Steve Palmer's Mayakoba Classic third-round preview, free golf betting tips

When to watch

Sky Sports Golf red button, 7pm Saturday

Best bet

Aaron Wise to win the Mayakoba Classic
1pt each-way 33-1 BoyleSports

Story so far

Emiliano Grillo raced clear from the Mayakoba Classic field in the closing stages of round two, the Argentinian forging a four-shot advantage at El Camaleon, assuming favouritism going into the weekend.

Grillo, a 66-1 chance ante-post, has become a general 9-4 market leader with 36 holes to play. Nine Friday birdies in a second-round 63 has put him in command, but the 2015 Frys.com Open is the only event he has managed to win on the PGA Tour.

Pre-tournament favourite, Justin Thomas, is tied for 34th place, ten shots off the pace, while Brooks Koepka seems set to miss the cut, languishing in 72nd place at level par. Darkness brought Friday play to a premature close, so the cut and the third-round draw is yet to be made.

Andy Ogletree, seven under par and in the fairway off the tee at the 16th hole, is the only player who did not finish on Friday who can threaten the leaderboard. Viktor Hovland is six under, six shots behind - the same score as the defending champion Brendon Todd.

Leaderboard
-13 Emiliano Grillo
-9 Tom Hoge, Tony Finau
-8 Russell Knox
-7 Joel Dahmen, Aaron Wise, Kyle Stanley, Andy Ogletree (three second-round holes to play)

Best prices
9-4 E Grillo, 5 T Finau, 16 R Knox, 18 T Hoge, V Hovland, 22 J Dahmen, 25 B Todd, 30 bar

Third-round preview

Emiliano Grillo has gone five years without a PGA Tour success and many punters have marked the old Timeform squiggle beside his name. He has always been blessed with ball-striking quality, but an unreliable putting stroke and flaky temperament typically ruins his tee-to-green work.

The 2020 Mayakoba Classic, then, has become a potentially pivotal tournament in the career of Master Grillo. At the age of 28, he has not got anywhere near doing justice to his ability, and if he can sign off for this year by finally notching victory number two, he could set up a glorious 2021 and beyond.

El Camaleon is an ideal track for Grillo and he has got a solid record in this event, but he has been so unconvincing in contention over the last few years that even with a four-shot buffer, his backers know they are unlikely to collect with any comfort.

There is no urge for a pre-Christmas Grillo plunge at 9-4 and punters are best advised to pick one or two from the chasing pack who can move into a strong Sunday position should the leader falter.
Aaron Wise (six shots behind and 33-1) and Corey Conners (eight shots behind and 33-1) are the most attractive options.

Conners was a Racing Post Sport recommendation at 33-1, so perhaps the most sensible option is to add Wise to the stable. BoyleSports are offering the best each-way terms - a fifth the odds the first five places.

The second round will conclude around 1pm UK and Ireland time, with the third round starting soon afterwards. Live coverage is available on Sky Sports red button from 7pm.

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