Steve Palmer's LIV Golf Team Championship first-round preview & best bets

Golf tips, best bets and player analysis for the LIV Golf Team Championship at Trump National Doral.

Where to watch

YouTube and livgolf.com, 5.15pm Friday

Best bets

Smash (2-5), Majesticks (1-2), Punch (4-6)
2pts treble bet365

Cleeks
1pt 11-10 BoyleSports

First-round preview

Three of the four favourites look worthy of support in the opening set of LIV Golf Team Championship matches at Trump National Doral in Miami.

Three quarters of the Smash team are teeing up in their home state this week - the Koepka brothers and Peter Uihlein - and they also have a significant form edge over their opponents, Niblicks.

Brooks Koepka won the last LIV event in Jeddah, beating Uihlein in a playoff, so that dynamic duo will be extremely confident of defeating Harold Varner and James Piot in their singles matches. Jason Kokrak and Chase Koepka play Turk Petit and Hudson Swafford in the doubles match.

Majesticks also look solid favourites. Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood, two experienced Ryder Cup legends, will fancy their chances against Kevin Na and Sihwan Kim in the two singles, while Sam Horsfield and Henrik Stenson can edge Phachara Khongwatmai and Sadom Kaewkanjana in the doubles.

Smash and Majesticks can be put with Punch in a treble. Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman are strong singles options for Punch against Phil Mickelson and Matthew Wolff. The doubles match between Bernd Wiesberger and Cameron Tringale and Matt Jones and Wade Ormsby should be tight.

The one upset of the day may come from Cleeks beating Torque. Joaquin Niemann is no certainty to defeat former Ryder Cup colossus Martin Kaymer, while Laurie Canter will fancy himself against Jediah Morgan in the other singles contest.

Graeme McDowell and Richard Bland could gel extremely well for Cleeks in the doubles against Adrian Otaegui and Scott Vincent.

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