Leishman charge up the leaderboard and triumph by a shot from Jon Rahm

Weather forecast Cloudy and cool throughout, with light to moderate breezes, and some showers expected for Friday

Type of player suited to the challenge The honours board at Torrey Pines indicates this venue is a big-hitters' paradise, with Tiger Woods having won eight times, Phil Mickelson thrice, along with John Daly, Davis Love, Nick Watney, Bubba Watson, Scott Stallings, Jason Day, Jon Rahm and Justin Rose. The South, on which 54 holes will be played, is a long, brutal track which can overwhelm powder-puff drivers. Ben Crane and Brandt Snedeker have shown that exceptional putters can overcome length deficiencies at Torrey, but it is a brave punter who goes to war this week without a few powerhouses on their side, especially with the forecast for cool conditions meaning balls will not travel as far as usual

Key attribute Power

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