Steve Palmer's Farmers Insurance Open third-round preview, best bets, free tips

Where to watch

Sky Sports Golf, 3.30pm Saturday

Best bets

Jon Rahm to win threeball
2pts 5-4 general

Will Zalatoris to win threeball
1pt 8-5 Betfair

Story so far

Viktor Hovland edged in front at the halfway stage of the Farmers Insurance Open, the Norwegian youngster moving to nine under par after a round apiece at Torrey Pines South and North.

The weekend's action will be staged at the South, where Hovland carded a magnificant second-round 65 to hit the front. The 23-year-old, chasing the third PGA Tour title of his career, was a best-price 28-1 ante-post.

Hovland is 6-1 with 36 holes to play, but the status of favourite remains with Jon Rahm, who has shortened from a pre-tournament 7-1 to 100-30. The Spaniard followed a 69 at the South with a 67 at the North.

Rory McIlroy suffered with a cold putter in round two, leaving himself with a four-shot weekend deficit to overcome.

Leaderboard
-9 Viktor Hovland
-8 Jon Rahm, Adam Scott, Tony Finau, Lanto Griffin, Ryan Palmer, Patrick Reed
-7 Will Gordon, Robby Shelton, Peter Malnati
-6 Alex Noren, Sam Burns, Richy Werenski
-5 Will Zalatoris, Jason Kokrak, Rory McIlroy, Adam Hadwin, Rory Sabbatini, Brandt Snedeker, Max Homa

Best prices
100-30 J Rahm, 6 V Hovland, 15-2 T Finau, P Reed, 9 A Scott, 12 R McIlroy, 14 R Palmer, 25 L Griffin, 40 P Malnati, W Zalatoris, S Burns, 50 bar

Third-round preview

Jon Rahm withdrew from The American Express last week, citing a tweaked back from a gym session, but the world number two has bounced back to full fitness and form for one of his favourite courses.

Rahm is on the US Open radar of many punters because the Major is in June at Torrey Pines South, where the Basque Country boy has made merry through the years. His maiden PGA Tour title came there in 2017 by a three-shot margin, sealed with a long eagle putt at the 72nd hole, and he finished runner-up to Marc Leishman in last year's edition.

Rahm has a baby due in the summer around the time of the US Open, but if he goes to post, he could be a warm order, especially if a second Farmers triumph arrives on Sunday evening. He has some high-class opposition around him, but deserves top billing heading into the weekend.

Farmers outright punters should probably be concentrating on Rahm, Viktor Hovland, Lanto Griffin and Patrick Reed. Will Gordon, Robby Shelton, Sam Burns and Will Zalatoris are a quartet of talented maidens lurking just off the pace, but this has become a tough tournament in which to make a breakthrough, with Rahm, Hovland and Reed to overcome.

Temperatures are not set to better 17 degrees in San Diego over the weekend, but sunny, calm conditions are expected for the final two rounds. Despite the difficulty of the course, plenty of birdies should be seen, and that could be bad news for the weakest putters on the leaderboard - Tony Finau and Adam Scott - while Rory McIlroy has to start seeing putts go in early to make an impression. He did not seem to be putting badly in round two - he was shaving the edges - but was just lacking some pace.

Rahm is putting well and, all things considered, is a fair price at 100-30. He is still getting used to new clubs, having switched from TaylorMade to Callaway over New Year, but he seems fully fit and determined. Justin Rose won this tournament in the wake of his switch from TaylorMade to Honma in 2019, and Rahm could be following in the Englishman's footsteps.

Third-round threeballs punters should consider Rahm for the final contest (5.50pm UK and Ireland time) against Hovland and Scott, while Zalatoris can be fancied to prove too steady for Jason Kokrak and Richy Werenski (5.10pm).

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Indeed, Northampton haven't played since December 26 but while it's easy to chalk that up as a negative, Gloucester have had a two-week layoff so it's hard to judge how either team will shape up.

After shipping four tries in each of their first four games, Gloucester have at least looked as if they are tightening up their defence and welcome back scrum-half Willi Heinz from injury for his first start of the season.

But there could be a lack of physicality with Ben Morgan and Jake Polledri injured plus Ed Slater banned, and that's an area Northampton can exploit.

Winger Taqele Naiyaravoro and Fijian lock Api Ratuniyarawa come into the side, while there's a solid back row of Nick Isiekwe, Lewis Ludlam and Shaun Adendorff.

It's a tough game to call but odds-against quotes about the Saints appeal more.

In Saturday's other Premiership game, second-bottom Worcester get a handicap in the teens against champions Exeter, who have lost their last two games.

In the Pro14 Munster take on Benetton while champions Leinster are 11-point favourites at Scarlets.

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