Steve Palmer's LIV Golf Chicago first-round preview, best bets, free golf tips

Golf tips, best specials bets and player analysis for LIV Golf Chicago at Rich Harvest Farms.

When to watch

YouTube and livgolf.com, 6.15pm Friday

Best bets

Bryson DeChambeau top American
1.5pts each-way 11-1 bet365

Bryson DeChambeau first-round leader
1pt each-way 28-1 BoyleSports

Crushers to win team event
1pt each-way 7-1 BoyleSports

Matt Wolff to beat Abraham Ancer
1pt Evens BoyleSports

Preview

Bryson DeChambeau took great heart from his eighth-place finish in the Open Championship in July and the forgotten man of golf could make an impact in LIV Golf Chicago.

Not long ago, DeChambeau was dazzling PGA Tour galleries with his phenomenal driving, but the Californian suffered with injuries before making the switch to LIV Golf. It has been a difficult road back to fitness, but St Andrews provided plenty of positives, and the set-up at Rich Harvest Farms this week plays into DeChambeau's hands.

The long, wet, hilly venue is an intimidating one for short-hitters - Wade Ormsby, for example, probably needs the putting performance of his life to get anywhere the lead - but the likes of DeChambeau will be licking their lips. He is one of only four players in this field with competitive experience of the venue, having teed up in the 2015 Western Amateur there.

The best way to support DeChambeau is by backing him to be top American. He should be competitive in that market, with four each-way places available, while the first-round-leader market is another angle to pursue.

DeChambeau may not have the 54-hole consistency to take the title this week - he has not played a lot of competitive golf lately and has not contended seriously for a trophy since losing last year's BMW Championship in a playoff - but punters can expect short bursts of power scoring. A 28-1 first-round-leader price seems to dismiss him too readily.

BoyleSports are betting on the team event and Crushers - the team of DeChambeau, Paul Casey, Charles Howell and Anirban Lahiri - appear the value option. The 4 Aces team of Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Talor Gooch and Pat Perez are short-price 6-4 favourites.

Matt Wolff is another player who should enjoy this week's long, soft assignment, and the slugger is an attractive even-money chance to defeat Abraham Ancer.

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