Steve Palmer's Hero Open second-round preview, best bets, free golf tips

When to watch

Sky Sports Main Event and Golf, 12pm Friday

Best bets

Hurly Long to win 12.20pm threeball
1pt 6-5 bet365

Preview

Friday afternoon Sky Sports viewers will get to see pre-tournament Hero Open favourite Ryan Fox in action, with the New Zealander set to board the first tee soon after live coverage starts.

Fox, 11-1 market leader at the off, drifted to 18-1 after his four-under-par opening round of 68, underlining how good scoring has been at Fairmont St Andrews. Ante-post 60-1 chance Sean Crocker set the pace with a 63.

Fox is in an ultra-competitive 12.10pm threeball with defending champion Grant Forrest and Sunday's Cazoo Classic victor Richie Ramsay. A more attractive betting heat is the 12.20pm contest, for which Hurly Long can be trusted.

Long closed round one in spectacular fashion, rattling off four consecutive birdies to go from one over par to three under in a flash, and the in-form German can be fancied to build on that effort on Friday afternoon.

Long, fresh from positive Stateside missions in the DP World Tour events which were co-sanctioned with the PGA Tour, edged playing partners James Morrison and Jonathan Caldwell by a shot in round one. A wider margin success could be on the cards for round two.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER

Not got a bet365 account? Bet £10 & get £50 in free bets

Open account offer. Minimum deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as bet credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Minimum odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude bet credits stake. Time limits/T&Cs apply. 18+ begambleaware.org

CLAIM OFFER HERE

MORE FREE BETS

Sign up to emails from Racing Post Sport and get all the latest news and tips

Today's top sports betting stories

Follow us on Twitter @racingpostsport